Engaging Adult Learners in Designing and Implementing the Learning Process
Alia Sheety, Ph.D. & Larry Melton, Ed.D.
Cabrini College
Cabrini College
Do Something Extraordinary
Do Something Extraordinary
Graduate Studies in Education
610 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
Cabrini College
Sample & Procedures
Assignment Complexity & Learning Situations
Thirty four graduate adult learners registered in the Educational Research class
during Fall 2012.
When students were asked to choose their preference learning situations
by material complexity a clear trend was revealed, (Figure 5). Because of
the small sample we added the responses to often and always and used
them in the chart.
Introduction and Theoretical Background
Brain based research indicates the importance of the combination of cognition,
emotion, and behaviors in the learning process (Jensen 2005). Restorative
Practices (McCold & Wachtel, 2000) remind us of the importance of student
engagement in the learning process through creating a safe environment,
providing high support and setting high expectations (see figure 1). Weimer,
(2002) placed the students in the center of the learning process.
• Sample
• IRB Approval of the study- October 2012
• Procedure
The students were provided with a letter of consent and a questionnaire. They
were asked to sign the letter if they agree to take part in the study.
The questionnaire asked about their learning preferences for various levels of
cognitive assignments, moving from simple (known) to complicated (Unknown).
They were also asked about their feeling toward various learning activities.
Demographic Information
Figure 1
It is almost agreed upon that learning is enhanced when students are able to
share and clarify their knowledge, and build creative problem solving
capabilities (Almond, 2009, Johnson & Johnson, 2005. Appleton et.al (2008) ,
support the above notion and adding that group work provides an opportunity
for students to engage in peer-to-peer learning. Some of the key elements to
allow engagement of adult learners are; creation of safe environment,
recognition of the need to learn, support learner’s self-concept and recognizing
that high level of stress could become a barrier (Sheety & Rundell, 2012;
Knowles, 1980; Jensen, 2005).
Adapting Tomkins (1962, 1963, 1991) psychological notion of affects, we
believe that minimizing negative emotions and maximizing positive ones will
allow space for adult learners to grow and avoid the shame experience as
described in the Compass of Shame (See figure 2).
The only demographic information that was collected is gender and age, (see
figure 3 & 4).
Figure 5: Students preference of learning situations by type of assignment
Conclusions
Figure 3, Frequencies by Gender
Figure 4, Frequencies by age group
Descriptive Results
Students response to “rank your comfort level with each of the following
learning situations” are presented in table 1, then they described emotions
they felt toward various levels of cognitive assignments (table 2)
Figure 2
Practical Background
Adult learners who are completing their Master degree in Education are
professionals, that seek the degree to enhance their work or provide additional
opportunities and to promote their income.
Research courses in adult graduate programs usually cause higher anxiety and
threaten the self-concept of the adult learner. The topic challenge students out
of their comfort zone. Hence the importance of figuring out best practices.
The educational milieu we worked with:
The research course is structured of eight five and a half hour meetings. The
meetings take place after work, at the evening hours. The course main goal is
to prepare students to become critical consumers of research.
The Rational:
The results were meant to help reshape our practices in teaching the
educational research course for graduate students and to add to the body of
knowledge in adult learners at higher education.
Alone
With Peers
Lecture by
Instructor
6%
0
0
Slightly Uncomfortable 16%
3%
3%
Somewhat
Comfortable
25%
0
38%
Comfortable
53%
97%
59%
Uncomfortable
Table 1: Students level of comfort with various learning situations in
percentage
Learning
new ideas
that you
are
familiar
with
Learning
new
complex
ideas &
concepts
Learning
complex
statistical
formula that
requires problem
solving
Review a
research
article for
accuracy
0
9%
55%
6%
Moderate Anxiety 9%
35%
23%
38%
Motivated but not 38%
Confidant
31%
9%
25%
Motivated and
Confidant
25%
13%
31%
Great Anxiety
53%
Table 2: Students emotional response toward various levels of cognitive
assignments in Percentage
1. Most of adult learners (97%) felt comfortable learning with peers.
There is almost no differences between the preference of learning
alone (53%) and learning through lecture by an instructor (59%).
2. Learning statistical formula that requires problem solving seems to be
the cause for a high level of anxiety. Adult learners distinguished
between learning complex concept vs. learning complex statistical
formula (Figure 6)
Anxiety Level
Low
High
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------New familiar
Review of
Complex
idea
research article and
statistical
Learning new complex
formula
ideas & concepts
Figure 6: Anxiety level from the familiar to the unknown
3. Students seek lecture when they learn new complex material
especially if it is out of their comfort zone, such as statistical formula.
4. In higher cognitive complexity learners take less responsibility to the
learning process and depend more on lectures and peers.
5. In tasks that cause higher anxiety learners seek lectures and peers to
support the learning process.
The results contribute to better practices in teaching the research course,
still further research is needed with a larger sample to allow us to
correlate results and learn further about the relationship between
emotions, cognition and behavior.
Contact Information
www.cabrini.edu
Alia Sheety
&
Larry Melton
alia.sheety@cabrini.edu
larry.melton@cabrini.edu
I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” ~ Albert Einstein