2. WHY DO ADULTS GO BACK TO SCHOOL?
• Adults going back to school are doing so to further their careers or to
complete their education.
• Adults also go back to school to make a change in their life.
• Motivation and family support are key to a successful college career.
• Adult learning is growing at a rapid rate, adults want to finish what
they started.
3. FIVE ADULT LEARNING CONCEPTS
• There are five adult learning concepts:
1.Andragogy
2.Self-Directed Learning
3.Learning-how-to-Learn
4.Real-Life Learning
5.Learning Strategies
4. ANDRAGOGY
• Andragogy is the art and science of helping adults learn.
(Knowles, 1980)
• Adults understand why something is important to know.
• That teaching adults is a lot different than teaching
children.
5. SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING
• Individuals take the initiative to learn without the help of others.
• This type of learning makes the student more motivated to learn.
• Self-directed learning teaches adults the correct learning process.
• “Taking control of the goals and purposes of learning and assuming
ownership of learning” (Knowles, 1998).
6. LEARNING-HOW-TO-LEARN
• Learning how to learn has a process of planning,
conducting, and evaluating.
• This is how adults learn the extent of their goals.
• Adults must keep practicing these skills.
7. REAL-LIFE LEARNING
• Adults learn from everyday experiences.
• With real-life learning, more attention is given to the living tasks of
individual learners rather than tasks proposed by formal education.
(Fellenz & Conti, 1989).
• People are generally ill prepared through formal education to learn
from everyday life experience (Sternburg, 1990).
8. LEARNING STRATEGIES
• Learning strategies are “ the techniques or skills that an individual
elects to use in order to accomplish a learning task” (Fellenz & Conti,
1989).
• Adult learners have more control over learning situations.
9. REFERENCES
• Fellenz, R. A., & Conti, G. J. (1989). Learning and reality: Reflections on trends in
adult learning. Columbus: The Ohio State University (ERIC Clearinghouse on
Adult, Career, and Vocational Training, Information Series No. 336).
• Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education, From pedagogy to
andragogy. New York, NY: Follett.
• Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F. III, & Swanson, R. A. (1998). The adult learner.
Houston, TX: Gulf.
• Sternburg, R. J. (1990). Real life vs. academic problem solving. In R. Fellenz & G.
Conti (Eds.), Intelligence and adult learning. Bozeman, MT: Center for Adult
Learning Research, Montana State University.
10. REFERENCES
• Fellenz, R. A., & Conti, G. J. (1989). Learning and reality: Reflections on trends in
adult learning. Columbus: The Ohio State University (ERIC Clearinghouse on
Adult, Career, and Vocational Training, Information Series No. 336).
• Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education, From pedagogy to
andragogy. New York, NY: Follett.
• Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F. III, & Swanson, R. A. (1998). The adult learner.
Houston, TX: Gulf.
• Sternburg, R. J. (1990). Real life vs. academic problem solving. In R. Fellenz & G.
Conti (Eds.), Intelligence and adult learning. Bozeman, MT: Center for Adult
Learning Research, Montana State University.
