Teacher Effectiveness: Characteristics of learning and strategies for teaching adult learners

Teacher Effectiveness: Characteristics of learning and strategies for teaching adult learners

March 15, 2017 • 19 Likes • 2 Comments

Michelle Ann Patrovani

Michelle Ann PatrovaniFollow

Educator, Leader, Writer, Consultant & Mom of two with Cystic Fibrosis

In today’s constantly evolving world of education, teachers are under tremendous stress – to acquire and implement knowledge and skills, to get students to learn, to demonstrate effectiveness… to retain their jobs.

Historically, distinctions were often made between pedagogy, andragogy, and heutagogy (Blaschke, 2012). Today though, as we aim to create lifelong learners who are autonomous, responsible, self-directed, self-determined, self-reflective, and who are in control of their own learning (Blaschke), those distinctions have been disappearing.

Formal and informal interviews of teachers indicate specific basic identified learning strategies for teaching teachers (adult learners) based on their identified learning characteristics/needs. Our teachers are clamoring for the very things that we constantly tell them they must deliver to their students in the classroom.

Only once has someone communicated to me that, when teaching adults, we need to dispense with any focus on adult learner needs. According to this individual, professional learning experiences for adults do not require adaptations. The teachers themselves – as adults – need to adapt to what is presented. I disagree. I inquired as to the theories, beliefs and experiences behind this notion. I have not yet received a response.

Now, just as it is impossible to meet every single individualized need of every student in the classroom, it is impossible to meet every single teacher’s individualized needs. We can though, do the following:

1. Ascertain learners’ needs/knowledge of the content, technique, practice, theory, etc. and from there determine who needs what and how much, how structured, etc. Plan for and deliver that, making sure to address multiple modalities for learning where possible. In other words, do not just talk to learners. They will tune out. Inherent here is consideration for lifespan development.

2. Increase relevancy and applicability of content for adult learners. Make it immediately useable.

3. Vary presentations, delivery, learning opportunities, and activities enough to deepen engagement, and promote deeper critical thinking - though half the battle is already won if we have addressed bullets #1 and #2.

4. Provide differentiation through small group (concurrent more intimate learning experiences/sessions, and/or opportunities for small group differentiated activities, followed by opportunities for whole group sharing, interaction and discussion). This is how we can address different degrees of knowledge and ability levels.

5. Include technology both in the presentation and in the building of digital 21st Century skills. Most of us are running a marathon or more behind our students in this area. Implement this consistently and effectively.

6. Individualize and personalize professional learning through menu items that learners can choose from based on their own assessment of their needs. Adults know what they need to increase performance, productivity, etc. Most want to improve their skills and competencies.

7. Provide resources/links to resources for learners to choose from to further their own learning. Most of this would follow a heutagogical approach to learning. We can’t force the learners to follow through but if they care and want to learn/improve, they will make an effort – even in their overloaded lives. You do it. Don’t you?

In making the effort to and in implementing these variations, we will increase satisfaction in adult learning experiences. When we are satisfied by a meal and dining experience in a particular establishment, we return. We may even try to get the recipe and attempt to make the dish ourselves. We will invite others to share in the experience. Why? It pleased our palate. It satisfied us. We valued the experience and remember it. It was all worthwhile. We want it again. So we revisit, expose others to it, and try to replicate it, often putting our own personal twist on it. The point is, the original experience gets shared, promoted, and utilized…

In the same way, we must make every adult learning experience palatable and increase its digestibility, assimilability, usability, and transferability.

To be clear, it’s all about packaging, presentation, taste, nutrition, and choice.

Additionally, this article is not about learning styles, over which there is much debate. The three basic learning styles are aural (auditory-musical), visual/spatial, and tactile/physical/kinesthetic. We can add social/interpersonal, solitary/intrapersonal, verbal/linguistic, and logical/mathematical. Can every learning style be addressed in every training or instructional session (for kids or adults)? No. To expect our teachers to deliver in this way, is to expect the impossible. To expect trainers to deliver in this way is equally impossible. There has even been debate about the value of learning styles theory. In education, the benefits of learning styles have long been touted, and certainly understanding how different people learn best is helpful. Others though argue that there is little hard evidence to indicate any great correlation between addressing these multiple learning styles and learning outcomes.

Theoretical Basis & Morality

Today, we are immersed in the evidence-based education (EBE) movement. EBE is described as “the integration of professional wisdom with the best available empirical evidence in making decisions about how to deliver instruction (The US Department of Education, n.d.).”

On the basis of the EBE definition, we know the following:

The benefits of the long-proven constructivist teaching and learning methodologies or social construction of knowledge (Brown and Crumpler, 2012; Freire, 1970; Vygotsky, 1978,) versus the narration-banking style of education that breeds oppression (Freire) and opposes the training of the faculties or formation of the mind (Dewey, 1916).

The importance of creativity (Mishra, Fahnon, Henriksen, 2013; Robinson, 2013)

The value of the “more knowledgeable other” teacher/trainer (Vygotsky, as cited in Brown and Crumpler) who supports students’ learning through collaboration, and inquiry.

The call of educational pedagogy, andragogy and heutagogy for overlapping teaching and learning practices in our 21st Century (especially when it comes to technological skills development, self-directed learning, and self-determined learning.

Teaching and learning are symbiotic. It is the moral obligation of educational and institutional leaders to institute and foster learning environments and cultures that promote these teaching and learning practices – first for teachers and then for students.

When we consider teaching teachers, we must first think about who and where they are, as adult learners and how they, as adults, interact with and are influenced by their environment (Bronfenbrenner, 1994). Teaching and learning must/be:

Engaging – collaborative, active, experience-based, hands-on/bodies-on, interactive, involve modeling and one-on-one support, as necessary.

Constructivist, inquiry-driven, problem solving, creative and active in nature.

Differentiated and relevant to individual needs.

Designed to develop technological skills of today.

Planned to increase needed competencies and capabilities.

Respectful of the learner’s time and demands.

Inclusive of choice, self-direction and self-determination.

Accompanied by freedom to implement and to adapt in the classrooms as teachers see fit.

Supplemented by one-one coaching and support in the classroom as needed and requested.

Occur in a climate of mutual respect and trust.

Bottom line: When teaching teachers/adults, recognize them as people/adults who are overloaded, stressed, and who have very specific learning characteristics that must be addressed if we want to help them increase their capacity and competency.

Your Turn: What are some strategies you use to foster learning among teachers/adult learners? Which of these strategies is/are the most important to you? Which of these strategies is/are the most effective in your experience? What web tools for implementation do you recommend and why?

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References

Blaschke, L. M. (2012). Heutagogy and lifelong learning: A review of heutagogical practice and self-determined learning. International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 13(1), 56-71. Retrieved from EBSCOHost Database.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1994). Ecological models of human development. In M. Gauvain, & M. Cole (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education, Vol. 3, 2nd Ed. (pp. 37-43). Oxford: Elsevier. Retrieved from http://www.psy.canmu.edu/~siegler/35bronfebrenner94.pdf

Brown, I. I., & Crumpler, T. (2012). Assessment of foreign language teachers: a model for shifting evaluation toward growth and learning. High School Journal, (2), 138. Retrieved from EBSCOHost database.

Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. Classic Literature. Reprint

Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group.

Mishra, P., Fahnoe, C., & Henriksen, D. (2013). Creativity, self-directed learning and the architecture of technology rich environments. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 57(1), 10-13. doi:10.1007/s11528-012-0623-z

Vygotsky, L. (1978). Interaction between learning and development. Mind in society. (pp. 79-91). Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Retrieved from http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys4810/phys4810_fa08/4810_readings/vygot_chap6.pdf

Michelle Ann Patrovani

Michelle Ann Patrovani

Educator, Leader, Writer, Consultant & Mom of two with Cystic Fibrosis

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N. A. Sheikh

N. A. Sheikh

CAIE|OCR Examiner|Economist|Educator|Trainer|CreativeWriter (Economics|Accounting|English-IGCSE|A Level|Edexcel|AQA|BBA)

Can teaching or learning be ever simplified by following the fixed recipe for teaching or learning well? One must be so dynamic in the environment to adjust oneself to the needs being demanded naturally.

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Michelle Ann Patrovani

Michelle Ann Patrovani

Educator, Leader, Writer, Consultant & Mom of two with Cystic Fibrosis

Agree, N. A. Sheikh. Teaching and learning have never been and will never be simple exchanges or enterprises, nor can any fixed recipe work to cure all issues presented. Teachers make countless decisions every moment and students (adults and children) are pulled by many things each moment. You are right. "One must be so dynamic" and so constantly self-adjusting to the needs and situations and one must be capable of doing so naturally. Unfortunately, some teachers just have one go-to methodology/system/style, and see no reason to make any adaptations or modifications. Doing the latter does not yield positive outcomes.