What it is new in the world of learning?

How Adults Learn

Gražina Kačergytė6th Forum on Youth Programme and Adult Resources

Obidos, Portugal, 18 - 22 March 2009

What is learning?• Learning is said to have occurred when there is a

change; a change in behaviour, a change in understanding or a change in action.

Jane Artess, Senior Learning and Teaching Fellow

Crewe+Alsager Faculty

Motivations for learning• 6 factors can be identified as sources of motivation:

Social relationships: to meet a need for associations and friendships.

External expectations: to fulfill the expectations or recommendations of someone with formal authority.

Social welfare: to prepare for service to the community

Personal advancement: to achieve higher status in a job.

Escape/Stimulation: to provide a break in the routine of home or work,

Cognitive interest: brain food

Barriers to Learning

• Low self esteem• Unwillingness to ask for

help• Lack of confidence• Low/uncertain motivation• Inattentiveness or lack of

attendance/participation• Under-developed study

skills• Poor listening skills

• Anxiety or fear of insecurity

• Inadequate knowledge• Low expectations of self• Domestic, financial or

personal worries• Physical, mental, or health

conditions• Specific learning difficulties

Average RetentionAverage RetentionRate after 24 Rate after 24

hourshoursLecture

(5%)

Reading(10%)

Audiovisual (20%)

Demonstration (30%)

Discussion Group (50%)

Practice By Doing (75%)

Teach Others / Immediate Use of Learning (90%)

Pedagogy vs. Andragogy

PEDAGOGY

• The art and science of teaching children

ANDRAGOGY

• The art and science of helping adults learn

Characteristics of LearnersADULT LEARNERS

• Problem-centered• Results-oriented• Autonomous and self-directed• Have accumulated a foundation

of life experiences and knowledge

• Often skeptical about new information

• Seek relevancy• Accepts responsibility for own

learning

YOUTH LEARNERS

• Subject-oriented• Future-oriented• Often depend on adults for

direction• More accepting• Often train for unclear future• Often dependent on others

Description of Now days Career

• In general the description means:

„carraria“ (Latin word) – it means the way, run of a human life;

„carriere“ (French word) – it means area of work, profession.

Description of Now days Career

• Understanding of needs and fulfilment of them means now days career. If the person (adult, learner) knows his needs for career, he also will know what are his needs for the learning.

• Different roles and jobs during person’s life composes his career.

Career yesterday and today Criteria Yesterday Today

Model of career

Hierarchical structure, “career’s stairs”, accepted in a organization

Flexible structure, didn’t accepted in a organization

Measurement of career

Personal achievements (status, salary etc. ) in certain age is compared with others in the same stage/position/age

Self-expression, individual liberty, individual viewpoint to success of the life

Future of career

Clear, easy to predict and plan, connected with organization

Unclear, connected with human competences and his objectives to his aim of the life

Social (material) saffety

It is stabile in the progression in the future Relative, depends on many personal and social factors

Requirements to a person

obedience, ability to do usual task;Required special specific professional skills

Innovative, initiative, creative in the unclear/ indeterminable work place and task; necessary to have a “portfolio of competences” (specific and universal competences are matched)

Paradigms in Learning(Penchion D. 1999. Editorial BMJ. May 8)

OLD Paradigm

• Finite amount of knowledge to be absorbed

• Experts are recognized by knowing what they should know

• Learning starts by contacting an authority

• Uncertainty is discouraged and ignorance avoided

• Experts have knowledges

NEW Paradigm

• It is not possible to absorb all knowledge on a subject

• Experts are recognized by knowing what they don’t know and knowing how to manage it

• Learning starts in practice (Balance E-B, tacit knowledge and learning from mistakes)

• Legitimizing uncertainty and learning by questioning

• Experts have capabilities find solutions

In conclusion …

We may not fully understand how adults learn, but what we do know is that the capacity and potential of individuals is breathtaking! Educators have the privilege to develop that capacity and help learners reach their potential.

Tell me and I’ll forget;

Show me and I may remember;

Involve me and I’ll understand. Chinese Proverb

Thank you for you attention