Discussion: Adult Learning Principles and Facilitation Strategies

This discussion post delves into the principles of adult learning, commonly referred to as andragogy, highlighting its contrast with traditional didactic teaching methods. It emphasizes the learner-centered approach, where educators act as facilitators, fostering a collaborative and problem-based learning environment. The post outlines six key principles of adult learning: goal orientation, practicality, self-direction, integration of life experiences, relevance, and respect. It then discusses the facilitation approach to teaching, which prioritizes the learner's needs and uses strategies like K-W-L charts to understand and address them. The effectiveness of a direct learning process, similar to the K-W-L chart, is also emphasized, which involves identifying learning gaps, creating action plans, and maintaining collaboration between educators and learners. The goal is to inspire active engagement in education programs, enhancing academic achievement and promoting a strong sense of community in the classroom.

Facilitation and Education Skill for Practice Development
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Discussion
The rapidly aging population makes it essential for educators to understand how adult
learns so as to better educate them. Andragogy which is commonly referred to as adult learning
refers to a theory which holds a number of assumptions on how adults learn (Tam 2014).
Through an analysis of different materials on adult learning, it is evident that unlike conventional
learning programs which utilize the didactic approach, andragogy relies on a combination of
problem based and collaborative approach to teaching (Tam 2014). This implies that the teaching
is student centered and the learner assumes an equal position as the student. The concept of adult
learning is based on six key principles namely adults are goal oriented, adults are practical, they
are self-directed and internally motivated, they incorporate their life experiences with their
learning experiences, they are oriented to relevance of the learning and they like to be respected
(Park, Robinson, and Bates 2016).
The principles highlight the characteristics of adults that a educator needs to consider
when teaching adults. From an analysis of the principles, it is evident that adults like to exercise
control over their learning and as a result adult learning is learner centered. This implies that the
teacher only acts as a facilitator to the learning process. By developing a better understanding of
the adult learning principles, the educator is able to better execute his/her roles as a facilitator of
adult education. The facilitation approach to teaching is based on the philosophy of learning and
teaching that places the learner at the center of the entire process (Speed, Bradley, and Garland
2015). The learner centered approach to teaching has proven to be an effective strategy of
boosting a sense of community within the classroom and thereby enhancing academic
achievement.
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In a learner centered approach to teaching the teacher assumes the role of a facilitator
and provides the students with the materials, guidance and opportunities required by the student
as he/she takes engages in the learning program (Speed, Bradley, and Garland 2015). In the
facilitator approach to teaching one assumes a bottom-up approach to the curriculum,
management and teaching. This entails the teacher understanding the needs of the student first
before developing the curriculum and activities. Through this strategy the teacher is able to
ensure that the learning caters directly to the needs of the student. One of the most widely used
strategies in the facilitator approach to teaching is the use of K-W-L charts. The charts enable the
teacher understand what the students know about a particular topic, what they want to know
about the topic and at the end of the teaching program what they have learnt (Speed, Bradley,
and Garland 2015).
Due to the fact that learning is occurs over a given period and encompasses various
factors, it is essential for an educator to develop an efficient learning process. When employing
the facilitative approach to teaching, a direct learning process is regarded as one of the most
effective models as it aids in inspiring, individuals and groups to actively engage in the education
program. An effective learning process is quite similar to the K-W-L chart. This is because it is
based on three key principles namely the identification of gaps that exists between a student’s
ideal and real self, the creation and subsequent of an action plan that is both realistic and
challenging, and the continues cooperation between the educator and the learners to facilitate the
learning process (Boekaerts 2016).
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Bibliography
Park, S., Robinson, P. and Bates, R., 2016. Adult learning principles and processes and their
relationships with learner satisfaction: Validation of the andragogy in practice inventory
(API) in the Jordanian Context.
Tam, M., 2014. A distinctive theory of teaching and learning for older learners: why and why
not?. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 33(6), pp.811-820.
Speed, S.A., Bradley, E. and Garland, K.V., 2015. Teaching adult learner characteristics and
facilitation strategies through simulation-based practice. Journal of Educational
Technology Systems, 44(2), pp.203-229.
Boekaerts, M., 2016. Engagement as an inherent aspect of the learning process. Learning and
Instruction, 43, pp.76-83.
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