Quality learning environments: What makes adult learning different?
When thinking about what constitutes a quality learning environment for adults, it is useful to start with asking, what makes adult learning different from the learning of young people?
Picture yourself as a young pupil in school and compare that with how you would like to be treated as an adult learner: as an adult, most probably you won’t accept the teacher reading from a textbook, or ask you whether you did your homework or follow the same pace as all your fellow pupils. That is if you even like being treated as a learner at all – you could be fed up with learning as a result of these previous experiences as a child.
You would probably like to be treated more as an equal, as someone who brings in life experience and someone who learns for a specific (your own) purpose. This requires the adult learning professional to construct a different learning environment: one that is more active.
In the figure below traditional learning approaches and active learning approaches are described.
Traditional learning approaches | Active learning approaches |
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Literature does not provide a definitive and complete answer on the question what can be considered as a quality learning environment for adult learners and to facilitate this more active learning approach. However, there are many (European) studies providing some indications of elements or criteria that are associated with the quality learning environment.
Based on these studies, one could conclude that to establish a quality learning environment;
- It should be motivational for the learners,
- It should be rich and reflective,
- The provision should be tailor made, learner centred and attuned to the specific learning needs of the adult learning.
- The provision should respect the background of the adult learner and the knowledge and experience of the adult learner should be used as resource in the learning process.
- The provision should be offered in a flexible manner in terms of duration, time, and place.
- The learning should be both relevant for the adult learner and – potentially – other stakeholders (e.g. employers, societal organisations).
Coming back to comparing your time in school and how you would like to treated as adult learner: would you not have liked an activated learning environment when you were young as well?
Of course you would!
This raises the question what initial education could learn from adult learning: should all learning resemble quality adult learning?
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Simon Broek has been involved in several European research projects on education, labour market issues and insurance business. He advised the European Commission, the European Parliament and European Agencies on issues related to education policies, lifelong learning, and labour market issues, and is Managing Partner at Ockham Institute of Policy Support.
Comments
It made me think about it
Thank you for very interesting topic. This is a really interesting theme for discussion. I immediately imagined myself as a young student and remembered the aproaches from my teachers. Of course, it is a big difference between children and adults in the studying process.
When I was a child my understsanding for studying was not reaaly clear. I could not understand why do I have to learn so many things, but as older I became as more clearance I could get. First of all, I knew my goals and my character's leadership helped me to reach them. Unfortunately, nowadays our children are not motivated to learn something, because they have no idea for what reason they do it.
However, adults, after some life expierence, understand what they like, want and do (not always but usually). So, reason to learn more is valuable and important. I wish I could as a teacher make my students be like adults and show them the value and importance of studying in any age stages.
Regards,
Viktorija H-S
Short but really useful article
Motywacja
Odbywając staż w Technikum zauważyłem, że coraz więcej młodych ludzi ma niską motywację. Wynika to z tego jak prowadzone są zajęcia oraz jak zachowują się nauczyciele. Nie trudno się dziwić, że młode osoby nie są zaangażowane w zajęcia, jeśli nauczyciel jest monotonny lub rygorystyczny. Myślę, że jest to duży problem w Polskich szkołach i należałoby przeprowadzić pewne zmiany w systemie oświaty. W szkołach powinno się kłaść nacisk przede wszystkim na motywację, bowiem to od niej najwięcej zależy. Dzięki niej jednostka ma w sobie siłę, wie co chce robić w życiu, jest zaangażowana. Myślę, że motywując osobę uczącą się można zyskać więcej, niż strasząc ją, czy ignorując.
komentarz
Wpis bardzo trafnie pokazuje, jak różne jest uczenie się dorosłych od szkolnego modelu, który wielu z nas pamięta. Jako dorośli nie chcemy być pouczani, tylko traktowani jak partnerzy; z szacunkiem indywidualnych potrzeb. To, że dobre środowisko uczenia się powinno być elastyczne, motywujące i osadzone w życiowym kontekście, wydaje się oczywiste, a jednak tak często praktyka wymija się z teorią. Warto więc dążyć do tego, by każde środowisko edukacyjne (niezależnie od wieku uczących się) było przestrzenią wzajemnego szacunku oraz rozwoju.