When teaching adults, the instructor should be prepared to:

1. Establish an environment that is psychologically and physically conducive to learning
   A. This means relaxed, casual, and safe for intellectual risk taking

2. Establish a mutual respect among all participants
   A. What students bring to the learning process is vital to its success because of their experiences

3. Not talk too much
   A. Let the students collaborate

4. Be supportive and understanding

5. Expect to continuously be negotiating time lines, due dates, and attendance.

Adults want to be involved in the Curriculum and Learning process…

Allow them to assess their own learning needs—this is key to knowing your audience:

1. What do they hope to learn in the class?
   ·        As opposed to what grade they want to earn

2. Why are they taking the class?

3. How can this class help them to reach their educational goals?

4. What are their weaknesses as a learner?

5. What is their dominant learning style?

Have students identify resources that can help them reach their learning goals—teach them how to learn skills.

Involve students in the evaluation of their own learning—journals, classroom assessment activities.

Issues that must be addressed when teaching the adult learner…

1. Always let the learners know why something is important to learn
   ·        This shows them that you are not wasting their time
2. Remember that you are not the only source of knowledge in the course
   ·        Direct the students how to learn on their own
3. Relate the topics to the learner’s experience
   ·        Connect their experiences to bring them into the learning process
4. Even though adults are more self-directed and willing to learn, they are also more critical and have higher expectations
   ·        Be prepared to motivate them
5. Be prepared to help the learners overcome their inhibitions, behaviors, and beliefs about learning
   ·        These may have been formulated from previous negative school experiences

Adults learn best when…

1. They feel comfortable and are given tasks that they can handle within time-constraints and differing life-styles

2. They are given input into their learning plans and goals
   ·        Such as assignments that they can use in their own work

3. They can learn from each other
   ·        Their experiences can be of great benefit to their peers

4. 4.     There are a variety of options available appropriate to their preferred learning style

5.  They can associate their new learning with their previous experiences
   ·        When they can see a building process occurring

6. They can apply what they are learning to their own life situations

Faculty wanting further information about any of these topics are encouraged to contact Terry Doyle at doylet@ferris.edu



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