The Adult Learner
Recognizing the needs of adult learners may help you as you facilitate NxLeveL® training sessions. The
following information sheds some interesting light on the expectations and preferences of the adult learners
and on the different ways people learn.
Think about the last time you found yourself saying or thinking “I don’t get it.” Maybe it was the last time
you sat in a class, or heard a joke, or watched a movie.
Now think about how it made you feel to say “I don’t get it” – confused? frustrated? stupid?.
You are among hundreds of thousands of people who often “don’t get it.” And the problem is not always
you. In fact, there is good chance that the reason you don’t get it is that the person giving it hasn’t tapped
into your style of learning.
There is no one particular way people learn most efficiently – people have different learning styles and
different learning needs. Effective training must attempt to address the needs of the adult learner, and make
the information available to different learning styles. NxLeveL wants you, the instructor, to be aware of your
adult audience’s learning needs and styles.
Learning Needs – The Adult Learner’s Expectations and Preferences
Adults have some pretty specific expectations and preferences in a learning situation.
 In particular, they:
 Don’t want to be beginners (even if they are) – and don’t like to be treated as beginners
 Need respect
 Want training to be practical rather than theory oriented, and with immediate results
 Expect training to be relevant to their lives and their future
 Are motivated by the personal results of knowing, and not knowing
 Use their own knowledge from “years of experience” to filter new information
 Like/need reflection time to integrate new information into well-established patterns built through those
same “years of experience”
 Enjoy interacting with other participants and with the instructor (but not just with the instructor)
 Enjoy sharing life experiences, and seeking interpretation from others
 Are goal oriented
 Want to experiment and practice with new learning materials, although they may be
hesitant to start the practicing.
Learning Styles
Learning preferences stem from the way we learn best. There is no right or wrong way to learn. But three
basic styles of learning can be identified:



Kinesthetic (learning by experiencing and doing)
Auditory (learning by listening)
Visual (learning by looking at images)
Western cultures tend to have more visual learners and fewer auditory ones. Children most often start out as
kinesthetic learners, and then develop visual and auditory skills through elementary school. Everyone uses
all three styles of learning to some degree - however, adults tend to develop a primary learning style. The
chart on the following page will help you to determine your particular learning style. Check the boxes that
best describe your preferences. The learning style category with the most checks is your primary learning
style.
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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Recognizing that people learn differently, enables you to mix the methodology you choose to present
information in NxLeveL® classes: lecture (auditory learners), flip charts, wall charts, power point
presentations, overheads and handouts to supplement reading and lectures (visual learners), and in-class
discussions, focus groups and workshops (kinesthetic learners).
As an instructor, it’s your responsibility to make the most of all of the materials provided, so that
your adult learners have the best NxLeveL® learning experience we can offer.
Ancient Chinese Proverb:
I hear and I forget
I see and I remember
I do and I understand…
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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Learning Styles
Kinesthetic
Visual
Auditory
Learns by doing and handson involvement. Understands
the big picture before details.
Learns by seeing. Benefits from
demonstrations. Forms mental
picture of what’s happening.
Learns through verbal
instruction, either from
others or from self.
Remembers events, forgets
details. Takes notes, but
rarely looks at them.
Remembers faces, but forgets
names. Takes notes and looks
at them. Recalls colors and
shapes easily.
Remembers names, but
forgets faces. Remembers
by hearing and then
repeating.
Attacks problems physically.
Impulsive. Often selects
solutions involving greatest
activity. Needs guidance
through steps to solve
Deliberate; plans in advance.
Organizes thoughts by writing
them down. Keeps lists or
problems and/or things to do.
Talks out problems or
thinks them through
verbally. Talks to self.
Often goes round and
round before deciding.
Gestures speaking. Doesn’t
listen well. Stands dose while
speaking or listening. Paces
to think. Frequently pauses
while speaking. Is unclear
about body language.
Can talk quickly, but rarely at
length. Becomes impatient if
extensive listening is required.
Enjoys listening, but
sometimes can’t wait to
talk. Goes into long,
detailed descriptions.
Uses “self talk” to work
through problems.
Uses visual words such as see,
watch, look. “I see what you
mean,’ “I see it clearly now.”
Uses verbal words such
as ask, listen, hear, tell.
“That rings a bell.” “I hear
you.”
Uses action words such as
impact, get, take, make,
understand. “I get the
picture.” “I feel good about
that.’ “I’ll handle that.”
Can’t sit still long. Should sit
where it won’t bother others.
Listens better if touched.
Is affected by color of room,
and order or chaos. Seldom
gets lost.
Speaks with a melodious
voice. Does not always
trust feelings. Likes music.
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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Learning Styles and Methods of Instruction
(Taken from communication for the Safety Professional, Robert Kronikau and Frank McElroy, National Safety Council:
Chicago (1975), pg 370)
►
Telling, when used alone, results in 70% recall three hours later, and 10% recall three days later.
►
Showing, when used alone, results in 72% recall three hours later, and 20% recall three days later.
►
Blend of Telling and Showing results in 85% recall three hours later, and 65% recall three days later.
The study ended there – just imagine the blend of
TELLING, SHOWING and DOING!….
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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Developing Your Skills As A NxLeveL® Instructor
As a NxLeveL ® instructor, you have the opportunity to develop some of your own skills in this specialized learning
environment. Conducting 3 to 4 hour sessions of this nature for the adult learner puts you in several roles at the same
time. You will appear to be an “instructor” (lecture segment), a “facilitator” (lecture and workshop segments), a “leader”
(discussion groups), and a “monitor” (guest speaker segment). Regardless of the term chosen to describe your
activities in the classroom, we want to make sure the participant has the best learning experience we can offer. To
that end, we offer the following suggestions about your role in that process - and encourage both starting and veteran
instructors to review the information.
Creating a Cooperative Learning Environment

Establish group ground rules. Identifying basic ground rules in the adult group learning environment will help
develop positive group behavior while allowing individuals to participate to the fullest. You can start with some
printed guidelines (as shown on the back of your name tents) such as:



Be on time and regular in attendance.
Give freely of your experience - but also listen attentively to others.
Keep this a safe learning environment by respecting the confidentiality rule.
Then, you can ask for other ground rules the group would like to add.
In discussing the responsibilities of the participants during your first session, you are also establishing ground
rules.” For example, spelling out your expectations of the students regarding the reading assignments, written
assignments, class participation, attendance, notification of intended absences, etc., is a way of establishing the
in-class rapport you desire. Take some time to make sure participants understand the ground rules, and get a
commitment as to their willingness to uphold them. (Example: either get a verbal commitment “Can we all agree
on these ground rules?” - or have a “light-hearted” written document that they can sign that binds them to the
concept of committing to the class, the work involved, and the ground rules jointly established.)

Be enthusiastic. There is no better way to send the message that you are interested in the participants and the
subject matter than to exude enthusiasm. Remember, adult learners want to talk about their experiences, and
want to share in the learning process. Demonstrate that you are interested in what they have to say, their
experiences, their personal entrepreneurial issues by nodding, smiling, maintaining eye contact (about 75% -don’t
stare), moving closer to the participant speaking, acknowledging participation.
The energy required to conduct a 3 to 4 hour session with enthusiasm is tremendous. Plan ahead - think about
the enthusiasm you want to generate about the learning process taking place - decide well in advance of
committing to teach this class that, regardless of how your day went, you will enter the NxLeveL ® classroom with
the participants’ needs in mind, starting with their need to see and hear your enthusiasm for the material and for
their desire to learn.

Be attentive to verbal and non-verbal cues. Watch and listen to your participants. Signs that participants are
uncomfortable with something include: avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, sighing, putting on (or taking off) sweaters
or coats, etc. Try to identify what is causing the discomfort (room temperature, subject matter, other issues), and
offer to correct the obvious/ controllable. Listen actively for emotional responses, which often signal areas that
need clarification or merit further discussion. Listen for silence when you “expect” participation, and try to
determine the cause (covering material too fast, too slow, confusion, boredom).

Distraction control. One of the toughest responsibilities of an instructor is appropriately controlling distractions
that interfere with others’ learning. The key is determining what is interfering...and then determining the course of
action. Temperature, noise from the next room, room arrangement are easier to “fix” than personal distracters
(pencil tapping, nail clipping, paper shuffling, sleeping). It is your responsibility to decide when a distracter is
potentially hampering learning, and determine the best course of corrective action.
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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
Use appropriate humor. Learning can and should be fun, and humor can often put participants at ease, cause
additional interaction, provide a break in a particularly tedious topic, or draw attention away from a negative or
uncomfortable situation. Be aware that jokes have the potential of being misinterpreted, “wit” can be confused with
“sarcasm.” And, remember that humor should be used as a “break” rather than a main teaching style. Your role
includes many things, but it does not solely mean being the group entertainer.
•
Be prepared. There’s little worse than a “lost instructor.” Plan appropriate preparation time (first time NxLeveL ®
instructors estimate a minimum of 3 hours for each hour of active instructor class time) and get to the classroom
early enough to set up before participants arrive. Use pencil notes on your flip charts to help you remember key
information or what to do next. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with the Instructor’s Manual, and refer to it during
class - but, you shouldn’t have to “read” from it to conduct the class. Organize your handouts, supplemental
material, guest speaker segment, and AV equipment needed well in advance.
Encourage and Enhance Participation

60% Airtime Rule. As this is an “instructional” class , part of the time you will be the “expert” and assume the
lecturing role. However, try to encourage participation by asking questions of the group, deferring questions back
to the group, and using a mixture of the techniques suggested below to develop participation so that students do
at least 40% of the talking.

Use personal examples. One of the instructor criteria that enhances the NxLeveL ® program is that you, the
instructor, have had actual entrepreneurial experience. Using your own personal experiences or an example
drawn from other entrepreneurs can help to illustrate concepts, provide an opening for further discussion of a
“tough” topic, or ease the discomfort level of a particularly difficult emotional topic area. Take care not to breach
confidentialities when using examples from other entrepreneurs.

Ask open-ended questions to maximize participation. When you want discussion, avoid closed-ended
questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Open-ended questions require explanation, and
usually start with “what,” “tell me about,” “explain,” “how.”

Ask “polling” questions. This technique works particularly well with a quiet group, or with a group that is being
dominated by an over-active participant. Try to follow up with an open-ended question to keep the discussion
going. (Example: “How many of you have experienced poor customer service?” [polling question, asking for
show of hands] “What happened to make you feel you were not receiving the service you deserved?” [follow-up
question to get more information]).

“10, one-thousand.” Count to 10 (counting one, one-thousand...) after asking questions. If the group shows no
response, re-phrase the question and try again. Remember, different learning styles require different “think” time,
so allow the full 10 seconds.

Naming a participant to respond. Calling on someone by name to respond to a question is OK if you feel fairly
certain that the participant looks like they might know the answer. But, this technique can backfire with the adult
learner by causing embarrassment or uneasiness, particularly with a shy individual. If you choose to use this
method, say the name first so the participant knows that you will be focusing on them.

Reinforce participation verbally and non-verbally. Show participants that you are pleased with their
involvement by thanking them or indicating that you’re glad they mentioned that, and/or by logging their response
on a flip chart, white/black board, etc. The natural tendency is to comment on the content of the response remember, one way to encourage additional participation is to defer to the group to comment on the content.
Then, if re-direction is required to get at the “correct” information, you can step in.
If the participation is flowing, non-verbal reinforcement can include nodding, smiling, positive gesturing (thumbs
up) to indicate and acknowledge the participation.

Networking NxLeveL® “”emphasizes the importance of networking throughout its materials. While various
networking activities are suggested in the Work Hour segment of class, you can also do some “mini-networking”
exercises during class by simply causing interaction with the participants rather than only with you, the instructor.
For example, have participants “ask the person next to you” whatever the question is - wait a few minutes, and
then ask for responses. This is a particularly good technique to use during the first few sessions in the course
and/or “shy” classes.
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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Over Participation - How to Manage It

Defer to the ground rules. If you have established some basic guidelines for the group regarding listening as
well as speaking, you can use them to encourage equal participation.

Re-focus attention. Ask others for their opinions or input to tactfully take the attention away from the over
participant. Ask an open-ended question of the rest of the group - but first thank the active participant so that it
clearly sounds like you intend to move on to another student. This can be really effective by keeping the over
participant feeling good about their contribution (“Thanks, Henry. What are some other opinions about...”) while
encouraging additional participation from others.

Closed-ended questions for the over-active group. If you find your whole group is participating to the point that
you can’t move forward, begin asking closed-ended questions so that they still feel involved but have less
opportunity to expound.

Reflect and link. Sometimes the over-participant needs to hear that you have heard them and appear to
understand what they’re saying, so they can move on. Try using a reflecting statement such as, “So, if I’m hearing
you correctly...,” then re-state what they have been talking about - THEN, link it back to the topic at hand so you
can move on. This can be a tough method, since it does require you, the instructor, to listen closely.

Summarize and go forward. Summaries are clues that you are ready to move to the next topic. Verbally
summarize the discussion, or summarize main points on a flip chart and give a clear signal that you’re moving to
the next topic.
Aggressive Behavior - What Can You Do?
•
Body language. Your body language is the dearest sign to a group that you are maintaining an open posture,
rather than responding to the aggression. Smile, keep your arms at your sides (crossed arms automatically
signals “closed” or defensive), lean forward, sit on the edge of a table. Stay relaxed - and don’t react to the
person, respond to the situation or concept that is causing the aggression.

Acknowledge, clarify, paraphrase. Generally, aggressive participants want to know they are being heard.
Paraphrase what they’ve said, acknowledge that you can see their point of view, check for understanding; but,
remain non-defensive. Avoid trying to defend the training, or your own need to be right.

Group problem-solving. Use the group to help diffuse aggressiveness. Ask questions of the group that move the
focus away from the aggressor such as, “Do you feel we’ve discussed this issue of__________ enough to move
on?” Or, use an open-ended question to involve other participants.

Maintain participant respect. Acknowledge the aggressive participant’s point of view and the value of their
concerns - but defer to the ground rules of allowing other points of view to be heard; this allows the aggressive
participant to save face, and respects the group rules.

Ask for private discussion. If the behavior is disruptive to the ability of the rest of the class to learn or move
forward, call for a break. Take a few moments to gather your thoughts and check your approach, then address the
aggressive participant directly about the behavior that’s causing disruption. Be certain you can articulate
specifically what the behavior is that you want stopped or started, as well as the impact of their current behavior on
the class.
General instructor/Facilitator Reminders

Speak clearly, simply. The language of business is “Greek” enough to some. Speak clearly and use simple,
straightforward language. Be conscious of your volume.

Give clear instructions. Remember, some adult learners are not auditory - so consider giving written as well as
verbal instructions. Repeat the instructions, and ask if there are any questions before starting an exercise, or
when dosing a class by explaining the next session assignment. Be concise when giving times to complete a task
(“10 minutes”, rather than “a few minutes”) - and let participants know when they are close to reaching the end of
the specified time (“You have about two minutes left.”).

Use visual aids. Straight lecturing does not allow for differing learning styles. Keep the class interesting, but not
overdone, by mixing supplemental material, visual aids, teaching styles.
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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
Periodic “understanding checks.” Participants appreciate knowing that you’re concerned about them and
whether or not they are “getting it.” Periodically ask someone in the class to summarize main points being
discussed. Sometimes a simple “How are we doing? Are the we going too fast, too slow?” becomes a good
“process check.”

Summarizing importance. Remembering that adult learners are interested in how the information presented ties
to “real life” (and in particular to their lives), ask a participant to summarize what this particular session covered
and why it is important to him/her as an entrepreneur. You can follow up with a question about how participants
will use this session’s information in the coming week, again linking it to immediate relevancy.
Things that cause people to walk out, ask for their money back, send letters of
complaints, or other dastardly things...!
 Appearing unprepared

Improper handling of questions (and/or responses)

Apologizing for yourself or the organization you represent

Unfamiliarity with knowable information

Seeming to be off schedule

Failing to involve participants

Not establishing rapport

Appearing disorganized/ not previewing/ reviewing or summarizing

Not starting off quickly establishing the image you want
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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WHAT’S MY LEARNING STYLE?
After reading each sentence, indicate if that statement is:
V
M
S
N
Very much like me
Moderately like me
Somewhat like me
Not at all, or very little like me
Imaginative
_____ I do my best work when I’m with other people
_____ I like a colorful working environment
_____ I like to give essay-type answers to questions, rather than specific fill-in-the-blank answers
_____ I see myself as a friend to my students
_____The worst thing that could happen in my class is that students wouldn’t get along well
together
_____ People describe me as a really nice person
_____ Part of my self-identity is wrapped up in the number of friends I have and the strength of
those friendships
_____Three words that describe me are friendly, sharer, hugger
Analytic
_____ I do my best work alone, after gathering information I need from books or other teachers
_____ I like to work at a desk or table
_____ I like to solve problems by finding the right answer
_____ I see myself as an information giver to my students
_____The worst thing that could happen in my class is that students won’t learn the basics of their faith
_____ People describe me as a really smart person
_____ Part of my self-identity is wrapped up in how smart others think I am
_____Three words that describe me are rational, analytic, smart
Common Sense
_____ I do my best work alone, putting together information so it will work
_____ I like to work with my hands, as well as my mind
_____ I like to solve problems by checking out my own ideas
_____ I see myself as a trainer, helping my students do what needs to be done
_____The worst thing that could happen in my class is that students wouldn’t learn to live their faith in practical
ways
_____People describe me as a hard worker, a results-oriented person
_____Part of my self-identity is wrapped up in how well my creations work
_____Three words that describe me are active, realistic, practical
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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Dynamic
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
I do my best work brainstorming new ideas and trying things not many people would dare to try
I like playing with new ideas, making intuitive guesses on what works
I like to solve problems by making guesses or following hunches
I see myself as a facilitator or idea-stimulator for my students
The worst thing that could happen in my class is that students wouldn’t take what they have learned and
make this world a better place
_____ People describe me as a highly creative person
_____ Part of my self-identity is wrapped up in how many new ideas I have
_____ Three words that describe me are curious, leader, imaginative
Count the V’S in each category. Based on these predictive lists, I suspect:
My strongest learning style is ____________________________
(This quadrant may be your “home base” - the place where you are
most comfortable teaching and learning)
Count the N’s in each category. I suspect:
The students I am most likely to miss are those who are strongest
in these two learning style quadrants:
_________________________
_____________________
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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30 THINGS WE KNOW FOR SURE ABOUT ADULT LEARNING
By Ron and Susan Zemke
Innovation Abstracts Vol VI, No 8, March 9, 1984
A variety of sources provides us with a body of fairly reliable knowledge about adult learning. This knowledge
might be divided into three basic divisions: things we know about adult learners and their motivation, things we
know about designing curriculum for adults, and things we know about working with adults in the classroom.
Motivation to Learn
1. Adults seek out learning experiences in order to cope with specific life-changing events— e.g., marriage, divorce,
a new job, a promotion, being fired, retiring, losing a loved one, moving to a new city.
2. The more life change events an adult encounters, the more likely he or she is to seek out learning opportunities.
Just as stress increases as life-change events accumulate, the motivation to cope with change through
engagement in a learning experience increases.
3. The learning experiences adults seek out on their own are directly related - at least in their perception - to the
life-change events that triggered the seeking.
4. Adults are generally willing to engage in learning experiences before, after, or even during the actual life change
event. Once convinced that the change is a certainty, adults will engage in any learning that promises to help
them cope with the transition.
5. Adults who are motivated to seek out a learning experience do so primarily because they have a use for the
knowledge or skill being sought. Learning is a means to an end, not an end in itself.
6. Increasing or maintaining one’s sense of self-esteem and pleasure are strong secondary motivators for engaging
in learning experiences.
Curriculum Design
1. Adult learners tend to be less interested in, and enthralled by, survey courses. They tend to prefer single concept,
single-theory courses that focus heavily on the application of the concept to relevant problems. This tendency
increases with age.
2. Adults need to be able to integrate new ideas with what they already know if they are going to keep - and use - the
new information.
3. Information that conflicts sharply with what is already held to be true, and thus forces a re-evaluation of the old
material, is integrated more slowly.
4. Information that has little “conceptual overlap” with what is already known is acquired slowly.
5. Fast-paced, complex or unusual learning tasks interfere with the learning of the concepts or data they are
intended to teach or illustrate.
6. Adults tend to compensate for being slower in some psychomotor learning tasks by being more accurate and
making fewer trial-and-error ventures.
7. Adults tend to take errors personally and are more likely to let them affect self-esteem. Therefore, they tend to
apply tried-and-true solutions and take fewer risks.
8. The curriculum designer must know whether the concepts or ideas will be in concert or in conflict with the learner.
Some instruction must be designed to effect a change in belief and value systems.
9. Programs need to be designed to accept viewpoints from people in different life stages and with different value
“sets.”
10. A concept needs to be “anchored” or explained from more than one value set and appeal to more than one
developmental life stage.
11. Adults prefer self-directed and self-designed learning projects over group-learning experiences led by a
professional, they select more than one medium for learning, and they desire to control pace and start/stop time.
12. Nonhuman media such as books, programmed instruction and television have become popular with adults in
recent years.
13. Regardless of media, straightforward how-to is the preferred content orientation. Adults cite a need for application
and how-to information as the primary motivation for beginning a learning project.
14. Self-direction does not mean isolation. Studies of self-directed learning indicate that self-directed projects involve
an average of 10 other people as resources, guides, encouragers and the like. But even for the self-professed,
self-directed learner, lectures and short seminars get positive ratings, especially when these events give the
learner face-to-face, one-to-one access to an expert.
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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In the Classroom
1. The learning environment must be physically and psychologically comfortable; long lectures, periods of
interminable sitting and the absence of practice opportunities rate high on the irritation scale.
2. Adults have something real to lose in a classroom situation. Self-esteem and ego are on the line when they are
asked to risk trying a new behavior in front of peers and cohorts. Bad experiences in traditional education, feelings
about authority and the preoccupation with events outside the classroom affect in-class experience.
3. Adults have expectations, and it is critical to take time early on to clarify and articulate all expectations before
getting into content. The instructor can assume responsibility only for his or her own expectations, not for those of
students.
4. Adults bring a great deal of life experience into the classroom, an invaluable asset to be acknowledged, tapped
and used. Adults can learn well - and much - from dialogue with respected peers.
5. Instructors who have a tendency to hold forth rather than facilitate can hold that tendency in check—or
compensate for it—by concentrating on the use of open-ended questions to draw out relevant student knowledge
and experience.
6. New knowledge has to be integrated with previous knowledge; students must actively participate in the learning
experience. The learner is dependent on the instructor for confirming feedback on skill practice; the instructor is
dependent on the learner for feedback about curriculum and in-class performance.
7. The key to the instructor role is control. The instructor must balance the presentation of new material, debate and
discussion, sharing of relevant student experiences, and the clock. Ironically, it seems that instructors are best
able to establish control when they risk giving it up. When they shelve egos and stifle the tendency to be
threatened by challenge to plans and methods, they gain the kind of facilitative control needed to effect adult
learning.
8. The instructor has to protect minority opinion, keep disagreements civil and unheated, make connections between
various opinions and ideas, and keep reminding the group of the variety of potential solutions to the problem. The
instructor is less advocate than orchestra or.
9. Integration of new knowledge and skill requires transition time and focused effort on application.
10. Learning and teaching theories function better as resources than as a Rosetta stone. A skill-training task can draw
much from the behavioral approach, for example, while personal growth-centered subjects seem to draw gainfully
from humanistic concepts. An eclectic, rather than a single theory-based approach to developing strategies and
procedures, is recommended for matching instruction to learning tasks.
The next five years will eclipse the last fifty in terms of hard data production on adult learning. For the present, we
must recognize that adults want their learning to be problem-oriented, personalized and accepting of their need for
self-direction and personal responsibility.
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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Adult Learner Teaching Strategies
Adult Learner Characteristics
Adults have years of experience and a wealth
of knowledge
Adults have established values, beliefs, and
opinions
Adults expect to be treated as adults
Adults need to feel self-directed
Adults often have a problem centered
approach to learning
Adults tend to be less interested in survey
types of courses and more interested in
straightforward how-to
Adults have increased variation in learning
styles (individual differences among people
increase with age)
Teaching Strategies
Use your adult students as resources for
yourself and for other students; use openended questions to draw out students’
knowledge and experiences; provide many
opportunities for dialogue among students
Take time to clarify student expectations of the
course; permit debate and the challenge of
ideas; be careful to protect minority opinions
within the class
Treat questions and comments with respect;
acknowledge contributions students make to
the class; do not expect students to necessarily
agree with your plan for the course
Engage students in designing the learning
process; expect students to want more than
one medium for learning and to want control
over the learning pace and start/stop times
Show immediately how new knowledge or skills
can be applied to current problems or
situations; use participatory techniques such as
case studies and problem-solving groups
Focus on theories and concepts within the
context of their applications to relevant
problems; orient the course content toward
direct applications rather than toward theory
Use a variety of teaching materials and
methods to take into account differences in
style, time, types and pace of learning
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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Books and Websites About
”How Adults Learn”
The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource
Development (5th edition). Malcolm S. Knowles (Houston, Texas: Gulf Publishing, 1998). This
book takes you through all of the major educational theories in a clear and no-nonsense style.
This book is by no means easy-reading but very thorough and a terrific primer for anyone
interested in learning more about adult and traditional education.
How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. John D.
Bransford, M. Suzanne Donovan, and James W. Pellegrino, editors. (National Academy Press,
2000) This heavy book bridges the research and practice on how children and adults learn and
includes information on the role that technology can play in helping people learn.
Experience and Education. John Dewey (Touchstone Books, reprint 1997). I reread this tiny
book at least once a year, every year, to reground myself in how people learn and the importance
of experience. Also see Art As Experience by John Dewey.
Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide (2nd edition). Sharan B. Merriam, Rosemary
S. Caffarella (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998) An excellent textbook that combines the most
important contributions to adult learning in the last decade. The text examines the context of adult
learning, the nature of adult learners, aspects of the learning process, and theory in adult
education.
Understanding and Facilitating Adult Learning: A Comprehensive Analysis of Principles
and Effective Practices. Stephen D. Brookfield. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, reprint 1991) This
classic covers adult motives and learning processes, self-directedness, andragogy, the
facilitator’s role, learning in informal settings, learning in formal settings, program development,
and evaluation.
Adults as Learners: Increasing Participation and Facilitating Learning. K. Patricia Cross (San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1982)
Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide (3rd edition). Sharan B. Merriam, Rosemary
S. Caffarella, Lisa M. Baumgartner. This book addresses a wide range of topics including: Who
are adult learners? How do adults learn? Why are adults involved in learning activities? How
does aging affect ability?
Adult Education Quarterly [$36/4]
American Association for Adult & Continuing Education (AAACE)
1200 19th Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036-2401
202-429-5131 tel, 202-223-4579 fax
Email: aeq@unlinfo.unl.edu / Website: www.aaace.org
Adult Learning [$27/6]
American Association for Adult & Continuing Education (AAACE)
1200 19th Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036-2401
202-429-5131 tel, 202-223-4579 fax
Website: www.aaace.org
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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websites about how adults learn
About.com does a terrific job of linking to all sorts of Adult Learning and Continuing Education
related information thanks to the help of moderator Kimeiko Hotta Dover.
http://adulted.about.com/cs/learningtheory/index.htm?terms=adult+learning
In Popular Education, Peter Reardon defines popular education and reflects on his experiences
as a teacher of native people in the Canadian arctic.
http://adulted.about.com/cs/learningtheory/a/pop_education.htm
Explorations in Learning & Instruction: The Theory Into Practice Database. TIP is a tool
intended to make learning and instructional theory more accessible to educators. The database
contains brief summaries of 50 major theories of learning and instruction. These theories can also
be accessed by learning domains and concepts. Greg Kearsley http://tip.psychology.org/
Funderstanding’s About Learning http://funderstanding.com materials explore constructivism,
behaviorism, Piaget’s developmental theory, neuroscience,
brain-based learning, learning styles, multiple intelligences,right brain/left brain thinking, ,
control theory, observational learning, and Vygotsky’s social cognition theory.
The October 2001 Focus on Basics issue examined adult development, examining how the
developmental levels of learners shape their experiences in their literacy programs.
http://www.ncsall.net/?id=148
Tammy Dewar reflects on the advantages and disadvantages of online learning, and presents
some definitions and perspectives on adult learning.
http://www.calliopelearning.com/resources/adult.html
©2006 NxLeveL Education Foundation®
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