When the teacher is aware of adult learning theories then adjustments can be made to promote positive outcomes. In teaching it is always more why as to what is being taught.
Interesting approach, Heidi. Quiet students are a challenge for me. I sometimes feel they are not given enough of a chance to participate in a public fashion because they need more time to process information and think about an appropriate response. I have recently incorporated the use of clickers in the theory portion of my courses in order to evaluate and validate learning. The anonymity of clicker use and the ability to vary response time allows those students who require additional "thinking" time a chance to become engaged without risk.
My knowledge and understanding of adult learning theories has helped to increase my faith that all learners can think and motivate me to help adult learners see thinking as a goal, and therefore actively seek to present challenging problem solving opportunities to my students while still providing a safe, risk-taking learning environment. Because of these theories, I know and understand how and why I should give adult learners time to learn and pay attention to their developmental readiness and sequence.
Using students' prior experiences is a great tool with adult learners. Their personal examples can really boost classmates understanding of concepts through showing concrete examples.
That is a great way to determine what most students respond to best.
One thing that I have found useful is relating the material to their lives. Adults at all ages, but especially those over 40 don't like to waste time on material they think will not help them or make their life easier in some way. Explaining how the material will do that is the first part of a lecture for me because of this. Once adults feel that the information is useful they buy in and are a lot more engaged.
Heidi,
Thanks for sharing this. Your peers may benefit from it.
Jeffrey Schillinger
YOU CAN PLAN A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES WHICH APPEAL TO ALL LEARNING STYLES.
I have had a few quiet students that like to observe the others in class for a few weeks before they feel comfortabel enough to add to discussion. When I see these students observing, I let them know (usually during breaks and after class) that I am aware that they are only observing and ask them what they think of the discussions. Most of the time, after talking to me individually, they will begin speaking up in class because they feel more comfortable. Another thing I do for those quieter students is to show videos from YouTube (specifically cartoons that illustrate key points) which engages everyone in the class, even our self-defined "wall flowers"!
Heidi,
What are one or two ofthe strategies you use to reach quieter students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Through understanding adult learning theories, I can focus my attention on providing different activities that will engage learners. I will design different activities that will incorporate the different learning styles. Instruction for students must be presented in as many different ways as is needed. It is also important for me to understand different learning styles of my students so that I can begin to design my teaching plan with these styles in mind.
This is also enjoyable for me as I learn new ways of presenting ideas. My students help me learn as well aas I help them learn new concepts.
This coming semester I am using a team-based learning approach in my classroom. The team-based learning focus will (hopefully) encourage student preparation.
Knowing adult learning theories allows us more insight into how adults learn as well as how we should be instructing them. Not all adults can learn from lecture or reading alone; many need to also have a hands-on learning experience to grasp the information. In addition to this, adult learners need to be able to apply the information learned to their everyday lives, or they may not find the importance of learning the material. Knowing all of this helps me to create lesson plans that will implement various strategies of learning as well as being able to apply the material to my individual students.
Your post reminds me that we can also rely on the learner to apply the material in his or her own learning style outside of the classroom.
John
It is so interesting, because learning does not stop. I learn everyday somethingn new. When i teach mt adult learners i feel i am gowing, becoming more and more confident in what i teach. It is because adult learners are not just listening, but they are validating your knowledge. Sometimes, my students come to class with challenging practical questions which lets me explore more in depth about a topic or ways to accomplish a task.
John,
I try to plan at least one see, one hear and one do in as I cover nay topic. This usually hits most learners.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Knowing adult learning theories help me in planning my instructional style appropriate for individual learners. Knowing and reminding myself that they have prior experience lays a strong foundation upon which i am able to build new learning which is much easier for me make it interesting for each of them. I understand from the theory that teaching have to be interesting and meaningful for them to pay attention to. so when i teach a new group of student this is what i do: I take few minutes in my first class to find out who they are, what they think their experience is and what they good at, and establish a connection with them. Suguna.
Jeff and Group:
I know that being aware of the different learning styles can help me teach adult learners. With that said, I try to explain things in different ways to appeal to different styles, and I vary activities for the same reason.
What I'd like some feedback on is: What are some things all of you (instructors) do to adjust your teaching style for different learning styles?
John
When teaching a new group of adult learners I find it important to check with the student where they are in their learning style and how they learn best. Since each student is an individual as well as a group I look at both. Also, my students track as a group and they learn to work together to support each other. Learning theories help me to frame my classroom and clinical experiences to meet the objectives of the course. Additionally, I have learned that adult learners will learn new content when they need the knowledge and I try to time my teaching to their need for it - so called the teachable moment.
When teaching a new group of adult learners I find it important to check with the student where they are in their learning style and how they learn best. Since each student is an individual as well as a group I look at both. Also, my students track as a group and they learn to work together to support each other. Learning theories help me to frame my classroom and clinical experiences to meet the objectives of the course. Additionally, I have learned that adult learners will learn new content when they need the knowledge and I try to time my teaching to their need for it - so called the teachable moment.
Adults are intrinsically motivated to learn. They have many personal and professional experiences upon which to attach the classroom learning. The concepts introduced in the curriculum are often familiar and take less time for these learners to understand, because of their breadth and depth of professional, real-world experience.
Because the adult learner is motivated and has a “coat rack†upon which to hang the knowledge, less time is needed in the classroom to meet the established learning objectives.
Remember that Principles of Management course you took 15 or 20 years ago? I don’t either. At the age of 19, I didn’t have any experiences with managing or being managed. Fast forward 20 years, and taking a Principles of Management class now specifically relates to experiences I have collected along my professional and personal journey. I have a place to hang that knowledge and therefore need much less time to understand the concepts introduced by a faculty member.
