The Major Benefits of Motivation - Term Paper Example

 Abstract Building a strong adult learning model of instruction is a key to understanding of what motivates an adult learner. A particular role in the whole process is attributed to motivation, which is being viewed as a key determinant of student’s success as a professional. The present paper seeks to examine the main features of abstract learning and the effect it has on further education of students. The ultimate goal of the paper is to provide readers with the major benefits of motivation while educating students. Introduction Adult Learning is becoming a rapidly growing industry in education as our nations are becoming more technologically advanced. According to Malcolm Knowles, there are six tenets of understanding the adult learning; they include adults being independent and self-ruling learners, possessing an accumulation of knowledge and work related experiences, being goal oriented, relevancy-oriented, and practical, and requiring respect. Throughout this paper, I will outline a strong adult learning program. When it comes to building a strong adult learning model of instruction it is best to begin with a concrete understanding of what motivates the adult learner. As educators are aware, if students are not motivated then no learning is not taking place. Review of the recent research As research reveals, “the following six factors are sources of adult motivation: social relationships, external expectations, social welfare, personal advancement, escape/stimulation, and cognitive interest” (Lieb, 1991). However, the most prevalent motivation for adult learners is that of career advancement or maintaining current career certificates/licenses. Teachers, for example, are required to stay abreast of current trends and best practices by completing a designated number of post-graduate credits every five years merely to maintain licensure to practice. Because professional development is the most prevalent factor of adult learner motivation, a quality instructor must adhere to four essential components including inspiration, support, maintenance, and transference. If these four components are not addressed in adult learning programs, learning is not occurring for the students. Stephen Lieb further finds that “With regards to motivation, if the participant does not recognize the need for the information, all of the instructor's effort to assist the participant to learn will be in vain” (1991). For this reason, it becomes essential that instructors make it clear to their students the purpose for learning each set of skills; the learner needs to see how the acquisition of specific skill sets will be applied to their job responsibilities. Also, each lesson should begin by establishing a purpose for the learner. All lessons, though, must be authentic and relevant, and teach to three domains; cognitive, social, and affective. If the aforementioned, points are addressed in an adult learning program, participants will see the need for information and the program will be that much stronger. It should be noted, that the difficulty of distinguishing the principal advantages and disadvantages of the adult learning is in the fact, the classes are formed with various aims and have various implications. According to Walkin (2000), “young adults must realize their full potential as active and effective members of society at large, and at all kinds of public and voluntary bodies, thus it is the state responsibility to provide the necessary models for young adults' action and participation” (Walkin, 2000). To follow this task and to provide effective and efficient education, there has been developed a national and local system of .educational establishments. However, one must realize that effective stimulus will only be acquired if adult learning instructors incorporate reinforcement, retention, and transference practices into their teaching; this is because they show the student how information is relevant to their learning and career advancement. Transference, for example, “is the ability to use the information taught in the course, but in a new setting” (Lieb, 1991). And, “reinforcement should be part of the teaching-learning process to ensure correct behavior; it helps students retain what they have learned” (Lieb, 1991). Again, an instructor cannot have effective student motivation without also incorporating reinforcement, retention, and transference practices into instruction. In addition to independent learners, it is essential to realize the function adult learning has in a social and cultural context. Donna D. Amstutz, in her work Adult Learning: Moving Toward More Inclusive Theories and Practices, discusses the disparities in adult learning programs. She focuses on how traditional theory of adult learning is marketed mainly toward the white, male, Western-European cultures, thereby, creating a learning gap for women, minorities, and people of varying cultures. She supports her finding by citing The Modern Practice of Adult Education: A Postmodern Critique with “these “truths” are then altered to take in “truths” from all other civilizations, suggesting that the “right way to know things is acceptable only through one hegemonic filter” (Briton, 1996). Understanding the globalization of education, adult learning programs need to be accessible and relevant to varying cultures of humanity. Amstutz establishes the four dominant paradigms in adult learning theory as behaviorist, humanist, cognitivist, or liberatory. Her argument that these paradigms do not support a globalization of adult learning across all cultures is specific to noting, in contrast to In Defense of the Lifeworld: Critical Perspectives on Adult Learning declarations that “The first three types have been described as meeting the needs of mainstream economic, academic, and social programs and goals” (Welton, 1995). She clarifies how behaviorist, humanist, and cognitivist theory actually alienates cultures not of Western-European decent because they are in fact individualistic and “define knowledge as a set of verifiable truths that arise from one culture.” Amstutz goes on to explain that, “though liberatory theory takes into account the history and context of adult learners ,and encourages them to critically examine the values, beliefs, and assumptions of the dominant culture, it is not the best suited or most effective method of delivering adult learning to women, people of color, the working class, or those unemployed because it does not foster or promote an equitable society.” If the area of adult education is to have a viable industry, it must remember globalization and work to reach every student regardless of race, gender, culture, or socioeconomic status. Amstutz suggests more adequate ways to follow the requirements of learners in different communities, which have different needs. Amstutz list the following adult teaching methods to enhance the education of all learners regardless of the culture, gender, ethnicity, and racial diversity: “help students question theory relative to their own cultural experiences, teach non-dichotomous ways of knowing, seek, acknowledge, and foster alternative forms of knowledge, have the “courage to teach”, construct and maintain supportive learning environments, and continually review educational goals” (Pages 7 -11). By having learners question theory that is close to the community he was brought up in, it is possible to give the learner the opportunity to connect with material as well as form relationships between their own culture and the cultures of others; this practice broadens the scope of their knowledge. Teaching non-dichotomous ways of knowing is essential. Otherwise, there is a risk to limit the amount of knowledge learners acquire, understand, and are apt to apply. Mezirow notes: “to set the educational process up as one requiring the learner to share the convictions of the educator’s view of social reality is indoctrination” (Mezirow, 1990). If one understands the importance of having students question theory relative to their own cultures, one understands not being uniform in the expectations we have of students being knowledgeable. If teachers of adult learners remember multiple-intelligences theory and are designing their lessons to tap into the unique learning style of each student, then look for, recognize, and promote alternative forms of knowledge, and using various instructional strategies, becomes second nature. As the teacher you just realize that all “adult learners can and do critically assess the assumptions behind culturally assimilated ways of knowing; they can create their own knowledge” (Amstutz, page 8). The same rule applies to the diversity of a global institution; therefore, adult educators must have the “courage to teach.” If diverse individuals and nations are to work together cohesively, educators are bound by a moral obligation to be honest with their students about the existence of inequities including racism and sexism. “Having the courage to teach means that we must recognize and fight the social injustices that pervade our institutions and that create enduring patterns of inequity within them” (Goodlad, Soder, and Sirotnik, 1990). This courage is paramount because, according to E. Swartz, “the goal is to reconstruct our knowledge to reflect the interconnectedness of the multiple and diverse voices who created it” (1992). Only in giving every student a voice, does knowledge and change occur. Over and above the aforementioned theories and strategies, an absolutely paramount aspect of an effective adult learning program is to continually review educational goals. An excellent way of monitoring a program’s instructors is to have strong instructional leader in place. Strong leadership would be continually monitoring instruction, establishing professional learning communities, and have teams of educators participate in Action Research. Action research is a sound way to improve teacher instruction because it occurs while an educator is in the midst of instruction and can occur over an extended period of time. It “enables teachers to develop deeper meanings about their practices, experiment with their practices based upon extended reflection and data analysis, and implement change” (Johnson, 1993). According to Instructional Supervision: Applying Tools and Concepts, developmental supervision is highly successful in maintaining high-quality teachers. The main purpose of developmental management is to achieve learning goals for students by increasing the teacher’s capacity. “The success of developmental supervision rests on the supervisor’s ability to assess the level of a teacher and then apply a matching approach” (Zepeda, 2003). The reason this method is so successful is because the supervisor’s assistance goes hand–in-hand with the teacher’s competency level. Adult learning has all chances to become a rapidly growing industry in education. Consequently, there is a strong need to study the major ways in which adult learning can be improved. The paper showed that motivation still remains to be one of the major ways in which learners can improve their performance at school. The research presented in this paper also indicated that there is a connection that exists between learning and student performance in the class. The analysis in the paper was also supported by theoretical research. Theoretical paradigms presented in the paper helped to refer to adult learning theory as behaviorist, humanist, cognitivist, or liberatory. Besides covering the above mentioned aspect, the paper also outlined the main components of a strong adult learning program paying a particular attention to a developmental supervision which is seen as a highly successful process in maintaining high-quality teachers. Beside development supervision aspect, the paper also discussed the issue of disparities that exist in adult learning programs and hamper students learning process. In addition to that, the paper also focuses on discussing the relation that exists between the traditional theory of adult learning and a national standard which was set by these learning programs. Conclusion If adult learning is to be successful, educators and program designers must understand their learners. This is best accomplished by knowing what motivates the adult learner and how to maintain and that motivation. It is obvious that the most prevalent motivation for adult learners is that of career advancement or maintaining current career certificates/licenses. Instructors are required to stay abreast of current trends and best practices by completing a certain number of post-graduate credits every five years merely to maintain licensure to practice. In addition to the abovementioned theories and strategies, a totally paramount aspect of an effective adult learning program is to regularly evaluate educational purposes. An excellent way of monitoring a program’s instructors is to have strong instructional leader in place. Moreover, adult learning must address the needs of every student by avoiding segregation of ideas based upon race, gender, culture, or socioeconomic status. Finally, another major component of a quality adult learning program is strong leadership which establishes learning communities, continually monitors instruction, and respects the level of each of its teachers and matches their needs with a level-appropriate solution. References: Lieb, Stephen. (1991) .Principles of Adult Learning. South Mountain Community College. Amstutz, Donna D. (1999.) Adult Learning: Moving Toward More Inclusive Theories and Practices. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, n82 p19-32 Sum 1999. Briton, D. (1996.) The Modern Practice of Adult Education: A Postmodern Critique. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press. Welton, M.(ed.). (1995) In Defense of the Lifeworld: Critical Perspectives on Adult Learning. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York. Mezirow, J. (1995.) “Transformation Theory of Adult Learning.” In M. Welton (ed.), In Defense of the Lifeworld Critical Perspectives on Adult Learning. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press, 1995. Swartz, E. (1992.)“From a Compensatory to a Scholarly Foundation.” In Grant, C. (ed.), Research and Multicultural Education: From the Margins to the Mainstream. Bristol, Penn.: The Falmer Press, 1992. Goodlad, J., Soder, R., and Sirotnik, K. (eds.). (1990.) The Moral Dimensions of Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Zepeda, Sally J. (2003.) Instructional Supervision: Applying Tools & Concepts. Second edition. New York, 2003. LEARNING AND SKILLS COUNCIL, (2005). FE Funding for 2005/2006 year. Available on the World Wide Web Walkin L, (2000). Teaching and learning in further and adult education. Cheltenham: nelson Thornes. Read More