Bishwajit Mazumder

Nursing Instructor
Dhaka Nursing College, Dhaka
Learning

The ability to learn is one of the most outstanding human characteristics. Learning
occurs continuously throughout a person's lifetime. To define learning, it is necessary to
analyze what happens to the individual. For example, an individual's way of perceiving,
thinking, feeling, and doing may change as a result of a learning experience.
Thus, learning can be defined as a change in behavior as a result of experience. This can be
physical and overt, or it may involve complex intellectual or attitudinal changes which affect
behavior in more subtle ways.

Definitions of learning
Learning, in psychology, the process by which a relatively lasting change in potential
behavior occurs because of practice or experience. Learning is also a process of acquiring
modifications in existing knowledge, skills, habits, or tendencies through experience,
practice, or exercise.
According to Gates and others Learning is the modification of behavior through
experience
According to Henry, P smith Learning is the acquisition of new behavior or
strengthening or weakening of old behavior as a result of experience.
According to Crow and Crow Learning is the acquisition of habits, knowledge and
attitudes. It involves new ways of doing things, and it operates in an individuals attempt to
overcome obstacles or to adjust to new situations.
According to Kingsley and Garry, '' Learning is a process by which behavior (in the
broader sense) is organized or changes through practice or training.''
According to Gardner Murphy, (1962), ''The term learning covers ever modification in
behavior to meet environmental requirements''.

Types of Learning
Learning has been classified in many ways.
I. Informal, formal and non-formal learning: Depending on the way of acquiring it
learning may be informal, formal or non-formal.
a. Informal learning is incidental. It takes place throughout life. It is not planned.
b. Formal learning is intentional and organized. It takes place in formal educational
institution.
c. Non-formal is also intentional & organized. It is flexible.
II. Individual or Group learning: Learning is called either individual or group learning
depending upon the number of individuals involved in the learning process.
III. Another classification involves the types of activity involved:
a. Motor learning: When learning involves primarily the use of muscles it is called
as motor learning. e.g.: learning to walk, to operate a typewriter
b. Discrimination learning: Learning which involves the act of discrimination is
called discrimination learning. e.g. infant discriminates between mother and aunt, milk and
water.
c. Verbal learning: When learning involves the use of words it is called as verbal
learning.
d. Concept learning: When learning involves the formation of concept it is called as
concept learning.
e. Sensory learning: When learning is concerned with perception and sense it is
sensory learning.

Characteristics of learning
1. Learning is growth, adjustment, organization of experience.
2. Learning is purposeful
3. Learning is both individual and social, product of the environment.
4. Learning is a continuous modification of behavior continues throughout life
5. Learning is pervasive. It reaches into all aspects of human life.
6. Learning involves the whole person, socially, emotionally & intellectually.
7. Learning is often a change in the organization of behavior.
8. Learning is developmental. Time is one of its dimensions.
9. Learning is responsive to incentives. In most cases positive incentives such as rewards are
most effective than negative incentives such as punishments.
10. Learning is always concerned with goals. These goals can be expressed in terms of
observable behavior.
11. Interest & learning are positively related. The individual learns bet those things, which he
is interested in learning. Most bys find learning to play football easier than learning to add
fractions.
12. Learning depends on maturation and motivation.

Importance of learning
1. To improve the behavior of students: In a class room group, the students come into
contact with each other and acquire appropriate type of education.
2. To develop mental processes: Some sort of exchange of thoughts goes on in the class
group through which intellectual activities like reasoning, memory, judgments, decisions,
thinking and imagination develop.
3. To develop the feeling of self sacrifice: The students in a class room group remain in
close contact with each other. Therefore so much love good will and sympathy develops in
them that in the time of need they do not hesitate to sacrifice themselves for the sake of
others.
4. To prepare for future social life: Students in class room group live together for pretty
long time and try to adjust their thoughts, habits and view points to others. Such a type of
experience prepares them for future social life.
5. To excite sympathy of numbers: A student starts doing as other students do. Their
tendency is called sympathy of numbers.
6. To develop qualities of leadership: Students in classroom groups plan or organize a
number of co curricular activities. Thus qualities of leadership are developed in them.
7. To acquire more knowledge: In a classroom group the students learn the habits of
competition and imitation and get an inspiration to acquire more knowledge.
8. To develop the feeling of co-operation: The teacher encourages all the members of a
classroom group to work together and thus feeling of cooperation is developed in them.

Nature of learning
These are the nature of learning:
1. Learning is universal: Every creature that lives learns. Man learns most. The human
nervous system is very complex, so are human reactions and so are human acquisition.
Positive learning is vital for students growth and development.
2. Learning is through experience: Learning always involves some kind of experience,
direct or indirect (vicarious).
3. Learning is from all sides: Today learning is from all sides. Students learn from parents,
teachers, environment, nature, media etc.
4. Learning is continuous: It denotes the lifelong nature of learning. Every day new
situations are faced and the individual has to bring essential changes in his style of behavior
adopted to tackle them. Learning is birth to death.
5. It results in change in behavior: It is a change of behavior influenced by previous
behavior. It is any activity that leaves a more or less permanent effect on later activity.
6. Learning is an adjustment: Learning helps the individual to adjust himself adequately to
the new situations. Most learning in children consists in modifying, adapting, and developing
their original nature. In later life the individuals acquire new forms of behavior.
7. It comes about as a result of practice: It is the basis of drill and practice. It has been
proven that students learn best and retain information longer when they have meaningful
practice and repetition. Every time practice occurs, learning continues.
8. Learning is a relatively permanent change: After a rat wake up from his nap he still
remembers the path to the food. Even if you have been on a bicycle for years, in just a few
minutes practice you can be quite proficient again.
9. Learning as growth and development: It is never ending growth and development. At
reach stage the learner acquires new visions of his future growth and news ideals of
achievement in the direction of his effort. According to Woodworth, All activity can be
called learning so far as it develops the individual.
10. Learning is not directly observable: The only way to study learning is through some
observable behavior. Actually, we cannot observe learning; we see only what precedes
performance, the performance itself, and the consequences of performance.

Element of learning
The element of learning as follows:
1. Motives: Motives arouse individuals and as a result they respond. This arousal functional
is essential because it activates the energy needed to engage in learning activity.
2. Cues: Capable of providing direction i.e. it influences the manner in which to respond the
motive. eg. Hungry man is guided by restraints sign or aroma of food.
3. Response: Mental or physical activity in reaction to a stimulus.
4. Reinforcement: Anything that follows the response and increase the tendency of response
to reoccur in a similar situation.

Tools of Listening
GRRR as a listening tool:
G Greeting Offer greetings and establish positive environment.
R Respectful Listening Listen without interrupting and pause to allow others
to think.
R Review Summarize message to make sure it was heard accurately.
R Recommend or Request
More Information:
Seek additional information as necessary.
R Reward Recognize that a collaborative exchange has occurred by offering thanks.

Resource of learning/ where we learn

The resource of learning is as follows:
1. Problem based learning resource:
a. Learning activities include applied portions/projects that are directly applicable to
later life/work.
b. The learning activities include applied learning and problem solving.
c. The teacher uses an apprentice/mentor model: the teacher provides the tools /
framework and presents students with a problem, then provides guidance as needed while
they work through it.
2. Collaborative learning resource:
i. The activities include interactive, small group learning experiences.
ii. The teacher fosters a shared sense of responsibility amongst the learners; the group
gains strength through working together to learn.
3. Small group discussion resource: Learning activities include small group discussion,
which encourages critical thinking and allows interaction with peers who may have relevant
knowledge or expertise.
4. Authentic tasks and events resource:
a. Students complete real world tasks as teaching examples (e.g., determine the guilt
or innocence of a suspect).
b. Learning activities or projects are tied in to current events and/or include real life
examples.
5. Interdisciplinary learning resource: The learning activity mixes disciplines and allows
students to apply one to the other (e.g., teaching Freud alongside Shakespeare).
6. Team teaching resource: Teachers work together to incorporate related content in
multiple courses to give students a sense of the wider context of the material.
7. Class structure resources:
a. The teacher provides good structure and guidance.
The teacher incorporates the content into a clear narrative or story.
b. The teacher provides creative assignments (e.g., create a documentary about a topic
rather than writing a research paper about it).
c. The teacher demonstrates enthusiasm about teaching; he or she comes to class
prepared (e.g., has case studies or good real-life examples).
8. Emotion and engagement resources:
a. Learning activities engage the students emotions.
b. The teacher is committed to and pays attention to the individuals understanding
where they are and helping them to get to where they should be.
9. Reflective teaching strategies resource: Thinking about how to teach can help you
provide more effective learning experiences for your students.

Improving the way of learning

We can improve our learning by the following the way:
1. A will to learn: Learning is better achieved when there is a drive to learn. Thus without
intention learning is not achieved much.
2. Use Multiple sensory learning: Things are better remembered when presented through
more than one sense e.g. heard & written on the blackboard help better retention than only
hearing something
3. Rehearse and Recite: Rehearsal & recitation are useful in memorizing thus self evaluation
is possible and learning can be modified accordingly.
4. Space your learning: Spacing what we learn or distributed learning helps better retention
learning as things learnt in small parts is retained longer.
5. Follow the principle of association: Associating what we are learning with what we
already know helps in remembering. e.g. A for apple, Z for zebra etc.
6. Use Correlation: Topics must not be taught or learnt in water tight compartments thus
correlate with experiences & related subjects to make learning interesting.
7. Grouping & rhythm e.g. multiplication tables and poems are easy to learn because of
grouping & rhythm. Use of Mnemonics also aids learning.
8. Whole to Part to Whole: Before intensive study, go through the whole matter, understand
it, break it to parts & then study it whole following the whole to part to whole method.
9. Take breaks: Periods of change, rest & sleep helps remove fatigue & monotony thus fresh
mind stores meaningful experiences for longer time.
10. Over learn: Over learning helps retention. Review and revise very often.
11. Avoid interference of subject similarity: Interference causes forgetting so similar
situations, subjects, etc .must be spaced out. Complete the work, do sufficient drill work &
then begin the next learning situation.
12. Good Environment: Better learning environment makes learning interesting & vivid by
using teaching aids, adopting new methods and techniques.

Common characteristics learning difficulties

The common Characteristics learning difficulties are as follows:
1. Slow reading rate.
2. Problems understanding what are read.
3. Difficulty finding important points or main ideas.
4. Confusion of similar words.
5. Difficulty remembering what is read.
6. Frequent spelling errors.
7. Letter reversals.
8. Overly large handwriting.
9. Slow writing rate.
10. Difficulty with sentence structure or poor grammar.
11. Problems with reasoning and abstract concepts.
12. Difficulty recalling arithmetic operations.
13. Problems remembering math facts.
14. Confusion or reversal of numbers or math symbols.
15. Poor organization and management of time.
16. Difficulties beginning and sticking with study.
17. Poor note-taking and outlining skills.
18. Poor memory for recalling material.
19. Difficulty following directions.
20. Inability to complete assignments in time allowed.

Styles of Learning
There are seven categories of learning style. These are as follows:
1. Visual: The occipital lobes at the back of the brain manage the visual sense. Both the
occipital and parietal lobes manage spatial orientation.
2. Aural: The temporal lobes handle aural content. The right temporal lobe is especially
important for music.
3. Verbal: The temporal and frontal lobes, especially two specialized areas called Brocas
and Wernickes areas (in the left hemisphere of these two lobes).
4. Physical: The cerebellum and the motor cortex (at the back of the frontal lobe) handle
much of our physical movement.
5. Logical: The parietal lobes, especially the left side, drive our logical thinking.
6. Social: The frontal and temporal lobes handle much of our social activities. The limbic
system (not shown apart from the hippocampus) also influences both the social and solitary
styles. The limbic system has a lot to do with emotions, moods and aggression.
7. Solitary: The frontal and parietal lobes, and the limbic system, are also active with this
style.
Stages of learning
The stages of learning are as follows:
1. Be introduced to it: Overviews, preliminary reading, listening to discussion, presentation,
websites, media or video clip.
2. Get to know more about it: Lectures, further reading, group discussion, demonstrations,
asking questions, relating to earlier learning experience, interactive websites, audiovisual
material, media, research projects.
3. Try it out: Practical projects, discussion of ideas with peers and teachers, design tasks,
structured experiences, role play, skills laboratories, writing.
4. Get feedback: Informal and formal feedback with criteria from self, from peers, from
teachers, from colleagues, from family and friends.
5. Reflect, adjust and try again: Through contemplation, writing, reflective journals,
discussion.

Strategies of learning
These are the strategies in learning:
1. Practice testing: Self testing or talking practice tests on to be learned material.
2. Distributed practice: Implementing a schedule of practice that spread out activities over
time.
3. Interleaved practice: Implementing a schedule of practice that mixes different kinds of
problems, or a schedule of study that mixes different kind of material, within a single study
session.
4. Elaborative interrogation: Generating of explanation for why an explicitly stated fact or
concept is true.
5. Self-explanation: Explaining how new information is related to known information or
explaining step taken during problem solving.
6. Rereading: Restudying test material again after an initial reading.
7. Highlighting and underlining: Marking potentially important portion of to be learned
materials while reading.
8. Summarization: Writing summarizes of to be learning texts.
9. Keyword mnemonic: Using keywords and mental imagery to associate verbal materials.
10. Imagery for text: Attempting to form mental images of text materials while reading or
listening.

Principles of learning
These are the principles of learning:
1. Motivation: Motivation is the key to successful teaching. Students learn faster and more
thoroughly when they want to learn. It is difficult for the teacher is to create the conditions in
which the students will want to learn. It is fact that the nature of people is want to learn.
Naturally peoples are more eager to learn then other people. This internal eagerness to learn
is part of the student's personality and cannot be changed much by the teacher. This is the
students level of motivation. Each of these idea will help to make interesting, easier to learn
or more relevant to the students carrier and help to motivate students about their success.
2. Social interaction: Learning is affected by social interaction among peoples involved.
Learning usually takes place in a group of setting. The interrelationship between the teachers
and students can be made learning is important and effective. Also interrelationship between
the different learners is influential. These relationships combine to provide an atmosphere in
the learning situation. They respond best to an atmosphere of acceptance, respect,
encouragement, geminate, students should feel free ask question and contribute to class
discussion.
3. Physical environment: Naturally physical surrounding can also affect learning. The basic
principle is that learning takes place best when there are no disturbance. The physical
environment should be quite and at a comfortable temperature. Poor ventilation or
overcrowding will decrease the rate of learning. An ideal room for a group of 20-25 students
should be good ventilation and sufficient light from the windows, a floor area of 60-80 m2 and
be approximately squire.
The furniture should include moveable desk and chairs so that student can face each
other during discussion on face the screen or chalkboard when material is presented there.
4. Clarity: To learn, the students must be able to hear and understand the teacher and see
what is being demonstrated. Teachers should use clear language, define new words, and be
certain that audiovisual and other aids are used wisely to enrich learning.
5. Relevance to previous experience: People learn faster when new information or skill is
related to what they already know or can do. New information will be learnt more quickly if
it can be fitted into the structured of what is already known. This benefit is only achieved
when the relationship between what is already known and what is to be learnt are made clear.
So one of the functions of teacher is to:
i. Find out what learner already knows and them.
ii. Make the connections between existing knowledge and the new knowledge.
6. Structure: Learning will be more when the information or skills are presented in a
structured way. By structuring knowledge that is grouping information of similar topics are
learned together, systematically, and sequences when follows the logical train of thought. It is
more important because information is scattered about or which is muddled is much more
difficult understand and remember than information which is grouped, arranged and
classified.
7. Active learning: Learning takes place quicker when students actively process information,
solve problems or practice skills. Many experiments have shown that students learn very little
when they are listening to a teacher to giving a lecture. Students learn a little more when the
teacher writes on the board and use the diagrams and pictures because in this way students
can see and hear at the same time, thus they learn more. Students learn more when they
involve actively, teacher should give some exercise to do, such as answering question, writing
notes or explaining and idea.
8. Feedback: Students want to know how well they are doing and must be able to
understand the errors they are making in order to guide their efforts towards further progress.
Teachers should provide as much information as possible about the standard of students'
work, praising what is well done and showing how errors may be eliminated.
9. Speed: Learning is faster when the speed of presenting information matches the speed at
which student can learn. Student learns at different speeds and this principle presents a
serious problem to a teacher of a mixed class. If the teacher goes to fast the slow student will
get left behind, if he goes to slowly the fast student will become bored. Using the target
concept and giving time for individual study are two ways around these problems.

Processes of learning
These are the process of learning:
1. Aligns with the learning context, signature, and outcomes: Learning process pays close
attention to the design specifications for previous design elements.
2. Results in learning products which improve the community: Learning process
produces products which are valued by the community external to the institution.
3. Links to internal and external standards: Learning process is responsive to the
expectations of staff and the wider community (e.g., needed to continue learning at other
educational institutions, occupational skill standards).
4. Applies continuous assessment to improve learning: Learning process uses frequent and
immediate assessment and feedback to improve the learning experience.
5. Personalizes to the needs and prior experiences of each and every learner: Learning
process is tailored to the unique situation and experiences of each learner with the learner at
center of the planning process.
6. Provides multiple pathways to reach learning outcomes: Learning process provides
several ways to learn the same thing.
7. Builds the self-esteem of each learner: Learning process is a positive and energy-
producing experience for learners.
8. Is managed by learners in consultation with learning staff: Learning process is
managed by the learners with guidance by staff.
9. Employs collaborative learning in problem solving: Learning process involves working
as a small group or team to solve problems.
10. Creates strong sense of learning community: Learning process builds a close and
caring relationship among learners.
11. Engages the learner in inquiry (research) and knowledge construction: Learning
process involves students in the research and development process and forming meaningful
knowledge.
12. Links to global information network: Learning process is tied to and uses electronic
information networks (e.g., Internet).
13. Guides by experienced navigators: Learning process is shaped by knowledgeable staff
that is very familiar with using information networks.
14. Uses learning projects connected to the needs of the community: Learning process
uses real projects drawn from the needs of the community as a context and content for
learning.

Influencing factors of learning

These are the influencing factors of learning:
Factors that influence learning
 Two factors that influence learning are 1. Factors Associated with Leaner and 2.
Factors Related to Learning Process!
I. Factors associated with learner:

Learner is the focal point in any learning. Without learner there cannot be learning.
The following are some of the factors associated with learner:
1. Motivation: It is the most important factor influencing the learner. More the
motivation better will be the learning. In addition to motivation, the learner should have a
definite goal. It will direct the individual appropriately and help him to achieve the goal.
2. Readiness and will power: This is just like motivation. If the learner is ready to
learn, he will develop motivation to learn. Along with readiness a strong willpower is also
essential to overcome hurdles and problems. Readiness will help to develop a positive
attitude in learner.
3. Ability of the learner: This refers to the level of intelligence, creativity, aptitude
and such other abilities necessary for learning.
4. Level of aspiration and achievement: Learning depends upon the level of
aspiration to achieve. If the aspiration level is high, the learner will work hard and achieve
more.
5. Attention: Learner must learn to concentrate his attention on learning.
Attentiveness helps to grasp learning material. Distraction of attention affects learning.
6. General health condition of the learner: The general health includes the physical
and mental health of the learner. The learner should have good physical health. Organic
defects like blindness, myopia, hypermetropia, deafness, paralysis, mutism, severe
handicappedness, etc., will affect learning. Chronic illnesses may lead to fatigue and lack of
interest.
7. Maturation of the learner: Maturation and learning go hand in hand. We learn
things only according to maturity of our body. For example, a child of 6 months cannot learn
to ride a bicycle even after vigorous training, because it requires muscular or physical
maturity.
II. Factors related to learning material: The nature of learning material is also important.
The meaningful material can be learnt better and more quickly than meaningless material.
Because understanding of lessons create interest in the learner
III. Factors Related to Learning Process:
1. Methods of learning: Effective learning depends upon the methods of study also.
There are certain methods which save the energy and time of the learner. These are called
economic methods of learning. They are:
a. Part v/s whole method:
b. Spaced v/s un-spaced method:
c. Recitation v/s repetition:
2. Over learning: It is experimentally proved that over learning helps better learning
and memory.
3. Knowledge of results as feedback: It is essential to know the amount of material
grasped, so that changes may be made in process of learning. Knowledge of results refers to
getting feedback by means of testing, examination, interview, etc.
 4. Good physical atmosphere: Sufficient light and ventilation, calm and clean place,
normal temperature, some minimum furniture will help learning processes.

Meaning of learning objective

A learning objective is an outcome statement that captures specifically what
knowledge, skills, attitudes learners should be able to exhibit following instruction. A
common misapplication of objectives is for the teacher/presenter to state what he/she is going
to do, rather than what the student is expected to be able to do.

Effective learning (How to learn effectively)

We can learn effectively by the following way:
1. Memory improvement basics: Memory improvement by basic tips such as improving
your focus, avoiding cram sessions, and structuring your study time are a good place to start,
but there are even more lessons from psychology that can dramatically improve your learning
efficiency.
2. Keep learning (and practicing) new things: Learning and practicing new skills helps
your brain retain new information. Certain pathways in the brain are maintained, while other
are eliminated.
3. Learn in multiple ways: Focus on learning in more than one way. Instead of just listening
to a podcast, which involves auditory learning, find a way to rehearse the information both
verbally and visually.
4. Teach what you've learned to another person: This process helps solidify new
knowledge in our brain. Some ideas include writing a blog post, creating a podcast, or
participating in a group discussion. By teaching to the rest of the class, our teacher hoped
student would gain even more from the assignment.
5. Utilize previous learning to promote new learning: Another great way to become a more
effective learner is to use relational learning, which involves relating new information to
things that you already know.
6. Gain practical experience: For many students, learning typically involves reading
textbooks, attending lectures, or doing research in the library or on the Web. While seeing
information and then writing it down is important, actually putting new knowledge and skills
into practice can be one of the best ways to improve learning.
7. Look up answers rather than struggle to remember: Of course, learning isnt a perfect
process. Sometimes, we forget the details of things that we have already learned. If student
find that his/herself struggling to recall some tidbit of information, research suggests that
students are better offer simply looking up the correct answer.
8. Understand how you/student learn best: Another great strategy for improving your
learning efficiency is to recognize your learning habits and styles. The concept of learning
styles has been the subject of considerable debate and criticism, but many students may find
that understanding their learning preferences can still be helpful.
9. Use testing to boost learning: While it may seem that spending more time studying is
one of the best ways to maximize learning. Students who had extra time to study but were not
tested had significantly lower recall of the materials.
10. Stop multitasking: Research now suggests that multitasking can actually make learning
less effective.

11. Final thoughts: Becoming a more effective learner can take time, and it always takes
practice and determination to establish new habits.

Outcomes of effective learning

Effective learning involves outcomes such as -
1. More connected knowledge.
2. Wider range of strategies.
3. Greater complexity of understanding.
4. Enhanced action appropriate to goals and context.
a. Increased engagement and self-direction.
b. More reflective approach.
c. More positive emotions and affiliation to learning.
d. More developed vision of future self as a learner.
e. Greater facility in learning with others.
f. More sense of participation in a knowledge community.

Principles effective assessment practice to the learner

Principles of effective assessment practice:
1. Be regarded as a key professional skill for teachers.
2. Be part of effective planning of teaching and learning
3. Promote commitment to learning goals and a shared understanding of the criteria by which
they are assessed.
4. Be recognized as central to classroom practice focus on how students learn.
5. Provide constructive guidance about how to improve.
6. Develop learners capacity for self-assessment so that they can become reflective and self-
managing.
7. Take account of the importance of learner motivation.
8. Be sensitive and constructive because any assessment has an emotional impact.
9. Recognize the full range of achievement of all learners.

Adult Learner

Definition of adult learner

Adult learning is defined as the entire range of formal, non-formal and informal
learning activities which are undertaken by adults after a break since leaving initial education
and training, and which results in the acquisition of new knowledge and skills.
The European Commission defines adult learning as, all forms of learning
undertaken by adults after having left initial education and training, however far this process
may have gone (e.g. including tertiary education). (European Commission 2006b, )
Characteristic of adult learners
These are the characteristic of adult learners:
1. Autonomy: Adults typically prefer a sense of control and self-direction. They like options
and choice in their learning environment. Even adults who feel anxiety from self-direction
may learn to appreciate this approach if given proper initial support.
2. Goal-oriented: Many adults have specific goals they are trying to achieve. They prefer to
partake in learning activities that help them reach their goals.
3. Practical: Adults in the workplace prefer practical knowledge and experiences that will
make work easier or provide important skills. In other words, adults need personal relevance
in learning activities.
4. Competence and mastery: Adults like to gain competence in workplace skills as it boosts
confidence and improves self-esteem.
5. Learning by experience: Many adults prefer to learn by doing rather than listening to
lectures.
6. Wealth of Knowledge: In the journey from childhood to adulthood, people accumulate a
unique store of knowledge and experiences. They bring this depth and breadth of knowledge
to the learning situation.
7. Purposeful: Workplace training is often part of an initiative that involves change. Adults
want to know the purpose of training and the motivation underlying an organizations training
initiative.
8. Emotional Barriers: Through experience, adults may fear a subject, have anxiety about a
subject or feel anger about forced changes in job responsibilities or policies. These emotions
can interfere with the learning process.
9. Results-oriented: Adults are results-oriented. They have specific expectations for what
they will get out of learning activities and will often drop out of voluntary learning if their
expectations arent met.
10. Outside responsibilities: Most adult learners have numerous responsibilities and
commitments to family, friends, community and work. Carving out time for learning affects
adult learners.
11. Potential physical limitations: Depending on their age and physical condition, adult
learners may acquire psychomotor skills more slowly than younger students and have more
difficulties reading small fonts and seeing small images on the computer screen.
12. Big Picture: Adults require the big picture view of what theyre learning. They need to
know how the small parts fit into the larger landscape.
13. Responsible for Self: Adult learners often take responsibility for their own success or
failure at learning.
14. Need for Community: Many self-directed adult learners prefer a learning community
with whom they can interact and discuss questions and issues.

Principles of adult learning

These principles of adult learning:
1. Adults must want to learn: They learn effectively only when they have a strong inner
motivation to develop a new skill or acquire a particular type of knowledge.
2. Adults will learn only what they feel they need to learn: Adults are practical in their
approach to learning; they want to know.
3. Adults learn by doing: Children learn by doing, but active participation is more
important among adults.
4. Adult learning focuses on problems and the problems must be realistic: Children
learn skills sequentially. Adults start with a problem and then work to find a solution.
5. Experience affects adult learning: Adults have more experience than children. This
can be an asset and a liability.
6. Adults learn best in an informal situation: Children have to follow a curriculum.
Often, adults learn only what they feel they need to know.
7. Adult learning encourages collaboration: Adult learners thrive in collaborative
relationships with their educators. When learners are considered by their instructors as
colleagues, they become more productive.

Traits of adult learners

Traits of adult learner are as follows:
1. Self-direction: Adults feel the need to take responsibility for their lives and decisions and
this is why its important for them to have control over their learning. Therefore, self-
assessment, a peer relationship with the instructor, multiple options and initial, yet subtle
support are all imperative.
2. Practical and results-oriented: Adult learners are usually practical, resent theory, need
information that can be immediately applicable to their professional needs, and generally
prefer practical knowledge. It will improve their skills, facilitate their work and boost their
confidence.
3. Less open-minded: And therefore more resistant to change. Maturity and profound life
experiences usually lead to rigidity, which is the enemy of learning. Thus, instructional
designers need to provide the why behind the change, new concepts that can be linked to
already established ones, and promote the need to explore.
4. Slower learning, yet more integrative knowledge: Aging affects learning. Adults tend
to learn less rapidly with age. However, the depth of learning tends to increase over time,
navigating knowledge and skills to unprecedented personal levels.
5. Use personal experience as a resource: Adults have lived longer, seen and done more, has
the tendency to link their past experiences to anything new and validate new concepts based
on prior learning. Adults learning have similar life experience levels, encourage discussion
and sharing, and generally create a learning community consisting of people who can
profoundly interact.
6. Motivation: Learning in adulthood is usually voluntary. Thus, its a personal choice to
attend school, in order to improve job skills and achieve professional growth. This motivation
is the driving force behind learning. Motivation is crucial to tap into a learners intrinsic
impetus with the right thought-provoking material that will question conventional wisdom
and stimulate his mind.
7. Multi-level responsibilities: Adult learners have a lot to juggle; family, friends, work, and
the need for personal quality time. Taking that under consideration, adult learning is an
instructional designer needs to create a flexible program, accommodate busy schedules, and
accept the fact that personal obligations might obstruct the learning process.
8. High expectations: Adult learners have high expectations. They want to be taught about
things that will be useful to their work, expect to have immediate results, seek for a course
that will worth their while and not be a waste of their time or money. Its important to create a
course that will maximize their advantages, meet their individual needs and address all the
learning challenges.

Barriers of adult learner

These are the barriers of adult learner -
1. Situational Barriers:
a. Lack of time
b. Cost
c. Personal problems
2. Institutional Barriers:
a. Location
b. Scheduling
c. Procedural barriers
d. Also may include informational barriers simple lack of awareness
3. Dispositional Barriers:
a. Adults attitudes
b. Self perceptions of oneself as a learner
c. Previous experiences with schooling

Self directed learning

Definition of self directed learning

According to Brockrtt and Hiemetra, self direction learning refers to both the external
characteristics of an instructional process and the internal characteristics of the learner, where
the individual assumes primary responsibility for a learning experiences.
According to Gibbons stated that self directed learning is any increase in knowledge, skill,
accomplishment. or personal development that an individual select and brings about by his or
her own efforts using any method in any circumstances at any time.
According to Kasworm described that self directed learning can be viewed as a set of generic,
finite behavior; as a belief system reflecting and evolving from a process of self initiated
learning activity or as an ideal state of the mature self actualized learner.

Uses of self directed learning

1. Institute cannot meet all the training needs of their employee.
2. Less costly than traditional training and it acts as a cost effective manner.
3. Enables learners to learn only what they need to learn.
4. Makes learning a truly sustainable enterprise wide effort.
5. It is relevant for everyone from new hires to senior employee.

Principles of Self directed learning

These are the principles of self directed learning:
1. Focus your attention.
2. Building on prior knowledge.
3. Learning in context.
4. Be proactive.
5. Elaboration of knowledge information.
6. Take responsibility.
7. Know yourself.

Differences between teachers directed learning and self directed learning

Bellow the difference between teacher directed learning and self directed learning:
Bases of differences Teacher directed learning
Dependency of learner Dependent teacher
personality.
Role of teacher Teachers have the
responsibility what and how
the learner should taught.
Teacher pours knowledge
into students.
Worth of learner experiences Learner experience - is less
value.
Orientation to learning Subject centered
experiences
Self directed learning
Self directed.
Teacher role is giving
consultation or acts as
delegator.
Learner knowledge should be
exploited along with the
resources of experts.
Learner experiences become
increasingly rich resources of
learning.
Task or problem centered.

Motivation of learner By external reward and By internal incentives.

Organization of learning
experiences
punishment. Example -
grades, diplomas, awards,
degrees, and fear of failure.
According to units of
content.
Example - such as the need
for self esteem, the desire to
achieve, the urge to grow, the
satisfaction of
accomplishment and
curiosity.
On task accomplishment or
problem solving learning.
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