|
As more mature adults pursue career changes,
educators must be ready!
|
As more and more mature adults decide to make a career move and re-enter
the educational environment, educators must have a firm understanding of
who they are and what they want to accomplish. Clearly, more and more
sophisticated learners are enrolling in our educational programs,
especially within the specialty fields, such as esthetics and massage
therapy. To help us better prepare for this special learner, it might
help to take a look at how these learners compare to younger learners.
Younger learners tend to depend on others for material and psychological
support as well as life management. In other words, they are directed by
others, while adult learners are self-directed. Adult learners depend on
themselves to manage their lives. Children basically learn what they are
told to learn and view it as important because adults have told them it
is so. Adults, however, learn best when they view the potential outcome
to be of personal value to them. Young learners have yet to experience
much of life, yet they learn quickly. Adult learners, on the other hand,
have experienced life and tend to learn more slowly even though they
learn well. Because of the younger learners’ limited experience, they
tend to be open to new ideas and will readily take them in. Adults,
however, have opinions of their own and may reject new information if it
doesn’t “fit” into their life experience. Young people learn because
they are told it will benefit them in the future, but adults generally
expect the learning to have immediate applicability in their lives.
External motivation, such as good grades and praise from parents and
teachers, affect younger learners while adults are more motivated
intrinsically. Feelings of achievement, self-worth and self-esteem are
more important to adult learners.
Having identified those differences, it is also relevant to look at ten
specific factors as they apply to adult learners and how educators can
help accommodate their needs in the classroom.
|
-
The motivation factor. Most adult
learning is voluntary; it’s a choice. It stands to reason, then,
that adults are more motivated to learn. There are several areas
that serve as sources of motivation for adults. They include: a)
community welfare: adults are interested in the improvement of the
community and mankind; b) social relationships: adults have a need
for associations and friendships; c) prestige: adults want to enjoy
personal advancement and achieve a higher status in their
professional position; d) expectation achievement: adults basically
want to fulfill the expectations of others and comply with relevant
instructions; e) acquisition of knowledge: some adults learn for the
sake of learning; they want more knowledge simply because they have
an inquiring mind. As educators, rather than focusing on learner
motivation, we may want to consider spending more time on
facilitating learning in an efficient and interesting way, since
older learners are already motivated to pursue it.
|
- The control factor. Adults have an innate need to have some
mastery or control over their own lives. They need to be
self-directed and take responsibility for themselves. They tend to
strongly resent not being able to make choices. They want to take an
active, rather than a passive role in their education. We need to
seek ways to include them in the planning of their educational
experience. We need to consider giving them choices in assignments
and projects that will offer a variety of ways to show that learning
has occurred.
|
- The experience factor. Adult learners have already experienced a
wide array of training, beginning at home, then in school, and then
perhaps in various jobs prior to pursuing career education. Some of
those experiences have been positive and others not. Consciously or
unconsciously, adult learners tend to link new learning to what they
already know, whether through education or life experiences. They
evaluate new ideas as they relate to their past experience. As
teachers, we need to get to know our learners and what experience
they bring to the classroom. We need to use valid concept-connectors
as we introduce new material on a daily basis.
|
- The diversity factor. Adult learners vary greatly from one
another in terms of experiences and age. The variety they bring to
the classroom can greatly enhance the learning environment. By using
collaborative efforts and group discussion or projects, adult
learners can all benefit from their shared experiences. Interactive
dialogue facilitates increased solutions and options over simple
private reflection. As educators, we must allow more time for
networking among adult learners to share perspectives and
experiences. In addition, we need to prepare our presentations to
meet the needs of every learning style in the classroom.
|
- The aging factor. The speed of learning tends to decrease with
age, but the depth of learning increases. While it may take us
longer to learn as we get older, we do grasp what is learned at a
deeper and more relevant level. Other physical factors should be
considered as well. Adult learners may experience barriers to
learning, such as hearing or vision impairments. As educators, we
can compensate by paying attention to the physical learning
environment and making adjustments as needed.
|
- The goal factor. Adults enter career education with a specific
goal in mind. They want to be able to apply what they have learned
as soon as possible. They want the information to be presented in a
well-organized manner with all key elements clearly defined. As
educators, we need to give them more than theory. They want
information that they can grasp and put into practical use
immediately. We need to classify and define goals and course
objectives from the very beginning of their educational experience.
|
- The relevance factor. Adults must be able to identify the reason
for learning something. It must be applicable to their personal or
professional lives if it is to be of any value. As educators, in
defining program objectives, we must make sure that the theories and
concepts are relevant to the learners’ needs. We must also let adult
learners choose projects and activities that reflect their own
interests.
|
- The habits factor. Adult learners may come into the classroom
with behavior patterns that are contrary to what we will be
presenting. They may be less flexible or more difficult to persuade
than younger learners. They may even feel threatened when told those
behaviors must change. Their opinions about certain subject matter
may not always be productive or appropriate, but should be
recognized as important. As educators, we need to take advantage of
learners’ past experiences and behaviors and, if possible, use them
to improve procedures or techniques. We need to inform adult
learners that their ideas and opinions have value and weight.
|
- The change factor. While some adult learners are motivated by
change, others tend to resist it. Learning usually involves changes
in attitudes, actions, and behaviors and that can cause some
learners to become suspect. As educators, we need to carefully
explain the “why” as well as the “how.” We need to recognize that
small changes sought incrementally will be better received than
global changes all at once. This allows learners to see that the
change is beneficial, not harmful, and they will become more
receptive to future changes.
|
- The respect factor. All students deserve respect; adult learners
expect and demand it. As educators, we must learn to treat our adult
learners as equals and allow them to voice their thoughts and ideas
freely in the classroom. We must recognize that, even though they
are students, they are also our peers, not our subordinates. The old
attitude of teachers that “it’s my way, or the highway” simply won’t
work anymore and has no place in the classroom, especially with
adults.
|
Adult education is substantial and carries great potential for
success. That success, however, requires a greater responsibility by
the educator. We need to be aware of learners’ attitudes, past
experiences, habits, opinions and cultures. We need to understand
their perspectives and be able to help them discover how useful a
change in behavior and actions can be for them. We need to engage
them in the learning process and help them achieve their precisely
defined expectations. If we can show them how our programs can
benefit them practically, they will perform better and the benefits
will last longer.
|
– Letha Barnes, Director of the Career
Institute
|
| Source: http://emarketing.delmarlearning.com/milady/milady_news_fall05_classroom.asp |
