Adult Learning

The essence of successful instruction and effective schools comes from the actions of the staff within the school. Therefore, to improve the quality of education in a school, it is sensible to consider on-going education for the staff in the form of professional development.

The principles of adult learning are recognized as one of the common characteristics of effective professional development, as it is accepted that adult learning, or andragogy, differs from the learning of children. Professional learning communities innately entwine the concept of professional development in its successful development; that is, without professional development, professional learning communities cannot exist, as they are built in the teaching and learning of adults for the betterment of student learning. Thus, the distinct differences recognized in andragogy are significantly when planning professional development for teachers. Darkenwald & Merriam (1982) outline 8 principles of adult learning:

1. Readiness to learn depends on the amount previously learning.

2. Intrinsic motivation produces more permanent learning.

3. Positive reinforcement is effective.

4. The material to be learned should be presented in an organized fashion.

5. Learning is enhanced by repetition.

6. Meaningful tasks and materials are more easily learned.

7. Active participation in learning improves retention.

8. Environmental factors affect learning.

For adults, learning is affected by emotions from three sources: what we bring to the learning process, what is generated during the learning process, and what we feel when we receive feedback about our success and failure. Whether we attach positive or negative affect to a certain meaning is a result of our personal experiences and our socialization. Optimum levels of arousal and energy are required to create the internal conditions necessary for learning. The arousal and energy systems are directly related to emotions and stress. If a situation that causes a rise in emotions is defined in a positive way, the person can be in a state of euphoria. If the situation is defined as negative, the person is in a state of distress. If either conditions continue, anxiety results, which is a non-specific stress response to some unlabeled fear. Adults do not learn when they are over-stimulated or when experiencing distress or anxiety. They learn best in environments that encourage the development of trusting relationships (non-threatening). Adults have more emotional associations with material to be learned than do children, and because their self-concept is already well organized, adults have more to be threatened about in learning situations than do children. For adults to become fully engaged in learning, they must be aroused, undefensive, and be willing and able to channel their motives into change processes. Adults who are able to process information through multiple channels and have learned how to learn are the most productive; they are able to recognize and compensate for their own learning styles. The act of self-reflection is a significant tool for adult learners. Confusion has a practical function in the learning process, as disorientation or confusion as a consequence of learning can either lead to further learning or to decreased learning. It is important to remember that more success is experienced if the adult learner is in the learning environment voluntarily (Merriam & Caffarella, 1999).