Adult Learners

Central Arizona CollegeDistrict Tutor Training

Fall 2011Tamara Cochran

Adult Learners

Characteristics of adult learners

Life experience & prior knowledge

Autonomous & self-directed

Relevancy oriented

Goal oriented

Practical

Lieb, S. (1991). Principles of Adult Learning. Vision, Fall.

Understanding Adult Learners

Autonomous & self-directed

Serve as facilitator

Actively involve student

Guide through discovery

Avoid/minimize lecturing, teaching, presenting facts

Understanding Adult Learners

Life experience & prior knowledge

Family or personal

Workplace

Community

Ginsurg, L., Manly, M., and Schmitt, M.J (2006). The Components of Numeracy [NCSALL Occasional Paper]. Cambridge, MA: National Center for the Study of Adult Literacy and Learning.

Understanding Adult Learners

Goal and Relevancy Oriented

Reason for learning

Demonstrate value

Assist with goal attainment

Keep theories & concepts familiar

Practical

Useful, real-life focus

Personal connections

Barriers for Adult Learners

Lack of:

Time

Money

Interest

Confidence

Issues with:

Scheduling

Child-care

Transportation

Motivating Adult Learners

Build rapport & set the tone

Provide feedback

Often

Specific

Transference of Learning

Skill of self-directed, life-long learners

Occurs most successfully using:

Association

Similarity

Degree of original learning

Critical attribute element

Math Activity – Adult Learners

Everyday Number Sense: Mental Math and Visual Models. (2008). EMPower, Key Curriculum Press.

Writing Activity – Adult Learners

Metric System

Write down everything you already know about the metric system. 3 minutes.

Liquid Measurement

Tell me the different ways you use liquid measurements. 3 minutes.

Angles

Explain the difference between an acute angle, a right angle, and an obtuse angle.

Economy

Tell me everything you can about supply and demand.

Altieri, J. (2010). Strengthening Writing Skills While Communicating Mathematical Knowledge. Literacy + Math = Creative Connections. International Reading Association.

Writing Activity – Adult Learners

Summary

Background knowledge

Areas of emphasis

Scaffolding

References

Altieri, J. (2010). Strengthening Writing Skills While Communicating Mathematical Knowledge. Literacy + Math = Creative Connections. International Reading Association.

Everyday Number Sense: Mental Math and Visual Models. (2008). EMPower, Key Curriculum Press.

Ginsurg, L., Manly, M., and Schmitt, M.J (2006). The Components of Numeracy [NCSALL Occasional Paper]. Cambridge, MA: National Center for the Study of Adult Literacy and Learning.

Lieb, S. (1991). Principles of Adult Learning. Vision, Fall.