ADULT EDUCATION AND NATIONAL

DEVELOPMENTED 307

LECTURE 3

PSYCHOLOGY OF ADULT LEARNERS04/21/23 15:17 1

Why Adults Want To LearnTo gain knowledge or a skill they need To better manage changes in their lives

To keep up with environment changes To increase or maintain a sense of self-esteem

For social mobility (horizontal)

04/21/23 15:17 41

Characteristics of Adult LearnersObserve yourself ,what do you think are the characteristics of adult learners?

In relation to psychosocial development what could be the characteristics of adult learners?

04/21/23 15:17 42

Characteristics:Adults often have very different ideas about what is important to learn.

They are more concerned about the effective use of time.

Have other social roles besides learning (a lot of works, family life)

They are contributing to their development, work success, etc.04/21/23 15:17 43

Characteristics Cont....They have broad, rich experiences to relate to new learning.

They are likely to reject or explain away new ways that contradict their beliefs.

They have well-formed expectations.Normally, they are self directed learners.

04/21/23 15:17 44

Characteristics Cont....Many of them depend upon themselves for material support and life management.

They perceive themselves to be doers.

Adults learn best when they perceive the outcomes of the learning process

04/21/23 15:17 45

Cont.Their readiness to learn is more directly linked to needs related to fulfilling their roles as workers, spouses, parents, coping with lives.

They are internally motivated.They are more concerned about the immediate applicability of learning.

04/21/23 15:17 46

Cont.Some may lack self confidence e.g. they worry and have negative attitude for their capability to success due to the long time of not learning.

They are conservatives (have resistance to change because of their experience)

They are voluntary learners.

04/21/23 15:17 47

Discussion What are the implications of these characteristics to adults facilitators?

04/21/23 15:17 48

Implications for Adult EducatorsTeach content with practical value for them (teach something that will interest them)

Teach with respect. Adult learners should be recognised their status, eg politicians, parents, fathers, headmasters, mothers.

Although there should be a teacher-student status.

04/21/23 15:17 49

Implication Cont…Use their experience; some may be better informed than teachers

Considering they have multiple roles and responsibilities teaching should be engaged accordingly.

Others

04/21/23 15:17 50

Curriculum content and delivery system for adult education.Theories of adult learning like progressives, radical, etc, stress on the needs and interests of the learners.

To them the interests of the students should be given first priority.” (Elias & Merriam, 1995)

04/21/23 15:17 51

Cont.• Thus, in selecting the contents for adults the major guiding principle should be their needs, interest and aspiration.

• The social, economic and political conditions demands in society as well as new paradigms or changes are the main determinants of the content to be taught.

• Updating or current content should be taught.

04/21/23 15:17 52

Teaching methods The theories of adults learning also

emphasis the equality between the educator and the learner.

They show that there should be a mutual relationship between the teacher and students in the whole learning process in the sense that each one can learn from another.

04/21/23 15:17 53

Selection of teaching methodsIt is possible to use many techniques

in one session.The teacher has to know thoroughly

the methods and choose the best ones for particular session.

He/she must be skilled enough in choosing and using the methods.

04/21/23 15:17 54

Use a mixture of approaches and learning stylesVisual: reading or seeing

(5-10% retention)Auditory: listening

(20-25% retention)Psychomotor: doing

(70-75% retention)04/21/23 15:17 55

A Good Teacher of AdultsIs people-centered, more interested in people than things, more interested in individuality than conformity, and more interested in finding solutions than following rules.

The teacher must be understanding, flexible, patient, humorous, practical, creative and prepared. 04/21/23 15:17 56

Take home assignment 1Personal reflection: Identify your personal adult teaching

philosophy. What are your basic principles?Discuss how you are going to use it in

bringing about adult learning in your area.

About 2-3 pages (excluding the cover page). Deadline: 03/12/2014

04/21/23 15:17 57

THE END

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

04/21/23 15:17 58