Some methods that can be used in adult learning include allowing the learners to share their experiences. The reason behind this is that adults over the years have been able to gain a lot of experience either through personal engagement or in the line of their careers or professions. Making them share their experiences helps them to share their knowledge with other learners, and it also takes some workload off the learning coordinator or instructor. The instructor should also attempt to relate the course content with the experiences that the learners have shared, which may be helpful in giving them a better perspective on what the coursework is all about and also makes them get more engaged with the coursework. A good example would be a learner who has experience with the legal world and has worked in close association with the similar institution and therefore can explain to the rest of the learners on some of the legal implications of some scenarios. The first-hand experience that is shared makes it easy for learners to reinforce what they have learned during the coursework.
At the same time, during the learning process, the learners need to be able to see how what they are learning will directly impact their skills both at a personal and professional level (improving their marketability in their respective careers). Most adults do not like spending their time and money engaging in courses that would not be helpful to them in the long run. Any training program should be able to provide effective solutions to any issues that the learner may have professionally or personally facing. For instance, a company providing sales training for a new product could first show everyone how to use the product properly, and then allow them to test it out themselves. The employees will have hands-on experience and be more knowledgeable when selling the product.
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There are several stages involved in selecting the right method in adult learning. The first stage involves looking at the objectives that the learning method will achieve. This depends mainly on the setting. If it is in an education setting, then it is vital that the content revolves around what is essential and essential towards the learning outcomes. On the other hand, if the setting is a firm, then it is important that the learning process is geared towards achieving the objectives or goals of the company or the firm.
It is also important that during the selection process that the educators ensure that the methods chosen make the adult learners comfortable. In many instances, adult learners are different from young learners and may not be comfortable in environments where they feel undermined or looked down upon. Therefore it is crucial that they are taught in environments where they feel both safe and valued. The learning methods also need to be practical to those being trained and also regarding application. With regard to application, the approach needs to be time conscious and should also have instructions that are easy to carry out. It is also important to know whether the method chosen will require some special materials and or resources will be required during the period and whether they are easy to acquire or not.
