Page 192 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 192
Intrinsic motivation. The sixth assumption relates to adults’ motiva-
tion for learning and in a way sums up the previous assumptions. It says
that adults can be motivated to learn only by acknowledging their current
needs, problems and reasons for learning. Their learning process is there-
fore generally internally driven (Cercone, 2008).
In line with the assumptions about adults as learners, Knowles (1989)
designed the following steps of the educational process that must be ac-
knowledged by an adult educator to successfully create an adult learning
experience:
1. involving participants in diagnosing their learning needs;
2. establishing a climate conducive to learning;
3. involving learners in mutual content planning (acknowledg-
ing their prior knowledge and experience, designing a flexible
curriculum);
4. involving learners in forming their learning objectives and plans;
5. helping learners carry out their learning plans where they take re-
sponsibility for their own learning; and
6. involving learners in evaluating their learning outcomes.
All of these steps cannot be performed without use of teaching and
learning practices and methods based on the active involvement of the par-
ticipants and mutual cooperation and non-hierarchical relations between
learners and teachers. At this point, we briefly present some of most evi-
dent adult education practices and methods that support and acknowledge
learners’ motivation for learning, self-direction, interests and overall active
involvement in the process of learning. These practices are (Cartor, 1990;
Gitterman, 2004; Vacareþu, Steiner, & Kovacs, 2011): interactive teaching
methods (e.g. group discussions, applied problem-based sessions, mutual
interviews, project work, study circles, discussion about the participant’s
informal and incidental learning), hands-on activities, students’ mentor-
ing (especially for small groups of students), explicit use of students’ pri-
or knowledge, sharing experience and reflections of students, responding
to the learning needs – target- and goal-oriented, a positive and construc-
tive training environment, applicability of knowledge – personal and pro-
fessional meaning, and self-directed learning.
The role of an educator is primarily to keep class conversations fo-
cused and directed, provide new ideas and perspectives, help students find
192
tion for learning and in a way sums up the previous assumptions. It says
that adults can be motivated to learn only by acknowledging their current
needs, problems and reasons for learning. Their learning process is there-
fore generally internally driven (Cercone, 2008).
In line with the assumptions about adults as learners, Knowles (1989)
designed the following steps of the educational process that must be ac-
knowledged by an adult educator to successfully create an adult learning
experience:
1. involving participants in diagnosing their learning needs;
2. establishing a climate conducive to learning;
3. involving learners in mutual content planning (acknowledg-
ing their prior knowledge and experience, designing a flexible
curriculum);
4. involving learners in forming their learning objectives and plans;
5. helping learners carry out their learning plans where they take re-
sponsibility for their own learning; and
6. involving learners in evaluating their learning outcomes.
All of these steps cannot be performed without use of teaching and
learning practices and methods based on the active involvement of the par-
ticipants and mutual cooperation and non-hierarchical relations between
learners and teachers. At this point, we briefly present some of most evi-
dent adult education practices and methods that support and acknowledge
learners’ motivation for learning, self-direction, interests and overall active
involvement in the process of learning. These practices are (Cartor, 1990;
Gitterman, 2004; Vacareþu, Steiner, & Kovacs, 2011): interactive teaching
methods (e.g. group discussions, applied problem-based sessions, mutual
interviews, project work, study circles, discussion about the participant’s
informal and incidental learning), hands-on activities, students’ mentor-
ing (especially for small groups of students), explicit use of students’ pri-
or knowledge, sharing experience and reflections of students, responding
to the learning needs – target- and goal-oriented, a positive and construc-
tive training environment, applicability of knowledge – personal and pro-
fessional meaning, and self-directed learning.
The role of an educator is primarily to keep class conversations fo-
cused and directed, provide new ideas and perspectives, help students find
192
