ADULT LEARNING

Five techniques in teaching adults:

1. Get them involved.

Most people retain information more thoroughly and for a longer period of time when they can interact
with the material. Some effective ways to keep adult learners engaged include the following:
 Group activities and discussions
 Role playing
 Real-life examples and scenarios

2. Show them value and relevance.

If adults are going to spend their precious time, and sometimes even personal money, to take a training
course, they want to be able to see how the training is going to improve their skills and increase their
knowledge base and marketability.
Training should provide practical solutions that are applicable to the participants’ jobs.
3. Share their experience.
Adults have gained a lot of experience, work-related and personal, and giving them the opportunity to
share that experience helps them and other participants; the instructor doesn’t have to do all of the
talking, but participants can learn from each other as well.
Try to connect their experiences with the new content to show relevance. Also, use discussion
questions to get the learners to share instances when they have dealt with a certain problem or process,
and then sharing various experiences can facilitate more learning and keep everyone engaged.
4. Make scoring friendly.
Adults typically appreciate having some control over their learning experience. To give them this control,
you can avoid quantitative scoring for assessments or allow a number of corrective attempts before the
final results are recorded. Avoiding letter grades removes pressure and allows participants to focus on
the actual learning without the pressure of being scored.
Alternatives to traditional assessments include the following:
 Skills demonstrations: Participants can show what they learned by demonstrating their skills in a
realistic job environment or by completing a relevant task. This will show their understanding of how
to apply the content in addition to their knowledge about the subject.
 Discussion questions: Instructors can gauge participants’ understanding of the material by posing
questions that call for detailed responses.
 Group activities: By observing how learners contribute to group activities, instructors can measure
their level of competence with the subject matter.
5. Be positive and supportive.
In order to create and maintain a successful training environment, instructors should keep the
atmosphere professional yet friendly and treat participants with respect. A positive, supportive
atmosphere should encourage the learners to share their opinions and experiences.
In addition, allowing mistakes gives the learners more freedom and motivation to participate. There is
usually a way to put a positive twist on an incorrect answer and turn it into a lesson by using supporting
explanations and relevant examples.
Another approach is to ask open-ended questions that don’t have a wrong answer, if possible. That way,
participants’ answers are all valued, and the instructor can guide the discussion to get to the best option
or solution.

Four Elements in Adult learning that should be included in Learning Courses

1. Attention – gain the attention of the learner. It is important that the learner is single-mindedly
focused especially when a person is trying to learn something new.
2. Generation - adults learn in a more selective manner. They tend to capitalize on what
they already know and build upon it. They take responsibility of what they need to and
want to learn which is why self- directed learning is a hit with adults. Self- directed
learning allows the learners to control what they learn and to an extent, how they learn.
It provides a foundation for transformative learning - using critical thinking to challenge
and question what students have learned earlier and thereby, form conclusions on what
they learn. The brain depends on experiences, both individual and social for its growth.
 Whenever the human brain is actively involved in the learning, it is more effective and
efficient.
3. Emotion – it creates memories. Each time one gets an emotional cue, neurons get activated and
remind things associated with that particular emotion.
4. Spacing – learning using the spaced repetition improve long term retention by 200%.

6 Effective Strategies for Teaching Adults

 Keep It Relevant. Adult students truly latch onto lessons they feel are relevant. ...
 Remember Student Backgrounds. One of the many differences between adult learners and their
younger counterparts is experience. ...
 Integrate Emotion Into Lessons. ...
 Encourage Exploration. ...
 Make Assignments Convenient. ...
 Always Offer Feedback.

Key Tips for Teaching Adults

1. Plan some activities where students can direct their own learning.
2. Use active participation and groups for social interaction.
3. Use a variety of teaching and learning methods including hands on learning.
4. Make the learning relevant to what students will be doing when they leave the
classroom.
5. Spend less time lecturing and let students work on solving problems.
6. Provide a supportive learning environment with multiple resources, breaks and
opportunities to ask questions and corrects mistakes.
TEACHING METHODS:
1. Active Lecture
- Present information and ensures it is understood and remembered
- Questions allow for involvement of participants and clarifications of points
made.
- Flexible and informal
- Needs a confident and effective leader to respond to questions and keep
discussion in course
2. Debate
- Examine alternative views
- Alternating one way communication by a series of speakers on a set topic
- No guarantee that materials are being adequately covered.
3. Group Discussion
- Active involvement of participants
- Improves self-confidence and takes advantage of existing knowledge and
experiences of the group
- Stimulates group to think, question and express themselves and to clarify their
problems and ideas
- Done through interactive situation. Leader sets topic, discussed within the
group and main points and conclusion are reported t the large group.
4. Forum
- Present a range of expert’s opinion on a topic and there is a interaction
between conflicting views.
- Provides information and stimulates interest in the topic
- Difficult to ensure balance of views and needs a competent chairperson.
5. Buzz Group
- Sound out interest, views, opinions in any audience
- Involves everyone, breaks up lecture, increase participant activity and alertness
- Used to provide feedback
- After presentation there is response to queries
6. Brainstorming
 - Develop creative thinking
- Participants contribute ideas
7. Case Study
- Problem analysis
- Discussion and understanding of real issues
- Detailed information about a situation or event needs careful preparation. A
case may not be relevant
- Careful guidance and intervention maybe required
8. Role Playing
- Help participants both experience certain feelings and practice certain skills
- Discuss the feelings generated
- Enable participants to practice constructive methods of confrontation
9. Field Trip
- Field work, site work, outside visit
- Observe the operation of an activity or process on site and record their
observation for later analysis
10. Demonstration
- Explain and demonstrate a process or skills so that each group member can
understand and reproduce the action
- Immediate practice is necessary
11. Practice
- Demonstrate mastery of new skills or knowledge in a real life situation
12. Public Speaking
- Present or offer to say something in front of other participants
- Confidence in addressing a crowd is an effective communication
13. Study Circle
- Group of members who want to study or learn from each other’s experience
- Meet in private place or function room
14. Structured Learning Exercises
- Simulate real-life situations
- Roles are described and allocated to various participants
CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHING METHODS/STRATEGIES
A. Student-Centered
- Role Playing
- Group Activity
B. Subject-Centered
- Discussion
- Lecture

LEARNING RESOURCES
- things the students will use when carrying out the instructions outlined in the
learning activities.
- Used to present instruction and for practice and feedback.
TYPES:
1. PRINT MATERIALS
TYPE INFORMATION/CONTENT
 Textbooks, references Facts, concepts, forms, background
information, principles, actual steps in
performing tasks if written well and illustrated
 Technical, shop and manufacturer’s Step by step procedure for performing task
manual using specific make or model of a product, tool
or equipment
 Magazines, journals, trade Leaders, current issues and trends in
publications, pamphlets and occupation; new advances in technology;
periodicals career awareness
 Instructor-developed “Instructions Anything for which other resources cannot be
 Sheet” located

2. NON – PRINT
TYPE INFORMATION/CONTENT
 Still visuals (with or without sound), Step by step procedure in performing task;
slides, film strips, flip charts, interior parts or construction of devices, close
photographs up shots, color
 Motion visuals (with or without Complex tasks where motion and sequence are
sound) – 16mm, 8mm film loops and critical, speed up or slow down time
cartridges, video tape, video disc
 Cassette tapes, reel to reel tapes, Recordings of specialized sounds or noises;
records and language machines pronunciation of words

3. HUMAN RESOURCES
TYPE INFORMATION/CONTENT
 Instructor, aide, tutor or advanced Live demonstration of skills or presentation of
students knowledge to which n learning resource is yet
available.

15 Active Learning Activities:

1. Think-pair-repair
In this twist on think-pair-share, pose an open-ended question to your class and ask students to come
up with their best answer. Next, pair learners up and get them to agree on a response. Get two pairs
together, and the foursome needs to do the same thing. Continue until half the group goes head to head
with the other half.

2. Improved games
If your classroom is museum-level quiet no matter how you try to liven things up, try some low-stakes
(read: not embarrassing) improved activities. In the three things in common game, pairs figure out the
most unexpected things they share. Or challenge your students to count to 20 as a group with one
person saying each number – but no one is assigned a number, and if two people talk at the same time,
everyone starts again at 1.

3. Brainwriting
You’ve probably tried brainstorming, but have you tried brainwriting? In this approach, students begin
by coming up with their own ideas, either on paper or using visual collaboration software. Building in
time for individual reflection leads to better ideas and less groupthink.

4. Jigsaw
Help students build accountability by teaching each other. Start by dividing them into “home groups” (4
or 5 people works well). Assign each person in the group a different topic to explore – they’ll regroup to
work with all the students from the other groups who are exploring the same idea. Once they’ve
mastered the concept, students return to their home group and everyone shares newfound expertise.

5. Concept mapping
Use your walls or displays to visually organize ideas. Collaborative concept mapping is a great way for
students to step away from their individual perspectives. Groups can do this to review previous work, or
it can help them map ideas for projects and assignments.

6. The one-minute paper

How much could you explain in one minute? At the end of class, set a timer and ask students to write
down their most eye-opening revelation or biggest question. This activity lets students reflect on
learning and build writing skills – plus you’ll get a window into their understandings and
misunderstandings.

7. Real-time reactions
When students are watching a video, a mini lecture or another student’s presentation, have them share
their real-time reactions. This helps students spot trends and consider new points of view. You can set
up a hashtag to allow for live tweeting, or use cloud-based collaboration software displayed at the front
of the room to get the same effect with none of the distractions.

8. Chain notes
Write several questions on pieces of paper and pass each to a student. The first student adds a response
(use a timer to keep things moving quickly) and then passes the page along to gather more responses.
Multiple contributions help build more complete understanding. A digital alternative involves using apps
to share responses both simultaneously and anonymously. Then your class can examine the responses
and identify patterns and missing pieces.

9. Idea line up
Choose a question that has a range of responses, and then ask students where they stand – literally.
Have them come to the front of the classroom and organize themselves in a line, based on where on the
spectrum of answers they find themselves.

10. Mystery quotation

Test how well students can apply their understanding of an issue or theoretical position. After they’ve
explored a topic, show them a quotation about it they’ve never seen before. Their task is to figure out
the point of view of the person behind the quotation – and justify it to the class. Students can debate
this issue in small groups before beginning a whole-class discussion.

11. Idea speed dating

Have students cycle through your space, sharing insights about a topic or their elevator pitch for an
upcoming project. As they present their learnings multiple times on several “speed dates,” students’
presentation skills and perspectives will grow.

12. Peer review

The process of peer review is as old as academia, and it’s never too early to start. Have students swap
drafts of their essays, proposals or lab reports, and then come up with comments and questions for each
other. Make sure to be clear about what the goals are (using rubrics helps). For example, students could
identify compelling arguments, unanswered questions and holes in logic.

13. Quescussion
Ever played Jeopardy? Then you’re ready for quescussion. It’s like a standard class discussion but only
questions are allowed (students call “Statement!” if someone slips up). If you play this game at the
beginning of the course, the questions can help shape your course. Make sure to write them down – if
you’re using Span Workspace, students can contribute right from their devices.

14. Sketchnoting
Instead of taking traditional lecture notes, try getting your students to sketch a picture that represents
what they’ve learned during class. Remember, it’s not about the quality of the art – it’s about how
drawing prompts students to visualize their understanding and look at their learning from a different
perspective.

15. Empathy mapping

Take a page from the designers’ handbook and get students to explore deeper by embracing a
perspective. It’s deceptively simple – write down what a person says, thinks, does and feels. The ability
to slow down and immerse yourself in another point of view is valuable. In design thinking, empathy
maps help designers create better products for users. But this process can be just as valuable for
analyzing characters from literature, historical figures or political stances.