Why adult learning theory should shape your training approach

"What is adult learning theory?"

You might think this is self-explanatory: It's all about how adults learn and finding the best practice to teach them.

Right?

Well, yes...but there's more to it.

Think back to your school days and the concepts you were taught. The boring history classes. Memorizing all of those dates, the causes of every war...how interesting are those concepts now?

Maybe you like watching 3-hour historical documentaries as an adult. You're fascinated by how past events have shaped your country's present. You find history interesting now.

Why was it so difficult back then? Why was it so boring?

As adults, we're exposed to various experiences that help us connect the dots between a problem and a concept.

But it's not like all adults learn better than children. We learn better as we gain life experience and exposure.

Adult learning follows this concept. Adults are motivated to learn things that are practical and can solve a problem that's relevant to their personal or professional lives.

Learning is constant, but the way we learn isn't. People have different ways and methods to learn and grasp concepts. How you learn may be different from how your friend or partner learns.

Similarly, how an adult learns differs from how a child learns. If you're a corporate trainer or an adult educator, saying it's crucial to know how adults learn is an understatement.

The key principles of adult learning theory

We know it's boring to read a list of "key principles of adult learning theory." We'll make sure to make it relatable, so that you gain something from it. Something you, as an adult educator, can apply in your training sessions.

Here are the six principles of adult learning theory, also known as andragogy, that was developed by Malcolm Knowles in 1968.

1. The need to know

Adults need to know why they need to learn something before they can put their time and effort into it. An adult educator must leave the typical "dump-and-drill" model behind, where teachers are at the center and students are just passive recipients of the lessons. There's no effort to give context on why they should study something.

How do you apply this, you ask?

This requires a deep level of tailoring to resonate with every learner. You need to understand what your students do, what their professions are, and what their goals are—basically, who they are.

Then, give them a scenario that they face at work regularly. Let's say you teach product marketers. Their main goal is to understand their customers' needs so they can steer their product in the right direction.

So, when you teach them a new concept, like the JTBD framework or the flywheel model, tell them how impactful they can be by giving them a new understanding of their customers.

area of expertise. This will help them see the bigger picture and understand that learning those concepts can actually help them get their tasks done. They'll put their best effort into it.

2. The learner’s self-concept

Adults love to be independent and in control of their decisions. They'll be more invested in learning when they have the flexibility to choose their learning process.

For starters, allow them to choose between self-paced learning, classroom training, or live virtual training. This will give them the freedom to learn at their own pace and preferred time.

If you prefer teaching only face-to-face or teaching only online, you can always niche down and cater only to those learners. There will always be learners who also prefer your mode of teaching.

Another thing you can try is to offer a learning path. Create goals and build a learning ladder, with concepts they have to master sequentially to reach that goal.

Say a learner wants a promotion in their current job. Their learning path may look like this: Master topic → Take a test → Get certified → Attend an interview → Get promoted.

But if that learner wants to switch jobs, their learning path may be different.

Creating multiple learning paths based on career goals will give learners more control over their decisions and get them more involved.

3. Prior experience

Adults have lots of experience, both professional and personal. These experiences can be leveraged and implemented in their learning. They can build a foundation on that.

If you're teaching a marketing class, ask your learners to share examples of marketing campaigns they’ve seen or even spearheaded in their work.

Discuss how these examples can be connected to theoretical marketing concepts, or even share new marketing frameworks the campaign could have used to execute their campaigns better.

Leaning into past or real-life experience can help learners understand what worked, or what might have worked better. This will give them new information that can be applied to their other projects.

4. Readiness to learn

Adults are motivated to learn when they know they can apply those concepts and see results immediately. They learn better when they see how the new concept can tackle a problem or achieve a goal that's applicable to them.

Again, showing real-time application can help here. Say a learner is ready to take a financial planning course because they just got married and want to manage their money better.

There's a readiness to learn the new concept. This will help them engage with your training at a higher level.

5. Orientation to learning 

This may look similar to the fourth principle. However, there's an important distinction between the two. The fourth principle is about when learners are ready to learn, while orientation to learning is about how learners prefer to learn once they're ready.

This principle is more about the approach to learning, which is typically problem-centered (focused on solving real problems) rather than content-centered (focused only on theory or abstract knowledge).

Using the same example of the learner who's ready to learn about financial planning, they'll likely prefer to engage in activities where they can apply what they’re learning to manage their budget or plan for future expenses rather than just reading textbook chapters.

You can show them how the 50/30/20 financial rule works and ask them to apply it using their take-home salary.

6. Motivation to learn 

Even though adults respond to external motivators, they're more motivated when they're driven by internal factors such as job satisfaction, self-esteem, and quality of life.

Recognize and encourage your learners’ personal goals. Break down your concepts into micro-concepts. Then, set milestone goals that are challenging, but achievable after mastering that micro-concept.

This will help them reflect on how far they’ve come and how close they are to reaching their goal. This also will motivate them to study better and ensure continuous learning without losing momentum and interest in the topic.

Can the adult learning theory work in the e-learning landscape?

The simple answer is yes. Many adult educators are transitioning to an online mode of teaching or they're following a blended learning approach.

In fact, many use platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and so on for this.

These platforms cover the key parts. However, for a full-fledged online training setup, you'll need an LMS or an online course platform with extensive features that can help you implement the adult learning theory effectively.

Let's take a quick look at the key features that complement the theory:

• Hybrid learning: The platform must support both on-demand courses (self-paced) and live virtual training. This satisfies the learner’s self-concept principle by offering adult learners the flexibility to choose their preferred mode of learning.
• Learning paths: These help you create customized paths based on learners’ individual goals.
• Assessments and assignments: Evaluation is a key part of adult learning. As learners progress toward their goals, there needs to be an evaluation system to check whether they're on the right track.
• Community learning: We've seen that past experiences act as a foundation to learn new concepts. This isn’t limited to one's own experience but also includes peer experiences. A discussion forum within your LMS allows learners to interact, brainstorm, and share insights, keeping them engaged and motivated.
• Mobile learning: Because many adult learners juggle between work and learning, making your course accessible on mobile devices enhances their learning experience, enabling them to learn even when they're on the go.
• Built-in certificate builder: If your academy is reputable and offers certifications that boost your learners' professional credibility, you can automate certificate issuance based on course completion. This saves you from the hassle of manually sending certificates.
• Analytics: You need to know whether your teaching style is effective. An analytics system that tracks feedback, learner enrollments, and engagement helps you refine your methods if needed.

Wrapping up 

We’ve looked at the various principles of adult learning theory and how they can be implemented in your training academy. Whether you host face-to-face sessions, blended learning, or completely online training, these principles remain constant when you're teaching adult learners.

If you're looking for a platform that offers all of the key features mentioned above, give TrainerCentral a try.