"He who dares to teach must never cease to learn."
- Richard Henry Dann
“Hey pal … I want you to
know I’m not going to buy
into this stuff just because
you’re a pastor.”
How would you answer this new adult student?
Before we receive some of your answers … what
might put you “on the defensive”? … Explain why
 Analyze adult learners by examining the
society we live in and the unique qualities
adults bring to the learning table.
 Apply some of our analysis to our future
teaching / learning opportunities.
Analyze
Adult
Learners
1. Cultural and societal shifts that
influence the adult perspective:
• Moral relativism
• Religious Pluralism
• Fractured Society
• Emotion replaces reason
Any implications for
your teaching ministry
in a mission-minded
congregation?
2. Dramatic shifts in demographics:
• Under 20 … 80.1 million
• 20-44 … 104.4 million
• 45-64 … 61.5 million
• 65+ … 34.9 million
71.1% are over 21 years old
14.7% are over 62 years old
2. Dramatic shifts in demographics:
“The Graying of America”
• A government report shows that by 2030 nearly one in five
Americans — or 72 million people — will be over 65.
The Boomers are starting to retire.
• Americans, are living longer. Life expectancy for men was 74.1
years in 2000, up from 68.2 years in 1950. Among women, life
expectancy was 79.5 years in 2000, up from 71.1 in 1950.
One must take into consideration the “graying of
America” as well as the immigration tidal wave!
The Hallmark Card company
has caught on to the tidal wave.
One must take into consideration the “graying of
America” as well as the immigration tidal wave!
One out of five households in
the U.S. speak a language
other than English
One must take into consideration the “graying of
America” as well as the immigration tidal wave!
One out of ten people living in
America were foreign born.
Any implications for
your teaching ministry
in a mission-minded
congregation?
How well do you understand
your adults?
As you look at the following images, write
down the first impression of an adult learner
as portrayed by the picture.
How well do you understand your
adult learners?
1 -- Community bent
2 -- Fearful / cornered
3 -- Capable
4 -- Baggage
5 -- Multi-cultural
6 -- Stressed
So how would you
characterize your average
adult learner?
Any implications for
your teaching ministry
in a mission-minded
congregation?
Life Task
How well do you know yourself?
Quickly list 4 things that make you different as
a “learner” now than when you were a learner
in elementary school.
VAC & SETPI
Adults are Visual
• 75 – 84 % learn visually
• 7 billion bits per second (eye) vs. 10,000 bits per
second (ear)
• Is it time we retire the back-handed jokes /
slights about “pictures in books”?
Adults are Active
• “I’d rather do it myself than listen to you”
• The brain can only learn as much as the
butt can endure (approx. 77 minutes)
• Attention Span ???
Adults are Creative
• Closely related to their desire to be active in their
learning.
• Why is it stifled?
Up to age six, we use 90% of our creativity; from age 6, drops until
only 10% used. Why do we shelve it?
Adults are SETPI
• Self-directed
• Experienced
• Task Oriented
• Problem solving
• Immediate Application
Jane Vella’s twelve
principles of adult
learning …
Key Concept:
“The approach to adult learning based on these
principles holds that adults have enough life
experience to be in dialogue with any teacher,
about any subject, and will learn new knowledge or
attitudes or skills best in relation to that life
experience (Knowles, 1970).
All twelve principles are ways to begin and maintain
and nurture the dialogue:
#1 – Needs Assessment
Allow adult learners to participate in
naming what is to be learned. This means
that we include both “core” Bible lessons
that every Christian wants to know. We
also include lessons that answer the
specific questions that our students want
to know. How will we know what their
questions are?
#2 – Safety
Create a sense of safety and trust both in
the environment and in the process
• This “means the design of the learning tasks, the
atmosphere of the room and the design of the materials
convey this experience will work for them.”
• “Safety does not obliterate the natural challenge of
learning new concepts, skills or attitudes.”
#3 – Sound Relationship
Create a sound relationship between the
teacher and the learner for effective
learning and development
• “The initial meeting between teacher and learner
has to demonstrate the sense of inquiry and
curiosity felt by the teacher!”
#3 – Sound Relationship
Create a sound relationship between the teacher and the
learner for effective learning and development
respect,
safety,
open communication,
listening
and humility
#4 – Sequence
Pay careful attention to the sequence
of content and reinforcement. For
teachers of BIC lessons, this means
we keep reviewing GRACE
throughout all lessons. What else
does “sequence” mean to BIC
teachers?
#5 – Praxis
Plan time for adult learners to cultivate
action with reflection, or learning by doing
• Practice the new skills and attitudes, and then
reflect on what they have just done.
#6 – RESPECT
Plan time for adult learners to cultivate
action with reflection, or learning by doing
• Practice the new skills and attitudes, and then
reflect on what they have just done.
#7 – Interplay of 3 Domains
Be aware of the cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor aspects of learning: ideas,
feelings, actions
#8 – IMMEDIACY
Immediate and practical transfer of
learning to the adult’s life and work.
• Adult learners need to see the immediate
usefulness of new learning: the skills, knowledge,
or attitudes they are working to acquire.
#9 – Clear Roles
Be clear on roles and role development
• “Only the student can name the moment of the
death of the professor.”
“That is, a teacher can be intent upon a dialogue with
an adult learner, but if the learner sees the teacher as
“the professor” with whom there is no disagreement,
no questioning, no challenge, the dialogue is dead in
the water.”
#10 – Teamwork
Use small groups effectively and focused
on the learning task.
#11 – Engagement
The importance of engaging the learners
in what they are learning.
#12 – Accountability
How do they know they know?
Life Task …
Answer the following questions:
1. Why does the presenter of the Bible class typically benefit
far more than those who attend the class? … Work
together and list at least five reasons why it is true.
2. What are the implications of that fact for what we want
happening with our adults during Bible study?