Use this tip sheet as a quick

Adult reference on the following

Learners topics!
Tip Sheet How Adults
Adult Learning Learning
Process
Principles Differences
Information
How Adults Disappears
Time and
Process Information
If not processed, information
is forgotten in between 10 -
If the information is
Capacity
enters the short - deemed important it enters
Information term memory 15 seconds. the long-term memory
Time - the more organized
the easier to retrieve
Capacity - infinite

Short-term
Memory
Information is
Processing Long-term
It’s a function, not a
processed Memory
place! It fills up and Usually an unconscious
empties quickly and 5-9 decision
‘chunks’ of information
an be stored at a time
 AUTONOMY READINESS
Adult Learning
Principles Adult learners learn best:
Identified • If they take control of their learning. Always focus the training on the
learner's needs.
• If they are able to participate actively and
contribute toward their learning.
Training should:
• If they can make their own decisions.

Tips: • Explain what you have to offer

Create opportunities for learners to participate
and contribute in your training sessions. Some
ideas are: exercises, role play, reflection, and
discussions.
Support their ideas.
• Solve an issue or avoids one
• Deliver an opportunity or
improve a process
• Provide professional or
personal growth
 EXPERIENCE ACTION
Adult Learning
Principles
The more you factor the experience of your The learning needs to be put into action
Identified learners into the design and delivery, the more
effective the learning outcome.
immediately or the content can get lost.

You can do this by: Design training that will do these things:

• Understand the experiences of your • Ensure the training can be applied

leaners.
• Create training that is acceptable personally
and organizationally
• Use vocabulary, writing style, examples,
and situations that learners are familiar
with.
• Protect your learners and be sympathetic.
immediately.
• Create an action plan for learners so they
know what steps to take once returning to
work
• Provide opportunities in the training to
practice the skills or knowledge learned.
These three factors influence how
much and how well adults learn

Adjust length of training

Provide practice times
Give additional support
Learning Create positive environment
Explain the benefits
Be supportive
Differences Ability Create pre-learning
Organize peer tutoring
Give extra information
Identified Natural aptitude
to gain new skills Motivation
and knowledge
Prior Desire to obtain
an objective
Knowledge
How much and
what a learner
knows prior to
being taught
 Provide checklists and guidelines
Planning Tell learners what is required to succeed
Create the appropriate training environment for optimal learning

Review important information

Selecting Guide learning to important material
Create activities that emphasize key learning

Build bridges to their prior knowledge

Connecting Draw on learners past experiences
Use familiar examples in the training
Learner
Provide feedback through a variety of approaches
Tuning Create opportunities for the learners to apply the learning during training Differences
Identified
Ask learners about their learning
Monitoring Provide self-assessment opportunities
Create simulation practice based on a realistic experience Stolovich, H.D. Keeps, E. J. (2011). Telling Ain't Training.
The American Society for Training & Development.