Adult Learning Principles Cox, A. W. Presentation at Indiana Summer Institute: Evidence- based Practices for Children with ASD. Indianapolis, IN. June 13, National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, FPG Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Session Topics  Differences in ways children and adults learn  Assumptions/framework of adult learning  Selected principles of adult learning  Implications of principles to instructional design

Objectives for Presentation 1.Describe attributes of adult learners. 2.Identify practical applications to selected key adult learning principles 3.Discuss adult learning principles used in online course on ASD.

What is Adult Learning? Andragogy – Adult Education Children:  Rely on others to decide what is important to be learned.  Accept the information at face value  Have little or no experience to draw upon  Expect what is learned to be useful to long- term future  Little ability to serve as a knowledgeable resource

What is Adult Learning? Adults:  Decide for themselves what is important to learn  Need to validate the information based on beliefs and values  Expect what is learned to be immediately useful  Have substantial experience upon which to draw  Serve as a knowledgeable resource

Education is….. Education is an activity…that is designed to effect changes in the knowledge, skill, and attitudes of individuals, groups, or communities. Knowles, Holton, Swanson, 2005

Learning is …. Learning involves change. It is concerned with the acquisition of habits, knowledge, and attitudes. Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2005

Assumptions and Framework of Adult Learning Adults tend to prefer self-direction. Adults’ experiences are a rich resource for learning. Adults learn and retain information easier if they can relate it to past experiences. Adult learners’ needs and interests are the starting points and serve as guidepost for learning activities. Adults are competency-based learners and want to learn a skill they can use immediately.

Selected Key Principles/Concepts of Adult Learning Leadership Experience Appeal Respect Novel styles

Leadership Adult learners enter learning situations as self- directed individuals. Adult learner wants a leadership role in their learning; their self-concept includes responsibility for actions. Implications: What do you think?  Need to know why they need to learn something.  Others??

Experience Bring background of experiences that are rich resources for themselves and others Implications:  Wide range of individual differences and experiences  Need to tap into these through group discussion, group exercises, peer-helping activities  Others??

Appeal Appeal is the power of attracting or arousing interest Adults are motivated to learn when they need to know. Implications:  Frameworks for organizing learning come from life and/or work-related situations  Motivated by task performance and problem situations they confront  Others????

Respect Energy diverted from learning if learner feel dis- respected. Learners need a climate of learning that conveys respect Implications: What do you think? 

Novel Styles Adult learners have unique learning styles and preferences Adult learners respond when new material is presented through a variety of instructional methods. Implications: What do you think? 

Example: Online Instruction What features of the online instruction fit with adult learning principles? Let’s discuss.

Summary Adult learners learn by….  Doing, not by being told what to do  Applying ideas to real-life situations  Reflecting on information presented in multiple formats  Modeling and simulation/case situations  Others?