Principles and Theories of Adult

Learning
DIG Dr Manoj KC
Director, Nepal Police Staff College

2081/10/06 Sunday Session -1

Upon completion of this session you will
be able to do the following:
 Describe learning theories.
 Describe Component of Learning Process.
 Explain nature of adult learner.
 Differentiate three common learning styles.
 Identify the type of learner.
Discussion
 Definition of Learning

The term “Learning” has many interpretations,

but as it pertains to this class we will use the
definition “a change in behavior or attitude”.

4
Difficult Learning Behaviors

• Daydreamer
• Uninterested
• Slow learner How
• Disruptive can we
• Timid
• Others…
help ?
Psychology is frequently used as a foundation
discipline in the training of adult educators.
 What motivates students to attend classes?

 What processes do adults learn best?

 How can I adjust my teaching practices to take into account the

learning styles of participant?

 How can I encourage the formation of a cohesive and

supportive group?

 Can I make sense of the expressed anxieties and concerns of

Participant?

 What can I do to help those participant who experience

difficulties in learning?
Children

 Rely on others to
decide what to learn
 Accept information at
face value
 Have little life
experiences
 Not a knowledge
source
Adults

 Decide what is
important to them
 Compare new ideas to
their experience and
beliefs
 Draw upon experience
 Are a valuable
knowledge source
Who: Adult Learners
 Have life experiences and knowledge
 Are relevancy oriented
 Are goal-oriented
 Are practical
 Require respectful dialogue
 Are independent and self directed
 Participatory approach
 We are all learners and we are all educators
 Andragogy versus Pedagogy
Andragogy – Defn Pedagogy- Defn
The methods and practices used The methods and practices used
in teaching adults. in teaching, especially of
children.
Focus
Independent, self-directed, and/or Focus
cooperative learning among Teacher's methods of transferring
adults. knowledge to a student, who is
dependent on the teacher's
Authority methods and understanding.
Adults have control over much of Authority
their learning experience and  Teacher controls the learning
must be motivated to learn. Can experience for children, and
often seek out new or different much of what is taught is
learning experience, at will. based on rigid curricula
Adults learn best when:

1. They understand why they need to learn

something
2. They have the freedom to learn in their own
way
3. Learning is experiential or hands-on
4. The time is right for them to learn
5. The process is positive and encouraging
(Knowles, Holton,& Swanson, 2015)
1. Adults need to know why they need to learn
something before commencing their learning.
2. Adults have a psychological need to be treated by
others as capable of self-direction.
3. Adults have accumulated experiences and these can
be a rich resource for learning.
4. In children, readiness to learn is a function of biological
development and academic pressure. In adults, readiness
to learn is a function of the need to perform social roles.
5. Children have a (conditioned) subject-centred
orientation to learning, whereas adults have a problem-
centred orientation to learning.
6. For adults the more potent motivators are internal.
(Knowles 1989:83–4)
Learning theories of early 1900s
 Behaviorism
 Humanism and
 Cognitive learning theory
BEHAVIORISM
Premises:
 Human brain responds to external stimulus. This
results in an observable change in behavior.
 Reinforcing stimulus increases repetition of the
correct behavior.
 Positive stimulus is more powerful than negative
stimulus.
 Repetition causes the response to become automatic.
 If the behavior is not reinforced, it will disappear.
 The instructor can control the learning environment
and predict the resultant behavior.
Advocates: B.F. Skinner, Pavlov, Piaget
HUMANISM
Premises: Lower needs must be adequately satisfied before
higher needs can influence the student's behavior.
 Level 1 – Survival – Basic necessities of food, water, oxygen
 Level – 2 – Safety – Includes physical and environmental
safety as well as job security and financial savings
 Level 3 – Social – feeling of belonging (i.e., acceptance by
various groups having close friendship), recognition by
others
 Level 4 - Self-Esteem - How you feel about yourself, self-
respect.
 Level 5 – Self-fulfillment – becoming everything of which
you are capable motivated by a desire for personal growth.
Advocates: Maslow, Rogers , Maslow's Model
COGNITIVE LEARNING
Learning occurs as a result of a permanent change in the
cognitive structure.
Premises:
 The brain contains place holder that allow us to
organize and file data.
 When you encounter new information that doesn't
connect (or come close) to something you already
know, your mind will process the information to
connect it. You can learn something new only by
connecting it to something you already know.
 Rote learning is not linked to known information, so it
is easily forgotten.
 Only the individual can process the information,
students are responsible for their own learning.
Advocates: Thorndike, Bode, Kohler, Bruner
Learning theories of late 1900s.
 Social
 Experimental and
 Accelerated.
SOCIAL LEARNING

Premises:
 The environment and the mind both play key roles
in learning.
 People learn by observing and modeling the
behaviors, attitudes and emotional reactions of
others.
 Learning is the function of the interaction of the
student's cognitive process, the environment, and
the behavior through modeling and mentoring.

Advocates: Bandura, Rotter, Mesirow

 Contd..
 Each person (teacher, student, and observer)
brings a different experience to the learning
activity.
 The student seeks a learning partnership (equality
between teacher and student).

Learning Cycle:
1. Reflect on the social environment,
2. Act,
3. Learn.
 EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING
Freire " Educators should pose problems for people to solve, rather
than give pat answers (readymade answer) for people to
memorize."
Premises:
 The heart of all learning is the way we process an experience.
 Past experiences are essential to learn new information.
 New Experiences:- person may or may not recognize this as a
new opportunity to learn.
 Reflective Observation: – person observes others and self. Focus
on action and results.
 Abstract Conceptualization: – Person creates concepts or theories.
 Active Experimentation: – Person uses concepts and theories to
solve problems and make decisions.
Advocates: - Mezirow, Freire, Kolb
 Constructivist

 It states that individuals construct knowledge

through a process of discovery, experimentation
and critical thinking. It emphasizes the importance
of an individual's experience and interaction with
people and the world around them.

 According to this theory, your knowledge may

change as you learn new things and your
experiences and involvement with others can
influence your understanding of the world
 Experiential

David Kolb developed This model

experiential Though the terminology
might differ depending on context, most
models of experiential learning consider it
to be cyclical, with three (or sometimes
four) phases:
•Doing
•Reflecting – what does this mean? What
are we learning from it?
•Applying – what can we do with what
we’ve learned?
Experiential Learning
ACCELERATED LEARNING
Premises:
 Without action, there is no learning. True learning is not merely the
discovery of new ideas and behaviors, but also the implementation of
new ideas and behaviors.
 Learning occurs when new knowledge is integrated with
existing knowledge. Facts and skills learned in isolation are hard to
absorb and are easily forgotten.
 Cooperation among learners improves learning. We learn more by
interacting with peers than by any other means.
 The brain remembers images better than text.
 Learning takes place on many levels simultaneously. Learning comes
from doing the work itself.
 Positive feelings accelerate learning and reduce stress and pain.
 Total learner involvement is essential. Turning a lecture into an activity
greatly accelerates and enhances learning.
 A training course is not something you do to people or even for people,
but with people.
Advocate: Meier
 Problem solving Learning
 Moving most significantly away from lecture- or content-
first teaching approaches.
 Problem solving focuses on learning through the context
of a problem,
 Moves the learner into a “learning predicament” to
emphasize self-discovery.
 When presented with a problem scenario, students work
in one of many roles relevant to the problem, generally to
determine
• What do we know?
• What don’t we know that is necessary to find
solutions to the problem?
• What do we need to find out, learn of discover?
• What solution/s would impact the problem in a
manner desired?
Education Psychology and
Understanding Learners

Session -2
Introduction

Educational psychology is the
branch of psychology concerned
with the scientific study of
human learning.

The study of learning processes,
from both cognitive and
behavioral perspectives, allows
researchers to understand
individual differences in
intelligence, cognitive
Component of Learning Process
 Instructor
 Learner
 Subject matter
 Method of Instruction
 Environment
Adult learning Process
Nature of adult learner
Problem centered; seek educational solutions to where
they are compared to where they want to be in life.
Result oriented, have specific results in mind for education
will drop out if education does not lead to those results
because their participation is usually voluntary.
Self-directed typically not dependent on others for
direction
Often skeptical about new information, prefer to try it out
before accepting it
Seek education that relates or applies directly to their
perceived needs, that is timely and appropriate for their
current lives
Accept responsibility for their own learning if learning is
perceived as timely and appropriate.
Differentiate three learning style
 Visual Learning
 Auditory Learning &
 Kinesthetic Learning
Characteristics of Visual learner
 Focus on visual part of the Instruction
 Demonstration is suitable method
 They sit or stand in the front
 They want to take in the entire picture
 They use visual references such as

“I see what you mean.”

“I don’t see the big picture” or
“I just can’t imagine that”
Characteristics of Auditory learner
 They take information through hearing
 They like good spoken description of the lesson
 They like description of the task in logical steps.
 They use audio references such as:

"that doesn't seem logical"

“I hear what you’re saying (meaning).”
Characteristics of kinesthetic learners
 They want to touch and feel everything (Physically
or emotionally)
 They sit at the back of the class room
 Chair leaning back against the wall
 They may seem inattentive
 They are eager to get practice session
 They use physical & emotion references
 “What does that feel like?” , “That doesn’t
feel right.”
“I can’t get a handle on this” or “I don't feel like I
am getting this”
Presentation skill required enhancing
each learning style
Visual Learners:
 Use visual aid: flipchart, viewgraphs
 A model or picture
 Handouts, computer – Based Training / Videos
 Give demonstration
 Contd..
Auditory learners:
 Use sequence words
 Group learning, study groups, group discussion.
 Use sound to remember by fitting information
into steps, mnemonic or formula.
 Contd..
Kinesthetic Learner
 Include them into activities
 Let them do the demonstration, let them to be a
part of it
 Use words to describe physical feeling
 Allow them to experiment but keep it under
control
 What kind of learner are you
then?
Introduction: What do you understand by the term training?

“Cone of Experience”
People Generally
Remember:

10% of what they Read Verbal

Read

20% of what they Hear

Hear Words

Watch still picture

30% of what they See Visual
Watch moving picture
50% of what they Hear
and See Watch demonstration

70% of what they

Say or Write Do a site visit
Do a dramatic presentation
Kinesthetic
Stimulate a real experience
(Experiential)
90% of what Do the real thing
they Say as
they Do a thing

Adapted from Wiman & Meirhenry, .Educational Media, on Edgar Dale

Involvement of trainee in in every
possible way
 The more senses involved the better

 Increases retained learning

 Remember you want training trainee focused

Blooms Taxonomy of Learning
 Quiz

1. Adult students tend to have certain

similarities. For example, they are usually
independent. What is NOT typically true of
adult learners?

a. They need to know how learning pertains to real

life
b. They have practical experience in one or more
fields
c. They are driven by goals
d. They are confident about being in school
 Quiz

2. When are adult learners most likely to

become interested and enthused in a
college class?

a. When they are allowed to discuss their life

experiences
b. While the instructor is lecturing
c. When they are given deadlines to complete
tasks
d. When the content being taught is very easy
 Quiz

3. Which type of teaching practice, aimed

at adult students, have researchers found
to be the most beneficial?

a. Textbook learning
b. "Hands on" learning
c. Direct instruction
d. Lecture
 Quiz

4. what is the science of adult learning

called?

a. Andragogy
b. Psychology
c. Pedagogy
d. None of these
 Quiz

5. For adults to actually acquire

knowledge, learning must be all of the
following EXCEPT:

a. Repetitive
b. Conceptual
c. Contextual
d. Sequential
 Review Objectives

 Describe learning theories

 Describe Component of Learning Process.
 Explain nature of adult learner
 Differentiate three common learning styles
 Identify the type of learner
?
धन्यवाद