Adult learning in 2023

Malcolm Knowles is considered to be the founder of andragogy — adult learning. His theories are perfectly adapted to e-learning concepts. In this article, we will discuss the principles of andragogy and how they can be applied to distance learning for employees.

Knowles made five assumptions about the characteristics of adult learners
that distinguish them from children:

Self-esteem:

Adults are more independent than children and behave independently and have self-control. It is best to make the training unobtrusive and provide course participants with guidance and support. Within the e-learning environment, the course author can guide the student and provide them with all the resources they need. At the same time, learners should be able to discover most of the new information on their own and apply it according to their educational needs.

2. Experience of adult learners:

Adults have a certain amount of experience and memory that they can draw on when learning. Before designing an e-learning course, it is imperative to have a clear picture of learners' experiences and current needs. Adult learning tends to be more focused than child learning. Therefore, in order for a course to be recognised as useful, it is essential to use concrete experiences to show how the learning material relates to the learner.

3. Willingness to learn:

Adults will be more willing to learn task-oriented material directly related to professional and social development. If you create an environment within an e-learning course that has direct relevance to the social and professional development of the trainees, they will be more willing to participate in the training. If learners see the social benefit of the course, their engagement will be higher.

4. Focusing on learning:

Adults tend to look at learning differently: they are more focused on the urgent need for knowledge rather than on longer-term application. The learning needs of adults are task-oriented rather than subject-oriented in general. To ensure course attendees are engaged, make sure they understand from the start what the module will be useful for their particular situation. Real-life case studies created specifically for students or the organization they work for work best.

5. Motivation to learn:

While most children are externally motivated to learn (by teachers, parents, etc.), most adults tend to be results-oriented and self-motivated. If the learner knows why they are taking an online course and when they will be able to put what they have learned into practice, capturing their intrinsic motivation is easy. Otherwise, it is likely that the trainees will ask why they are taking the course in the first place.

Knowles considered these five assumptions and put forward five principles of andragogy. These principles will help to understand what is needed to successfully organize
adult distance learning:

1

Adults should be involved in the development of the learning plan.
2

Learning should be based on learners' experiences, which include both ups and downs.
3

In order for the training modules to be effective, learners should be able to apply the knowledge immediately in their work or life.
4

The material to be studied should be task-oriented rather than generalized.
5

Knowles' andragogy theory plays an important role in learning: it makes clear the difference between the educational characteristics of children and adults and will be particularly useful for authors of e-learning materials.

Use these principles and enhance the effect with videos from Jalinga Studio

For a start -

Jalinga Studio makes the process of creating educational material much easier. Less time is spent recording and processing the video, so you have more time for other tasks: the training itself or developing the next materials

In addition -

such a format of distance learning — videos on different topics — is most suitable for adult learners. They all have their own things to do and responsibilities besides studying, so you simply give them the material to study and give them the freedom to choose when and where they want to learn. This approach relieves students of the workload and the need to make sacrifices in order to pass the exam on time.

Finally -

videos recorded at Jalinga Studio look as presentable and professional as possible. Special equipment and recording techniques produce high-quality video and sound — something that adults are more likely to pay attention to than children. Busy people's time is valuable, and they will not waste it on poor quality learning.

Jalinga helps create training videos for industry start-ups as well as for experienced and corporate trainers.
Learn more about us or visit our nearest studio to experience Jalinga yourself!

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