Principles Of Adult Learning

Adults As Learners

Adults Attach more meaning to learning gained from experience than from passive learning

Adult learning Theory

Learning can be defined formally as the act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skills. In contrast, memory can define the capacity of storing, retrieving, and acting on that knowledge. learning helps us move from novices to experts and allows us to gain new knowledge and abilities

Physiologically,

learning is the formation of cell assemblies and phase sequences. Children learn by building these assemblies and sequences. Adults spend more time making new arrangements than forming new sequences

At the neurological level, any established knowledge (from experience and background) appears to be made up of exceedingly intricate arrangements of cell materials, electrical charges, and chemical elements. learning requires energy; re-learning and un-learning requires even more. We must access higher brain functions to generate the much-needed energy and unbind the old

Adult as learner

Adults …
are self-directed
like to set their own learning objectives
learn best in an environment of mutual trust and respect They …
learn from their experiences
want to acquire knowledge that can be applied
learn best through active involvement
want to evaluate their own progress

Principles of adult Learning

Learner - Centered
Personalized
Context Dependent for appropriate tools
Context leads to experiential reflection
Experience

The learning process must be constituted as a dialogue between teacher and student, operating at the level of descriptions of actions in the world, recognizing the second-order character of academic knowledge . . .”

not so much what to teach, but how to teach…”

“ Some great teacher don’t talk
a lot… but
they ask GREAT questions