Adult learning

Adult Learning Strategies

Gordon M. GroatPhD (abd), MS, BGS, ASc CRTT

[email protected]

References for MBTI types

TypeLogic Personality Pathwa

ys Team Technology

Give the test a rip…Humanmetrics

http://www.typelogic.com/

http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html

http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html

http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/myers-briggs/myers-briggs.htm

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

What it is…◦ An Academic Theory◦ Widely Cited and

Poorly Understood◦ Critical to our Success◦ Provides Context that

speaks to what Motivates Adult Learners

What it is not…◦ An Exact Science◦ Something that is

written in stone◦ A Panacea◦ Undisputed ◦ Unchanging

What is Adult Learning Theory?

Constructivism Theory (Piaget, et al)◦ cognitive-developmental stream ◦ through processes of accommodation and

assimilation, individuals construct new knowledge from their experiences

◦ Typically associated with Pedagogy of “Learning through Doing”

Early Contributors to Learning Theory include Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bruner

What Informs Adult Learning Theory

The learner as a unique individual (Gredler, Wertsch 1997)

Background and Culture Impact the Learner(Gredler, Wertsch 1997)

Responsibility for Learning(Von Glasersfeld 1989)

Motivation for Learning(Prawat and Floden 1994)

What is important in Social Constructivism

Social constructivist scholars view learning as an active process where learners should learn to discover principles, concepts and facts for themselves.

Instructors have to adapt to the role of facilitators and not teachers

What does this mean for Adults?

Individuals make meanings through the interactions with each other and with the environment they live in. Knowledge is thus a product of humans and is socially and culturally constructed

How does Constructivism inform the way we learn?

Adults will commit to learning when the goals and objectives are considered realistic and important to them. Application in the 'real world' is important and relevant to the adult learner's personal and professional needs (Speck 1996)

Speaks to Motivation for Learning

So… let’s tie in Constructivism with Adult Learning Theory…

Adults want to be the origin of their own learning and will resist learning activities they believe are an attack on their competence. Thus, professional development needs to give participants some control over the what, who, how, why, when, and where of their learning.

Speaks to Responsibility for Learning

Constructivism with Adult Learning Theory…the relationships

Adult learners need to see that the professional development learning and their day-to-day activities are related and relevant.

Speaks to Background and Culture as well as Motivation for Learning


Adult learners need direct, concrete experiences in which they apply the learning in real work.

Speaks to Motivation for Learning


Adult learners need to see that the professional development learning and their day-to-day activities are related and relevant.

Adult learners need direct, concrete experiences in which they apply the learning in real work.

What Else is Important for Adults?

Adult learning has ego involved. Professional development must be structured to provide support from peers and to reduce the fear of judgment during learning.

Adults need to receive feedback on how they are doing and the results of their efforts. Opportunities must be built into professional development activities that allow the learner to practice the learning and receive structured, helpful feedback.

What else is Important for Adults?

Adults need to participate in small-group activities during the learning to move them beyond understanding to application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Small-group activities provide an opportunity to share, reflect, and generalize their learning experiences.

Adult learners come to learning with a wide range of previous experiences, knowledge, self-direction, interests, and competencies. This diversity must be accommodated in the professional development planning.


Transfer of learning for adults is not automatic and must be facilitated. Coaching and other kinds of follow-up support are needed to help adult learners transfer learning into daily practice so that it is sustained


Peer Mentoring – Remember the part about the statement that should precede any learning… i.e. the “Learning Styles” side of the Pyramid… “EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS AND PURPOSE FOR THE WHY LEARNERS” - recall the language that was set as an example

So… assemble the threads and weave a tapestry

THINK about the exact words they recommended we use….

◦ “By the end of this training you will be able to…..” Where do you see this phrase over and over again…?

More Threads

http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/rhatch/NSF-PLANS/THINKER.GIF

Course Goals in ILN

Masterful Conversations

Goals: By the end of this training, the learner should be able to understand core skills necessary to conduct masterful conversations, including use of advocacy, inquiry, reflective listening and the ladder of inference, be able to manage one's own judgments and strong feelings and transform those for productive purposes in the conversation and enable individuals and organizations to leverage key interpersonal skills for improved results and working relationships.

Dr. David Kolb’s Model

What you got in Peer Mentoring was based on this model

Like most areas of inquiry, multiple models exist

Kolb Model

Kolb Model

Breaks Learning Styles into four pairs of preferences or dichotomies

DichotomiesConcrete Reflective

Abstract Reflective

Abstract Active

Concrete Active

Why?

What?

What If?

How?

Now… let’s look at Learning Styles

Felder Silverman Learning Styles

Model

Breaks Personality Types into four pairs of preferences or dichotomies and influenced by the research of Dr. Carl Jung

The Research Lineage◦ Dr. Richard Felder◦ Dr. Linda Silverman

DichotomiesActive Reflective

Sensing Intuitive

Visual Verbal

Sequential Global

ACTIVE

retain and understand information best by doing something active with it

Let's try it out and see how it works

Tend to prefer groups as opposed to working alone

Lectures are not the preferred method of learning

REFLECTIVE

Prefer to think about the learning material quietly

Let’s think it through first Often prefer working

alone

Active – Reflective Learners

SENSING

Tend to like to learn facts Tend to be patient with

details Good at memorizing facts Enjoy doing hands-on work tend to be more practical

and careful in their approach

Are not fond of courses that have no connection to the real world

INTUITIVE

Prefer to explore and discover various possibilities and relationships

Like innovation and dislike repetition

May be better at grasping new concepts

Are comfortable with abstractions

Seem to work faster and to be innovative in their approach

Are not fond of courses that involve a lot of memorization

Sensing – Intuitive Learners

VISUAL

Prefer to take in new information by seeing it in various forms◦ Dashboards◦ Graphs◦ Pictures◦ Charts

VERBAL

Prefer to take in new information through the spoken or written word◦ Lectures◦ Books◦ Discussions / Round

Tables

Visual – Verbal Learners

SEQUENTIAL

Prefer to take in information in linear steps, with each step following logically from the previous one

Like to see information it in various forms

Tend to work through problems in an orderly manner constructing solutions in a step by step manner

GLOBAL

Will take in lots of information in no particular order not worrying about the connections until they grasp the concept

Are known to solve complex problems quickly by “thinking outside the box” – but they may have difficulty communicating the process to others

Sequential – Global Learners

Active◦ Group Activities◦ Discussions◦ Round Tables

Reflective◦ Time to think and

reflect◦ Handouts and Books◦ Digital Copies of

Documents

Retrieved from Carlton Universityhttp://chat.carleton.ca/~tblouin/Felder/felder.html

So… How Do I Teach To These Styles?

Sensing◦ Real World

Applications ◦ Hands On Activities

Intuitive◦ Concept Maps and

Flowcharts◦ Open Ended

Assignments with few constraints



Visual◦ Diagrams◦ Charts◦ Flash Presentations◦ Demonstrations

Verbal◦ Discussion◦ Oral Reports

(stand-ups)◦ Writing

Assignments



Sequential◦ Outlines◦ Flowcharts◦ Step by step process

Global◦ Topic Overviews◦ Connections to

other materials



Incorporate ALL the learning styles into your curriculum design and mix it up… i.e. Alternate between the styles.

Avoid being in any one style too long – this keeps everybody’s interest at a higher level

So… What’s the best practice

Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument

Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI)

Breaks Personality Types into four pairs of preferences or dichotomies

The Research Lineage◦Dr. Carl Jung (1913)◦Dr. K. Briggs (1923)

Isabel Briggs Myers leveraged her Mother’s research to create the MBTI

DichotomiesExtraversion Introversion

Sensing Intuition

Thinking Feeling

Judging Perceiving

• Sensing: This refers to the five senses. Sensing individuals prefer data that can is concrete and tangible… and can be taken in by the five senses.

Intuition: This style tends to trust information that is more abstract or theoretical

Sensing-Intuition

◦ Thinking individuals tend to be reasonable, logical, causal, consistent… they seem to gravitate towards a given set of rules to contextualize decision points

◦ Feeling individuals tend to take an empathetic view of the situation. They like to consider how to achieve harmony and consensus while correlating to a personal value set

Thinking-Feeling

◦ Introversion is characterized by the need to reflect on a situation and not rush to action without careful thought beforehand.

◦ Extraversion is characterized by individuals who tend to draw energy from action: they tend to act, then reflect, then act further

Introversion - Extraversion

◦ Judging is characterized by order, decisions, timelines, planning, and execution according to a predetermined schedule

◦ Perceiving tends to present as a willingness to leave things open, allow for input along the way. They sometimes wait until deadlines approach to finish projects and, in some cases, they even seem to draw a sense of energy from impending deadlines

Judging - Perceiving

The four dichotomies that inform the Personality Trait Indicator are combined to create a “Personality Type”

ENFP, INFP, ISFP, ENTJ, etc. These combined traits weave a personality

type indication (which we commonly refer traits as “Colours” – a course that is based on the MBTI research) and probably cross correlated with the Kiersey Temprament Sorter

Tying the MBTI together

What’s Your MBTI Type? What’s Your Preferred Learning Style? What’s Your Kiersey Temperament?

Self Discovery

In essence, you probably already do leverage this unknowingly!

◦ When you understand what kinds of temperaments you have on your team – you can make more informed decisions about how to distribute tasks

So… How Do We Leverage this?

Remember that while this is based on scientific research and it is NOT a Panacea

Remember that peoples styles change and evolve continually – don’t put people in boxes

The BIG CAVEAT

What do you think my personality type is?◦ ENTJ

What do you think my preferred learning style is?◦ Split across the board

What do you think my Kiersey Temperament is?◦ Field Marshall

How Well Do You Know Me?

Education

Adult learning