5 Golden Rules of Adult Learning Every Event Pro Needs to Know

You know the situation. You bring your delegates to a conference room and seat them in the audience. They cross their arms, put on a teach-me face, and expect presenters to teach them new stuff or skills without any active involvement.

As many social scientists point out, this is not how effective adult learning or andragogy works. Passive learning, which most presentations are considered to be, is an outdated and ineffective way to teach adult delegates a new set of skills or to impart knowledge. So what is the right way?

Opposed to traditional presentations, andragogy emphasises the value of the process of learning. It uses approaches to learning that are problem-based and collaborative rather than didactic, and also emphasises equality between teacher and learner.

American scholar and pioneer of adult education, Malcolm S Knowles, proposed a set of rules about how adults learn best. Understanding these characteristics is crucial for designing event sessions that work, so you can help your delegates get the most out of your