Adult learning: ways of engaging adult learners
A workshop by Tony Saddington
Teaching adults brings educators and trainers up against the reality of how to engage a group of adults each with their own differing sets of experiences, skills and knowledge. In this workshop participants will be introduced to theories of adult learning; develop an understanding of how adults learn; and explore ways of meeting the challenges of teaching adults.
The aim of the workshop is to examine the ideas and understandings of what "learning" means, and how learning takes place. A key theme guiding the workshop is the relationship between 'learning' and 'experience'. To do this we will look at some models which try to explain the relationship between 'learning' and 'experience', including experiential learning models; and cognitive, behaviourist, humanist and social action theories or approaches to learning.
Through a focus on ourselves as adult learners and educators, we will examine:
- principles to guide our approach to adult learning
- different kinds of learning
- what facilitates learning, and what blocks learning
- the importance of unlearning
- how to increase the responsibility adults take for their own learning
- the strengths and weaknesses of group learning
The workshop will be run experientially and includes group sessions and short theory sessions. Active participation is encouraged.
Who should attend:
Educators and trainers who run educational programmes for adults and wish to know more about the ways adults learn so that they can design their programmes to be more meaningful to adults.
Time needed for workshop:
One full day (or equivalent number of sessions)