Specifics of Adult Learners - Literature review Example

Comparing Learners Comparing Learners In order to obtain a decent rewarding job in today’s corporate world, education beyond high school or even bachelors’ degree has become a vital requirement. However, individuals do not graduate in high school or even graduate schools for different reasons including financial problems, unexpected pregnancies, and lack of family support (Liao 2006). These groups of learners who return to undertake some form of higher education later in life are known as adult learners, or non-traditional students (Liao 2006). Adult learners have characteristics that differentiate them from traditional students. Adult learners join courses with a range of experiences both in terms of their educational backgrounds, and in terms of working life. These differences impact directly on how they participate in learning. The traditional student, on the other hand, is fit to acquire knowledge within the confines of a physical classroom using a properly defined curriculum (Gaffney-Rhys and Jones, 2010). There are various differences between traditional students and adult learners when they experience learning. Traditional students enroll in graduate school immediately after graduating from high school, go on with their studies on a full time basis, and complete their undergraduate degrees in 4 or 5 years. The adult learners are people with many years of experience and a fortune of information and have established and well-defined beliefs, values, and opinions. They learn at different rates and ways depending on their intellectual ability, personality, educational level and cognitive learning styles (Roessger, 2012). Adult students learn best in a democratic and collaborative environment therefore, they need to be involved actively in what they learn (Liao 2006). They need active and not passive learning experiences. They are mature people and wish to be treated as such. Being lectured at causes them frustration and resentment. The adults are self-reliant learners and prefer working at their own pace. People learn best when they feel prepared to learn and when they have recognized their own learning needs. The learning styles, therefore, vary for these two groups of individuals. The learning methods are assessed according to variables such as skills for learning, cognitive reasoning, and social interaction (Liao 2006). Falasca (2012) identifies four major models for learning styles that can be used for traditional students. These include Meyers-Briggs type indicator, Felder-Silverman model, Kolb’s model, and Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument. Kolb’ learning style inventory evaluates learners’ learning style preference in two dimensions. With time, students develop a preference for either participating in abstract or conceptual analysis when learning or a preference for concrete experiences when acquiring skills and knowledge. They may also show interest in turning theory into practice through active experimentation or may choose to engage in reflective practice. Hughes (2004) described this model as a cognitive learning style mode. Cognitive processes involve storage and recovery of information in the brain and give a representation of the student’s ways of perceiving, assessing, problem solving and recollecting. Gaffney-Rhys and Jones (2010) explain that Myers-Briggs Type Indicator provides a strong framework for building better relationships, harnessing innovation, driving positive change and achieving excellence. MBTI helps improve communication among team members, recognize team strengths and weaknesses, and come up with action plans for better performance. It helps in leadership development by deepening student leaders’ understanding of their personality types and of those they are leading to improve their management skills, gives more profound feedback, and improves both individual and team performance. It helps to improve students’ conflict management skills, stress management, and career transition and planning. The HBDI evaluates the degree of preferences people have for thinking in all the four brain quadrants. Previous studies show that learners are capable of flexing to less preferred styles of thinking, therefore, presenting information in a manner that recognizes, is compatible and respects different preferences is important for meeting learners’ needs. HBDI enhances individual and team effectiveness by increasing individual and team success and fostering appreciation for diverse thinking styles. It enhances leadership development by improving problem solving and decision making skills (Liao 2006). The Felder-Silverman style explores three issues. The features of learning style that is relevant in engineering education, learning styles most preferred by students and educators, and styles that will cater for students whose learning styles are not catered for by regular engineering education methods. Learning in a structured educational setting is described as a two step process involving the reception and procession of information. Lovelace (2005) states that this model classifies students as fitting into either sensing or intuitive learners, auditory or verbal learners, active or reflective learners and sequential or global learners. Visual learners memorize best what they see while verbal learners remember best what they hear (Roessger, 2012). Active learners learn little from lectures but learn better in situations that allow them to work in groups and hands on experiments (Roessger, 2012). Reflective learners require situations that allow them to think about the present situation while sequential learners are comfortable mastering information presented in a logical order progressively, grasping it as the educator presents it. Educators must therefore understand the degree of preference individuals have for perceiving information before developing academic course works (Roessger, 2012). Collaborative learning aims at improving individual knowledge and business performance by directly shifting learning to the work itself. Instead of continuing to obtain academic knowledge, adult learners have increased the development of practical knowledge in the place of work. While this knowledge might be useful in navigating through daily life, it is not suitable for acquiring academic knowledge and, as a result, they may feel frustrated as they fail to incorporate material presented in an academic fashion (Roessger, 2012). O’Toole and Essex (2012) suggested three methods of fostering adult learning in organizations. These include problem based learning that seeks to improve problem solving and critical thinking, cooperative learning that builds interpersonal and communication skills, and situated learning that focuses on specific technical skills related directly to work. Each of these styles supports assumptions about how adult learners acquire knowledge. They are self-directed, are directly applied to the work organization, and weigh in collaborative learning through experience. Problem-based leaning style challenges the adult learner through engaging in a real situation. The approach develops simultaneously both problem solving skills and disciplinary knowledge by putting learners in the role of problem solvers faced with an ill-structured circumstance that simulates the kind of problems they are most likely to meet at the work place (Gaffney-Rhys and Jones, 2010). Learning in the PBL approach occurs within the context of relevant tasks and issues that are aligned with real world problems. Proficiency is developed by participating in progressive problem solving. Problems drive the dynamics of the course. The adult learners individually or collectively take responsibility for their own learning. The task of the teacher is that of a facilitator, acting sometimes as a resource person rather than a knowledge disseminator (Roessger, 2012). All components of cooperative learning employ the basic elements of positive interdependence, collaborative/social skills, individual accountability and group processing. The educator’s role in this approach shifts from being in front of the students doing most of the work and talking, to becoming a facilitator who guides student learning in both academic and social realm. Cooperative learning approach may best be defined as a heterogeneously mixed working small group of learners learning collaborative skills such as problem solving, resolving conflict, positive criticism of ideas, not people, and building on each others’ information while working towards a common academic objective (Roessger, 2012). Situated learning creates meaning from the real activities of daily life where learning takes place in a pro-social but informal setting. The theory explains that learning occurs through social relationships in a cultural milieu and by connecting already established knowledge to new ideas. By beginning with a task incorporated with familiar activities, the educators show students the legitimacy of the prior knowledge and its usefulness as scaffolding in new tasks (Gaffney-Rhys and Jones, 2010). It requires letting the learners in a developmental reading class know that they may not find every tool useful for every project allows them to adapt to the material, in a way, that is most useful to them. An exhaustive syllabus that gives a step by step procedure of how the class will proceed will be useful to goal oriented learners (Gaffney-Rhys and Jones, 2010). Conclusion Today, experts must reconstruct their expertise continuously and be able to employ their theoretical knowledge into actual work. The creation of proficiency is a long procedure during which theoretical, meta-cognitive and practical aspects of expert knowledge are assimilated into a coherent whole. It is important to encourage students’ integration of theoretical knowledge into practice during tertiary education. Theoretical knowledge is useful in the Pharmacy field particularly since most of a pharmacist’s work is based on theoretical expertise. Among the theoretical courses undertaken that are most useful in the field are pharmacy practice, pharmacology, drug preparation, customer service and human anatomy. Theoretical knowledge is especially useful in patient counseling since a good knowledge background enables a pharmacist to operate as an expert and to counsel patients in a professional manner. Summary of different learning styles for the two groups of learners discussed in the paper Traditional students learning styles Adult students learning styles Use of active learning techniques 1. Require student in class presentations 2.Use short in class writing exercises 3.Explicitely sets goals for student learning Problem solving skills 1. Students attempt to solve ill-structured situations to facilitate development of problem solving skills Encouragement of student participation in the classroom 1.Students are encouraged to ask questions 2.Classes are designed to be more interactive Collaborative/social skill 1. Students are guided in both academic and social realms 2.Students are encouraged to work in small groups to develop social skill 3.Students are encourage to criticize ideas positively and build on each others’ information to achieve a common goal Beneficial aspect of peer learning 1.Comprehend material better when they hear course concepts explained by peers 2.Understand the complexity better after exchanging ideas with peers Situated learning styles 1.New ideas are incorporated with already established knowledge and the legitimacy of the prior knowledge is emphasized 2. Inclusion of material from other coursework encourages the adult learner to see the immediate benefit of learning strategies. Student collaboration is encouraged 1.Students are encouraged to act as peer mentors 2.Students are asked directly whether they understand course material 3. Students are encouraged to collaborate on course work to improve social skills. Repetition Information is presented in similar but not exact manner so that student can see that information presented in one situation can be altered and used in another situation Challenging, independent learning environment 1. Educators are available during office workers for students consultation 2. Students are encouraged to pursue subject matter further 3. The expectation of the students’ coursework is clearly articulated References Falasca, M. (2011). Barriers to adult learning: Bridging the gap. Australian Journal of Adult Learning 51 (3): 583-590. Gaffney-Rhys, R., & Jones, J. (2010). Issues surrounding the introduction of formal student contracts. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education 35 (6): 711-725. Hughes, J. A. (2004). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. Retrieved from: http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch15.html Liao, S. C. (2006). Creating learning scenarios: A planning guide for adult learners. Convergence 39 (1): 101-103. Lovelace, M. K. (2005). Meta-analysis of experimental research based on the Dunn and Dunn model. The Journal of Educational Research 98 (3): 176-184. O’Toole, S., & Essex, B. (2012). The adult learner may really be a neglected species. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 52 (1): 183-191. Roessger, K. M. (2012). Toward an interdisciplinary perspective: A review of adult learning frameworks and theoretical models of motor learning. Adult Education Quarterly 62 (4): 371-392. Read More