Why adults learn differently: Six principles guiding lifelong education
Learning doesn’t stop once you graduate. Adulthood brings new challenges and ambitions that reignite the desire for education. So what specifically drives adults back into the learning space, and why does the process feel so different?
Educator Malcolm Knowles believed that adults have distinct learning traits that differentiate them from children. This led him to research and popularize andragogy, the science of adult learning, when he developed adult learning theory in the late 1960s.
In exploring andragogy, Knowles found that while children absorb material passively in teacher-dominated arenas, adults prefer practical learning that’s applicable to their lives. His research into the distinction between pedagogy, the science of teaching children, and andragogy concluded with six principles clarifying how and why adults learn.
1. Adults want to feel responsible for their learning
As adults mature, they become more independent and self-directed in shaping their learning experiences and outcomes. They don’t respond in the same way to teacher-led instruction from their childhood. As adults, they can dictate the success of their learning and rely on their autonomy to power the journey.
2. Adults have previous experiences to build on
While the Visual Cliff Experiment (1960) suggests that certain abilities, like depth perception, are innate, children lack the experience required to fully integrate them into behaviour. Conversely, adults bring a wealth of previous experience and existing knowledge, which they can draw upon to inform their learning. Classroom settings where individuals come from diverse professional backgrounds provide opportunities for knowledge-sharing and new perspectives.
3. Adults want knowledge for immediate application
Knowles’s research showed that learning in adulthood has to be incentivized. When a clear link can be drawn between purpose and outcome, adults are more likely to retain information.
4. Adults are looking for skills that solve problems
Adults better integrate knowledge when it helps them solve a problem. As the urgency for problem-solving grows, so does their engagement with the material and their determination to reach a resolution.
5. Adults experience greater motivation from within
Knowles found that adult learners are driven by intrinsic motivations like a love of learning and job satisfaction, rather than extrinsic motivators like a higher salary.
6. Adults want to understand the purpose of learning
Adults need to understand why they should learn something. Answering that question helps them pursue their goals with focus.
How educators facilitate
While Knowles’s theory suggests that adults are self-sufficient in their learning pursuits, this doesn’t diminish the role of educators. In fact, Knowles’ theory proposes that their role is to facilitate rather than to direct.
By understanding that adult learning is rooted in self-direction and application, curriculum designers can craft experiential courses. When instructors can connect theory to practice, learners are empowered to discover things on their own before receiving guidance. This lets learners take greater ownership of their development.