Let The Good Times Roll! Maggie McGuire Ed.D. 979 204-4737 [email protected] Master Level Trainer 1032 The Adult Learner

Let The Good Times Roll!

Maggie McGuire Ed.D.

979 [email protected]

Master Level Trainer 1032

The Adult Learner

© Maggie McGuire LLC

AgendaWhat’s in our bebop today?

• Welcome and …………….

• Motivating Adult Learners• Motivating Adult Learners• Motivating The Reluctant Learner• Dealing With “Sour Notes”



Characteristics of Adult Learners

• Have first hand experience

• Have set habits and strong tastes

• Have a great deal of pride, but their ways of “showing “it” varies

• Have tangible things to lose so are very cautious in the educational environment

• Have preoccupations outside the learning environment

• May be bewildered by options (sometimes)

• Have developed group behavior consistent with their needs


Characteristics of Adult learners

• Have established a rational framework (values, attitudes, etc.) by which they have made a decision

• Have a strong feelings about the learning environment

• May have prejudices which are detrimental to the learning environment

• Have a strong need to apply what is learned and apply it now

• Want to be competent in their application of knowledge and skill

• Want a choice in what they learn

• Like their “creature comfort” in room, furniture, equipment, breaks and refreshments


Common Teaching Strategies

for Teaching Adults

Lecture

Role PlayingSmall Group Discussion

Group Discussions

BrainstormingPanel of Experts


Common Teaching Strategies

for Teaching Adults

Jig Sawing

SurveysGuest Speakers

Electronic templates

Case Studies


Motivating Adult Learners Through

Expertise

Empathy

Enthusiasm

Clarity

Brainstorming


In four small groups, brainstorm what the word on your chart means. Be prepared to share your ideas………..


Expertise

You must have a thorough grasp of the content

.

You must understand that your adult learner brings a great deal of first hand experiences to your session

You must provide concrete examples of how this will benefit your adult learners in their work site or classroom

You must be familiar and comfortable with a variety of instructional strategies for delivering your content


Enthusiasm

• Show you care about your topic • Be upbeat in your examples• Emotion, energy and animation will sell your

workshop!


EmpathyUnderstand your audience and what they expect to learn

in your session

Adjust your material to meet the needs of your participants

Understand that adult learners have many pressures outside of the classroom that sometimes take over their lives

Make sure that your sessions have value to your adult learners so that the material presented is relevant and immediately usable in their classrooms


Clarity

Deliver your content with confidence

Answer questions clearly and simply

Have an in-depth knowledge of your subject so you can “think on your feet”!


Break!


Motivating the Reluctant Learner


Reluctant Participants

Ask what they expect to get out of the class.Find out what age they work with and make sure

you give them direct examples that they can useCall them by nameGive them recognition when they participateGive them some responsibility and express

appreciation for their efforts.


Low Literacy Rates

Use pictures and graphics

Provide hands on experiences

Ask for volunteers


Motivating the Reluctant Learning

• ARE YOU A WOOFER OR A MEOW?• The trainer says:

– Most people with dogs will tell you that when their dog hears thunder, they will begin to whine and be afraid. A cat, on the other hand, will remain quiet and aloof.

Which are you

most like

when conflict thunders around you.

The

whi

mpering dog or the aloof cat?

Explain.




• THE WHOLE WORLD IS A STAGE– We have all heard the phrase: The whole world is a stage”.

What movie is playing at your place ?

• WHO IS THE BAD GUY– If the worst teacher (most unhappy person) at your school

came to life as a movie villain, who would it be? Explain.



• CALM DOWN– Have the participants lay their heads on the table, lay on the floor, or get in

a comfortable position. Have them reflect on what they have just learned. After about 5 minutes, say a key word or short phrase and have them

reflect on it for a couple of minutes.

Repeat one or two times then gather

the group together and have them

discuss what they just reflected on

and show how they would use it in

their work.



• CHANGE THE WORLD– Give a participant a wand and tell them that the wand gives

them magic power. Using the wand, they must give three work related things that they would like to change. Then they pass the wand to the next person and they have to give them a solution for each concern.


Dealing with Sour Notes


Side Conversations Ask them if they have a question? They may simply being

explaining the concept to each other.

Walk over and stand by them.

At break speak with them about the concern.

Allow a longer break or set a designated time to provide for social conversations.

Several times during the training, regroup your groups.


Distractions and Latecomers

Set ground rules at the beginning. How will you handle bathroom breaks, turn off cell phones and pagers, etc?

What about people who have their own agenda and ask questions that are not on topic? Redirect them back to the topic at hand. At break, go and speak with them.

There are always people who arrive late to a training. Always have a few extra sets of materials available that you can give the latecomers. Tell them that you will visit with them at break to catch them up.


Resources

Barsch Learning Style Inventoryhttp://www.wou.edu/provost/aalc/learning/learning_styles.php

Characteristics of the Adult Learnerhttp://agelesslearner.com/intros/adultlearning.html

Principles of Adult Learninghttp://frank.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed01/22.html

Staff Development: Adult Characteristicshttp://ed.fnal.gov/lincon/staff_adult.shtml

Working with Adult Learners http://www.go2itech.org/HTML/TT06/toolkit/assessment/adults.html

http://www.wou.edu/provost/aalc/learning/learning_styles.php

http://agelesslearner.com/intros/adultlearning.html

Documents

Let The Good Times Roll! Maggie McGuire Ed.D. 979 204-4737 [email protected] Master Level Trainer 1032 The Adult Learner