Post on 11-May-2018
Characteristics of adult learners
Martin Valcke Martin.Valcke@UGent.be
http://users.ugent.be/~mvalcke/CV_2012/
Structure
• Activity 1: brainstorm session and structuring the field
• Three adult learner specialists (Galbraith, Jarvis, Knowles)
• First principles of adult learning
Activity 1: brainstorm • Bleu: What are strong characteristics
of adults they bring to a training? • Red: What are challenges for adults
involved in training? • White: When do adults feel good in a
training?
Strong Challenges Feel good
Knowles (1984a) • The need to know (autonomy, self-
directed) • Self-concept about own capabilities • They bring in personal experiences. • Readiness to learn. • Have own orientation to learning. • Motivation.
Jarvis (1992) • Adults have a tremendous amount of
experiences • Adults move from social to social
situation
Galbraith (1991)
• Adults are varied/diverse • Adults easily resist training • Adults prefer active strategies • Adults prefer to apply things • They want the learning to be authentic • They are independent
Motivation
• Researchers focusing on adult education point at the criticial role of motivation
• Recent theories emphasize “intrinsic” motivation
Motivation
• Researchers focusing on adult education point at the criticial role of motivation
• Recent theories emphasize “intrinsic” motivation
• Clark (2003): motivation is the effort and persistence that the learner exerts in his or her learning.
Motivation
• Self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan)
http://www.learning-knowledge.com/self-determination.html
SDT: what drives people?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-determination_theory
SDT: needs of people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-determination_theory
• Autonomy: freedom, own decisions, choice, grab opportunities, ..
• Belonging: working together, sharing, accepted by others, feeling related, …
• Competence: I can do it, I can show what I can, willingness to grow, to feel progress, …
Conclusions
1. Consider characteristics of adults 2. Consider central role of adult needs
in view of intrinsic motivation
Characteristics of adult learners
Martin Valcke Martin.Valcke@UGent.be
http://users.ugent.be/~mvalcke/CV_2012/
Refs • Galbraith, M. (1991). The adult learning transactional
process. In M. Galbraith (Ed.), Facilitating adult learning (pp.1-32)-. Malabar: Krieger.
• Jarvis, P. (1992). Paradoxes of Learning: On Becoming an Individual in Society. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
• Knowles, M. (1984a). The adult learner: a neglected species. Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.
• Knowles, M. (1984b). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.