What drives adults to learn, and how to use it
Stephen Covey once said, “The key to success is commitment to lifelong learning.” Absolute! But what can help adult learners commit to lifelong learning and upskilling? The key lies in leveraging adult learning principles to design engaging and effective training.
Adults differ from children in their approach to learning and the way they learn. This is because adults bring with them a wide range of experiences, skills, motivations, knowledge, well-formed opinions and preferences. This led to the introduction of the term “andragogy” which describes methods and practices applied in adult education. Malcolm Knowles elaborated on the concept of andragogy and suggested six assumptions to consider when designing adult learning experiences.
Knowing how adults learn helps companies create more value and has a greater impact on learners. Let’s take a look at the six principles of adult learning and apply them to the concept of Instructional Design.
The Six Key Adult Learning Principles
1. Need to know
Adult learners need to know why they are learning to understand the value it provides them. Once it is clear that the content they are learning provides sufficient value, they will be more engaged with the content and motivated to learn.
Application in instructional design
Consider listing the learning objectives at the beginning of the course when students are introduced to a new course. As a result, students immediately know whether the course is for them or not. You can use formal, informal and/or creative ways to do this, depending on the target group and the industry they are in.
Example
In a language course, the learning designer typically specifies the level of language proficiency required, the topics covered in the course, and the estimated time and effort to complete the course. In addition, discuss the benefits of the course, such as fluent conversation, impeccable language skills for a presentation, passing an exam or obtaining a certificate, etc.
2. Experience
Unlike children, adult learners have a wide variety of experiences that define who they are and what they know. It is important to consider the prior knowledge of the students as a basis for the design of the course and build on it.
Application in instructional design
Before you start designing your course, think about who your learning audience is and what they already know. This will help you make informed decisions about what to include in your course and what to leave out or make optional.
Example
The courses you design for onboarding staff will differ from the courses you design for upskilling your staff because the onboarding students have very little experience with the company, while the upskilling students already have some experience with the company.
3. Self-steering
Adult learners learn best when they are able to make their own decisions and direct their own learning. This is why the most engaging course materials generally include decision-making activities that require students to think and make a decision before moving forward.
Application in instructional design
Add pathways for students to choose from, based on their expertise, to encourage them to take control of their learning. It gives students a sense of control and responsibility for their own learning.
Example
Having optional “click and reveal” which provide further information to the learner for additional support if required.
4. Readiness
Adult learners feel motivated to learn when they know their learning can be immediately applied through real-world challenges. The fact that the time and effort invested in learning something has a direct reward is an important factor in this motivation.
Application in instructional design
Conduct a thorough needs assessment before developing the course to determine what students need to learn and why, and use that information to sharpen your content.
Example
During the COVID-19 crisis, workplaces had to go online at short notice, requiring employees to quickly learn how to work remotely effectively. These employees had a sense of willingness to learn new tools and processes.
5. Problem Orientation
Adults learn best when the learning material focuses on a specific and immediate problem they need to solve, as opposed to generic and irrelevant material.
Application in instructional design
Identify student pain points and immediate problems during your needs assessment phase and identify what students need to know to address them. Address the “what’s in it for me?” ask at the beginning of a course.
Example
In a course, have students learn about digital marketing through a real-world project, such as building and promoting a website. The fact that the project is live, realistic and related to direct feedback mechanisms will be a great motivator compared to learning concepts in an abstract sense.
6. Intrinsic Motivation
Adult learners learn best when they are intrinsically motivated (ie, feel the urge to learn from within). The intrinsic motivators can be in the form of knowing what gives them more opportunities to grow personally or professionally.
Application in instructional design
During the needs assessment, ask questions about what is intrinsically motivating for the learners. It can be as general as being able to convert prospects into leads, or as specific as being able to better manage their time for an effective work-life balance.
Example
In a company, employees may be required to take a management course if they want to advance into a supervisory role. If employees are intrinsically motivated to make a career and know how a managerial position can bring them more success, they will be more motivated to follow the training.
Conclusion
Implementing these adult learning principles in Instructional Design promotes better decision making in designing effective and engaging learning experiences. A lot of money goes into building learning materials. Some foresight, planning and a deep understanding of how adults learn can go a long way in making this learning material impactful.
Artha Learning Inc
Artha is a full-service leather design agency. We work with organizations to design their digital learning initiatives from an educational, engaging and technical point of view.
Originally published on arthalearning.com.