OPWL 535: Principles of Adult Learning

Professional Statement:

As Instructional Designers, we are tasked to create an impactful and enjoyable experience for our learners. To do this, we need to be insightful, understand various adult learning theories, and understand how the implementation of said learning theories cultivates deeper, more meaningful interactions.

From studying various theories, I have put together a couple of key (evidence-backed) takeaways that we can apply to strengthen such experiences:

1. Ryan and Deci state motivation is a critical factor that needs to be considered if performance-improvement learning material is being created. When people feel a sense of self-determination and are intrinsically motivated, positive outcomes, such as a drive to sustain learning, can occur.

2. Malcolm Knowles states adult learners are unique and complex- they need to have something to hold onto when they are learning, such as a way to connect with the material, perhaps by past experiences or the hope of creating future experiences, driving their readiness to learn.

If you are interested in learning more about a couple of adult learning theories and how they can be applied to solve real-life workplace scenarios, please feel free to check out my blogs, linked below!