Best viewed full-screen on a computer monitor. Group presentation for DU-TEAC1980-S2-W15. Prepared by David Hedley, Amr Kebbi, Ashley Northey, Patricia Robson, Serge Turchanikov.

1. prepared by
David Hedley, Amr Kebbi, Ashley Northey, Patricia Robson, Serge Turchanikov
DU-TEAC1980-S2-W15 : Adult Learning
Assignment #3 : Group Presentation
Observations about Learning Styles
in Adult Learners

2. Introduction
Five professional adults decided to take the “Adult Learning” course as part of the train
the trainer certification program. Henry, Holly, Mary, Keith, and Salim each with a different
background and reason to take the course were exposed to the adult learning theories as
part of the learning material.
Consequently, each one of the adult learners was able to reflect on the theories in a unique
way based on his or her experience and character. This assignment will dive into the journey
of each of the five adult learners, their background, their motivation, their learnings, and theirof each of the five adult learners, their background, their motivation, their learnings, and their
conclusions.

3. Henry is in his mid-20s, he has been out of school for 12 years, working various construction
jobs. A couple of years ago, he stumbled upon a maintenance job with the local transit
company. With a year under his belt, a light bulb sparked and he realized there is an
opportunity to make a future under this employer. Furthermore, he took it upon himself to
reach out to higher management to find out which courses would benefit him going forward.
Upon enrolling in the Adult Training Course, Henry found out he resonates most with Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs Adult Learning Theory. Needless to say, Henry is “motivated to fulfil basicHierarchy of Needs Adult Learning Theory. Needless to say, Henry is “motivated to fulfil basic
needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs” (www.psychology.com, 2015). He is
a simple person and lacks motivation from time to time. Maslow’s Theory made him realize
his learning deficiencies and he strives to acknowledge the problems that arise to neglect his
learning.
Meet the Students : Henry

4. Holly is a 47 year old mother of 2 who left the work force 20 years ago to raise her children. Faced
with the sobering reality of looking for work she has found that without current work experience
and post-secondary education her job prospects were dismal. Mary is determined, with the support
of her family to restart the learning process. As part of her path to attain a diploma, Holly has
enrolled in an adult learning course. Upon entering the program Holly was wrought with
insecurities, generally a feeling of very little confidence in her ability and not being able to catch
up no matter how hard she studied.up no matter how hard she studied.
Holly’s learning style is a new concept for her. Holly understands that in order to be successful
in her studies she needs to be supported by her family and requires a safe, clean, organized work
environment, these basic needs were things Holly did not have growing up. She is very motivated
to finish her studies as she realizes that this is the means to a better job.
Holly’s learning style resonates with the Maslow theory of learning; it is based on a pyramid
arranging human needs. They all build on each other with one motivating the next to reach the
ultimate goal of self-actualization (“Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”). It is very interesting that Maslowultimate goal of self-actualization (“Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”). It is very interesting that Maslow
choose these levels as tools for building oneself, to ultimately be the best they can be. Maslow has
described his own childhood as unhappy and very lonely. Even though Maslow’s needs come from
a desire to grow as a person not from the lack of something, I can see a very clear connection from
his childhood experiences to the steps in his theory (Cherry, 2015).
Meet the Students : Holly

5. Keith has been working as a copywriter and illustrator in a small-sized advertising agency for
a number of years where he oversees a number of junior colleagues who are just entering the
workforce. Prior to working in the smaller agency, Keith performed many roles in a larger
agency, which gives him a broad base of knowledge to rely upon in his work. More and more
Keith finds himself mentoring the younger workers, and he enrolled in an adult learning course
in order to develop training methods and enhance his instructional techniques.
Keith exhibits several of the characteristics Malcolm Knowles ascribes to adult learners. He isKeith exhibits several of the characteristics Malcolm Knowles ascribes to adult learners. He is
task-oriented, prefers to learn experientially, and feels that taking the course is relevant to his
future goals (Knowles, 1984).
Keith tends to think in images but is also quite structured. He has a background in the visual
arts and a vivid imagination. He has trouble following lectures and becomes impatient with
lengthly verbal instruction. He has a strong preference for independent work and research.
The main challenge for an instructor teaching Keith is accommodating his preferred method
of visual intake while still conveying methods that will enable him to reach students of allof visual intake while still conveying methods that will enable him to reach students of all
learning styles.
Meet the Students : Keith

6. Mary has been out of school for almost 30 years, and is a little nervous about the amount of
work involved in online courses. She is interested in teaching at the local community college,
and decided to take the Adult Learning Course to work towards her Train the Trainer Certificate.
Mary is a people person and likes to have face to face communication to develop a personal
rapport with colleagues. She is also very social outside of work, and often the key organizer
of her circle of friends. She is confident and works independently. She likes to set aside time
to work on her online course material in a quiet place so she can focus, and put some thoughtto work on her online course material in a quiet place so she can focus, and put some thought
into the reflection pieces at the end of each unit.
Mary’s learning style resonates with Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. According to Cherry
(n.d.), Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory is based on the premise that we learn by
observing others, but to learn we must pay attention, retain and reproduce the information and
understand our motivation to learn. The challenge for the instructor is to ensure there are a
variety of course components so Mary can interact with her peers, receive feedback and spend
time on personal reflection.time on personal reflection.
Meet the Students : Mary

7. Salim has more than 15 years of key accounts management and sales management experience.
He had the opportunity to train adults before, but it was never a major role. As an account
manager, he is well trained to connect with people in order to discover their needs. He lives
the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in his daily interactions with customer, colleagues, and family.
He recently got interested in the adult learning subject after some discussions with his PhD
student spouse majoring in curriculum studies. His idea was to support trainers with some
sales training. This will add to their ability to understand their audience and supply them withsales training. This will add to their ability to understand their audience and supply them with
what they are looking for. As a consequence, he decided to take the adult learning courses so
that he understands more about adult learning theories and interact with other trainers. He
was motivated by an idea that he would like to test and explore.
With a job and a young family, finding time was a challenge for Salim. He was searching for
an online course believing it will be more practical in his situation. It was the first time he took
an online course since he finished his MBA in 2002. 10 years ago online courses was not an
option. Time and online format were not the only challenges. The material was completely new.option. Time and online format were not the only challenges. The material was completely new.
He questioned himself several times to drop especially that the course has no direct impact on
his career. What kept him motivated and continue was the new discoveries.
Meet the Students : Salim

8. Henry : looking to advance at his current job by taking the trainer course.
Holly : working towards earning a diploma to re-enter the work force.
Keith : planning to become an instructor as a future career path.
Mary : interested in teaching at the local community college.
Salim : motivated by personal and professional growth.
Summary of Students

9. To help achieve Henry’s goals in this course, as well as applying Maslow’s Theory, the
instructor can assure the learning environment is a comfortable setting. In particular,
make sure the room is at a comfortable temperature, is well lit, and provide breaks.
Furthermore, educate and outline the course standards and make sure everyone, including
Henry understands.
To sympathize with Henry, as well as the rest of the class, the instructor will engage on all
class happenings, and reach out to everyone about any questions or concerns they mightclass happenings, and reach out to everyone about any questions or concerns they might
have. To add to that, Henry and others will be welcome to stay after class to engage in further
discussions. Using these teaching methods, this will attempt to give Henry motivation going
forward as he is in a secure setting and the instructor is consistently engaged with Henry
and all other individuals.
Instructor’s approach : Henry

10. An integral part of Holly’s success will be based on securing a foundation of support and creating
a safe, comfortable environment and to keep an open mind when teaching. The instructor may
have students, like Holly, in their class that are missing parts of the basic levels of Maslow’s
hierarchy, basic comfort needs to be a position to advance in the learning process. Since not
all students have the same backgrounds and experiences, it will take understanding and flexibility
to accommodate for a lack of such important basic human requirements. This can be done in a
number of ways; the instructor can give Holly a feeling of genuinely caring about her progressionnumber of ways; the instructor can give Holly a feeling of genuinely caring about her progression
and be supportive in class.
Cultivating a personal learning experience and presenting material in a way that is organized and
interactive. Creating an interactive environment will effectively engage a student like Holly and
help contribute to her confidence building, a skill she will undoubtedly need to achieve her
personal goals.
Instructor’s approach : Holly

11. The instructor is a facilitator, outlaying well in advance the entire structure of the course in
order to allow students to acclimatize to the pattern of deadlines and projects. The instructor
chooses to appeal to Keith’s sense of imagery and need for structure by referencing Bloom’s
Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.
By illustrating the stages of learning as tiers of a pyramid with clearly defined categories
and stages of lower-level and higher-level processes, Keith can evaluate his competence and
comprehension of the course material in an objective and visual framework.comprehension of the course material in an objective and visual framework.
In addition to independent processes such as reading the syllabus and observing pre-recorded
lectures, the instructor underscores the need for well-roundedness by including group
projects, group discussion, and peer review to broaden the spectrum of classroom activities
that Keith will be participating in.
The instructor suggests gaps in skill-sets are growth opportunities, and outlines goals that
are currently outside of Keith’s comfort zone but are introduced in a positive environment
with ample time for posititve self-reflection.with ample time for posititve self-reflection.
Instructor’s approach : Keith

12. To help Mary be successful in the course, and considering Bandura’s Social Learning Theory,
the instructor will help her work towards a positive self-efficacy by ensuring the classroom
is well lit, quiet, comfortable, etc so she can focus on the material being taught. A positive
learning environment where there is mutual respect between the instructor and Mary,
with opportunities for group work will help Mary develop rapport with her classmates.
In addition to lectures or readings, the instructor could incorporate activities or small group
discussions so Mary can apply and retain the information she is learning. Having thediscussions so Mary can apply and retain the information she is learning. Having the
opportunity to complete self-tests or peer reviews throughout the course, will give her the
chance to receive and give feedback in a timely manner, and supplement more formal
evaluation methods. It also gives the instructor a quick snapshot of Mary’s understanding
of the material before moving along.
Encouraging Mary to set goals at the beginning of the course, and provide self-reflection
opportunities throughout will allow Mary to evaluate her progress. By providing Mary with
positive feedback, in a supportive environment, she will naturally develop a positivepositive feedback, in a supportive environment, she will naturally develop a positive
self-efficacy.
Instructor’s approach : Mary

13. The online platform was new for Salim and caused him some challenges to get through the first couple of
weeks. Once he got used to the platform, he enjoyed the features. As an assimilating style learner based on
Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory, Salim enjoys theories and concepts. He learned a lot form the readings,
videos, reflection questions, and discussions. The discussion forum was a valuable source of information
that allowed the learners to interact and share their thoughts and experiences.
Salim discovered and learned more about his character and learning style. He identified himself with the
characteristics of adult learners (Lieb, 1991). He enjoyed filling the “Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory”,characteristics of adult learners (Lieb, 1991). He enjoyed filling the “Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory”,
and he was not surprised to discover his correlation with the “humanistic education” philosophy or education
for self-actualization. He was fascinated by the learning cycle and the various stages that learners pass
through (Kolb, 2007). He also understood the preferred learning styles as a personal preference to initiate the
learning cycle and not as a character description.
Reaching week six was a joy, he was exposed to Bandura’s Self-Efficacy concept, Bloom’s Taxonomy of
Learning, and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. On the other hand, Salim did not relate to Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligences Theory. He believed it might limit the options of learners due to its classification of learners’Intelligences Theory. He believed it might limit the options of learners due to its classification of learners’
aptitudes.
Instructor’s approach : Salim

14. He not only saw applications for sales training in adult education, but also he found applications for
adult education theories in sales. Leading a sales team and managing a complex account is challenging.
A successful sales operation includes educating the customer about the characteristics of the products or
service. The education process should be focused on the customer’s needs. Although Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs is well used in sales operations, there are applications to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning and
Bandura’s Self-Efficacy. With some modifications, Blooms Taxonomy of Learning can be related to brand
awareness. Applying this theory can help answer questions related to the level of brand awareness and howawareness. Applying this theory can help answer questions related to the level of brand awareness and how
to improve it. While Bandura’s self-Efficacy can be applied within the sales teams to motivate and improve
their skills by teaming up and exchanging successful habits and skills. In addition to theories, “The Learning
Contract” is a technique that help sales people have their own plan to develop their skills.
Salim enjoyed the learning journey, and this journey stimulated many ideas for the future.
Instructor’s approach : Salim

15. Conclusion
This journey is not unique to the five learners. In one way, it has personal aspects; on the
other hand, it holds general aspects that can face any adult learner. The first aspect is the
motivation to learn something new. Professional adults at a certain point feel the need to
expose themselves to new ideas or old ideas with a new perspective hoping this will
positively affect their future objectives. The second aspect is connecting to the material
by relating it to their previous experience and bringing their experience to the classroom.
The third aspect is reflecting on the learning material and drawing projections for futureThe third aspect is reflecting on the learning material and drawing projections for future
applications.

16. References
Cherry, K (2015). Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved March 28, 2015, from
http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/hierarchyneeds.htm
Cherry, K. (n.d.). Social Learning Theory, How People Learn by Observation. Retrieved March 6, 2015, from
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/sociallearning.htm
Kendra, C. (2015). Biography of Abraham Maslow (1908-1970). Retrieved March 6, 2015, from
http://psychology.about.com/od/profilesmz/p/abraham-maslow.htm
Knowles, Malcolm (1984). The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species (3rd Ed.). Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.Knowles, Malcolm (1984). The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species (3rd Ed.). Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.
Kolb, D. A. (2007). Kolb Learning Style Inventory. Page 2.
Lieb, S. (1991). Characteristics of Adult Learners. Week 2 course notes: Cultivating Adult Learning.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. (2002). Retrieved March 6, 2015, from
http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/maslow/