Principles of Adult Learning Andragogy : an dra go gy : ˈandrəˌɡäjē,-ɡäɡē
Bad Examples of PD Think of a time when you have endured an ineffective professional development session. What were some aspects that made you feel that way?
Good Examples of PD Now, think of a time when you have participated in an effective professional development session. What characteristics of the training and/or facilitator made it good?
Malcolm Knowles
Knowles 6 Principles of Adult Learning
Jigsaw Articles
Characteristics Adult Learner What s different? adult vs child learner Have a reason for learning Personal experience Learning for sake of learning desire for more knowledge Thread of time deficit Connecting past experiences with knowledge-base activities
Principles & Assumptions of Adult Learning Project based Attention deficit in adult learners How to apply principles? Allow options/choice Be flexible Self-directed Reason why to learn Take into account background/experience
Applying Adult Theory to Learning Online Hands on all have hand in it Experience should be root of learning It s not about the teacher it is about the learner Actively engage their minds and they will engage their mouths
Assumptions of the Adult Learner Need to Know: Adults need to know the reason for learning. Experience: Adults draw upon their experiences to aid their learning. Self Concept: Adult needs to be responsible for their decisions on education, involvement in planning and evaluation of their instruction. Readiness: The learning readiness of adults is closely related to the assumption of new social roles. Orientation: As a person learns new knowledge, he or she wants to apply it immediately in problem solving. Motivation (Later added): As a person matures, he or she receives their motivation to learn from internal factors
Knowles 6 Principles of Adult Learning Adult learning is self-directed/autonomous Adult learning utilizes knowledge & life experiences Adult learning is goal-oriented Adult learning is relevancy-oriented Adult learning highlights practicality Adult learning encourages collaboration
Assumptions Applied to elearning 1. Self-Concept - Create learning experiences that offer minimum instruction and maximum autonomy. 2. Adult Learner Experience - Include a wide range of instructional design models and theories to appeal to varied experience levels and backgrounds. 3. Readiness to Learn - Utilize social media and online collaboration tools to tie learning to social development. 4. Orientation to Learning - Emphasize how the subject matter is going to solve problems that an adult learner regularly encounters. 5. Motivation to Learn - There must be a valid reason behind every elearning course, module or educational activity.
4 Principles Applied to elearning 1. Adults must have a hand in the design and development of their learning experience. 2. Experience should be at the root of all elearning tasks and activities. 3. Real life applications and benefits must be tied to the elearning course. 4. Give adult learners the opportunity to absorb information, rather than memorizing it.
Role of the Facilitator
What a facilitator is and is not Chunk & Chew Be mindful of how much time you are talking Not the sage on the stage Guide the conversation Go with the flow of the conversation Provide wait time for thinking
Coaching Norms Assume positive intentions Operate in a collegial and supportive atmosphere Feel free to take risks in a safe environment Feel comfortable and respected if you disagree Solicit sharing of ideas from everyone Actively listen to one another Be aware of your air time
Course Setup and Facilitator s Role Principle Implications for work with online study groups Self Concept Adult Learner Experience Readiness to Learn Orientation to Learning Motivation to Learn Need to Know
Questioning
Well-crafted questions empower teachers to think about possibilities, explore the unknown, and elaborate their thinking. ~Reiss 2007 POSING QUESTIONS: INTENTIONAL PHRASING
Questioning with Intentional Language Ask open ended higher-order thinking questions Embed statements about ability or attitude Use Positive Assumptions/Prompts After reflecting on Include tentative language & plurals Open greater choice and safety Tentative Language: might, possible, some, Plurals: things, strategies, reasons
Tentative & Plurals Read the following questions and consider the effect on your thinking: What do you think you should do? What strategy will you choose for this initiative? What is the reason your committee wants to recommend that? Now contrast how the following affect your thinking: What might be some things you are thinking about doing? What are some possible strategies you are considering for this initiative? What might be some of the reasons your committee is considering those recommendations?
Mediating Thinking Questions What might be some strategies you have tried before that were successful? What are some connections between this goal and the outcome? What seems most useful in this situation? What might be some of your choices? In what ways might you sequence those ideas? What are some specific patterns or trends you are noticing? How did the work compare to how you planned it? As you have been thinking about a solution to the problem, what are some criteria you are using to make a final decision?
Pair-Share Activity Look at the essential skills of the Leadership & Vision part of the framework. Draft 3 questions you could use in the module to help elicit conversation or extensions. Find a partner and compare your questions. Combine, revise as needed to come up with the best 3 questions.
Providing Feedback
What Does Effective Feedback Look Like? Offers suggestions for growth and is action-oriented Give options when possible Suggest strategies that could assist in a particular goal Limit feedback to one or two traits/aspects of quality at a time Provide opportunity to redo based on the effective feedback
What Does Effective Feedback Look Like? Describes and Informs (be factual) Describe the work not the person Use descriptive adjective(s) Avoid judgmental words (good or bad), talk about why the work is good or bad Use I statements ( I am not sure what you mean here ) instead of you statements ( You aren t clear in the directions. )
What Does Effective Feedback Look Like? Specific, not general Use specific vocabulary Use criteria-based phrases that describe strengths and weaknesses of the work Refer to particular aspects of the work (evidence of the claim) Target your remarks to the need of the particular person
What Does Effective Feedback Look Like? Be clear and concise Avoid broad generalizations Use few pronouns-instead of this or that use the specific referents
Practice Scenario - District A is in need of revising its strategic plan. They are not sure where to begin and how they should align it with their technology plan. What might be some questions you could ask to help guide the process? Taking what you learned about feedback, what might be some examples of specific feedback you could provide during the process? Work in pairs to answer the above questions. Partner with another team to critique each other s responses.