The document outlines the learning outcomes for a training and development course, focusing on adult learning theories and their application in training activities. It discusses major theories such as experiential learning, transformative learning, action learning, situated learning, and self-directed learning, along with the assumptions behind andragogy and adult learning styles. Different learning styles—visual, audible, and kinesthetic—are also introduced, highlighting the importance of tailoring training programs to accommodate these differences.

1. MHR 6551, Training and Development 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit II
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Formulate different developmental approaches to training.
1.1 Create training activities based on a chosen theory.
2. Describe major training-related theories.
2.1 Discuss the primary tenets of a training theory.
2.2 Explain why a theory was chosen for a specific training
situation.
Course/Unit
Learning Outcomes
Learning Activity
1.1
Unit Lesson
Article: “Teaching Nontraditional Adult Students: Adult
Learning Theories in

2. Practice”
Article: “We Knew It All Along! Using Cognitive Science to
Explain How
Andragogy Works”
Unit II PowerPoint Presentation
2.1
Unit Lesson
Article: “Teaching Nontraditional Adult Students: Adult
Learning Theories in
Practice”
Article: “We Knew It All Along! Using Cognitive Science to
Explain How
Andragogy Works”
Fact Sheet: TEAL Center Fact Sheet No. 11: Adult Learning
Theories
Unit II PowerPoint Presentation
2.2
Unit Lesson
Article: “Teaching Nontraditional Adult Students: Adult
Learning Theories in
Practice”
Article: “We Knew It All Along! Using Cognitive Science to
Explain How
Andragogy Works”
Fact Sheet: TEAL Center Fact Sheet No. 11: Adult Learning
Theories
Unit II PowerPoint Presentation

3. Required Unit Resources
In order to access the following resources, click the links
below.
Chen, J. C. (2014). Teaching nontraditional adult students:
Adult learning theories in practice. Teaching in
Higher Education, 19(4), 406–418. Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://s
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc
t=true&db=a9h&AN=94773613&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Hagen, M., & Park, S. (2016). We knew it all along! Using
cognitive science to explain how andragogy works.
European Journal of Training and Development, 40(3), 171–
190. Retrieved from https://search-
proquest-
com.libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/docview/208570405
7?accountid=33337
Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy Center. (n.d.). TEAL
Center fact sheet no. 11: Adult learning theories.
Retrieved from https://lincs.ed.gov/state-resources/federal-
initiatives/teal/guide/adultlearning
UNIT II STUDY GUIDE

4. Major Training Theories
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://s
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9477
3613&site=ehost-live&scope=site
https://search-proquest-
com.libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/docview/208570405
7?accountid=33337
https://lincs.ed.gov/state-resources/federal-
initiatives/teal/guide/adultlearning
MHR 6551, Training and Development 2
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Unit Lesson
Major Training Theories
The manner in which adults and children learn is different.
Therefore, before embarking upon the design and
development of any training/development program, it is
important to consider adult learning principles and
how adults learn best.
Andragogy is the study of how adults learn (Knowles, 1980).
Conversely, pedagogy is the study of how
children learn (Knowles, 1980). Andragogy rests upon six
assumptions about the differences between how

5. adults and children learn, which are listed below.
1. Self-concept: As people mature, their self-concept moves
from being dependent on others toward
being self-directed individuals.
2. Experience: As people mature, they accumulate a wealth of
knowledge and experience that becomes
an increasing resource for learning.
3. Readiness to learn: As people mature, their readiness to learn
becomes more oriented toward the
developmental tasks of their social roles (e.g., spouse,
employee, parent, citizen).
4. Orientation to learning: As people mature, their perspective
of time in regard to the approaches of
learning shift from postponed application of knowledge to more
immediate applicability. Also, there is
a change from subject-focused learning to problem-focused
learning.
5. Motivation to learn: As people mature, there is an increasing
internal desire and motivation to learn.
6. Unlearn to learn: As people mature, the ways they have
learned over time are often ingrained within
their learning approach. Interventions in adult learning help
them accept fresh perspectives and new
ways of learning (Knowles, 1980).
Given the various assumptions of andragogy, there are several
learning theories that align with these
assumptions. The theories we will explore are experiential

6. learning, transformative learning theory, action
theory, situated learning theory, and self-directed learning
theory.
Experiential Learning Theory
The experiential learning theory involves the process whereby
knowledge is created through experience.
According to Cherry (n.d.), the theory was first proposed by
psychologist David Kolb. Kolb (1984) believed
that the creation of knowledge is accomplished through the
reflective feedback of a given experience. The
four steps that depict this model are listed below.
ence: Here, the learner is put into a situation
where he or she can experience
something and receive feedback from that experience. For
example, a chef gathers all of the proper
ingredients to bake lasagna. After going through the steps of
putting the ingredients together, baking
the lasagna, and serving it to the guests, the guests give
feedback to the chef that the lasagna is too
bland.
inconsistencies between experience and
understanding. For example, the chef begins to reflect on why
the guests believe the lasagna is
bland. The chef may even taste the lasagna to try and pinpoint
what else is needed to bring flavor to
the bland lasagna.
continues to
reflect upon the experience, it gives rise to a

7. new idea or modification to an existing concept. Essentially, the
individual has learned from the
experience. Back to our example with the chef and bland
lasagna, after much reflection, the chef may
realize that more salt is needed in addition to other spices and
ingredients.
MHR 6551, Training and Development 3
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
now takes what he or she learned
and begins to apply it. This can happen
in the same experience or a different
one. For example, the chef takes a
second attempt to bake lasagna and
applies what he or she learned by
adding additional salt, spices, and
ingredients to the lasagna. The process
can be repeated until the desired
results are achieved.
Transformative Learning Theory
Transformative learning theory is described as
the way that learning changes how an individual

8. thinks about the world and about himself or
herself (Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy
Center [TEAL], n.d.). This type of learning
requires a shift in consciousness. For example,
an individual from another country comes and
lives in the United States and, after learning
English and becoming confident and proficient
in it, has a different view of U.S. culture and practices. In
transformative learning, individuals engage in
reflective discourse that challenges their deeply held beliefs and
assumptions, which creates a shift in their
frame of thinking.
Action Theory
Action learning is a reflective process whereby action is taken
by a learner in a real-life learning scenario, and
the learner is asked to reflect on the action taken. This type of
learning is often engaged as a team. A group
or team is formed and encouraged to meet on a regular basis to
come up with solutions to problems. The
team decides on the appropriate solution together. In this
scenario, learning occurs collectively as a group as
the team reflects on outcomes produced by the solution. Also,
the problem-solving method is evaluated to see
whether or not it was effective.
Situated Learning Theory
The situated learning theory involves the use of materials, such
as cases, to situate the learner in his or her
own operational context. In other words, learning happens in the
context of a given activity or real-world
situation. For example, an individual wanting to obtain a
driver’s license will first learn the information via
driving school in a classroom setting. Once the classroom

9. information has been assimilated, the driver will
then be asked to demonstrate this knowledge by driving a
vehicle in a controlled setting (e.g., parking lot or
some other open space). After skills have been mastered in the
controlled setting, the student will now be
asked to drive on the road with other drivers to test his or her
driving ability.
Self-Directed Learning Theory
The self-directed learning theory (SDL) is a process in which
adult learners take the initiative to learn without
the help of others (TEAL, n.d.). Learners plan, execute, and
evaluate their own learning experiences. SDL will
typically happen outside of a classroom setting. The
characteristics of SDL include that learners make
choices about the methods, content, resources, and evaluation of
the learning experience. The learners take
responsibility on their own learning by determining their needs,
setting their own goals, identifying resources
on their own, implementing a plan to achieve their learning
goals, and then evaluating their outcomes by
measuring how close they have achieved their goals.
Figure 1: Cycle representing levels of the learning process
MHR 6551, Training and Development 4
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

10. Title
Adult Learning Styles
From the adult learning theories discussed above comes the
concept of adult learning styles. As we noted
earlier, the methods by which adults learn are different than the
way children learn. This difference is not only
in cognitive processes but also in direct learning styles.
Learning styles could be referred to as the way that
individuals process and take in new information (Barbe,
Swassing, & Milone, 1979). According to Barbe et al.
(1979), there are three major learning styles seen in adult
learners. Those learning styles are visual, audible,
and kinesthetic learning styles. We are exploring all three
learning styles and discussing ways to tailor
learning to each individual style.
Visual learning: Visual learners are individuals who learn best
through seeing or visualizing material.
These learners have a need to see body language and facial
expressions to fully understand the content.
There is a preference to sit at the front within a classroom
setting to avoid any obstruction to their visual
senses. These learners think in pictures and learn best from
visual displays. In order to cater to learning
styles of the visual learner, one must take into consideration
visuals to enhance the learning experience.
Visual tools could include items such as diagrams, illustrated
textbooks, PowerPoint slides, computer
graphics, flip charts, or handouts.
Audible learning: Audible learners are
individuals who learn best through hearing. These
individuals interpret the underlying meanings of

11. speech through listening to speed, pitch, tone,
and voice. Hence, discussions, talking through
things, lectures, reading text aloud, and listening
to recordings are the preferred learning methods
of this group and the best way to cater to their
learning style to enhance learning.
Kinesthetic learning: Kinesthetic learners are
individuals who learn best through a hands-on
approach. This type of learning is also known as
tactile learning. Kinesthetic learners prefer to be
physically engaged in their learning by actively
exploring the physical world around them. They
may find it difficult to sit through a lecture for long
periods at a time and may become distracted by
their need for exploration and activity.
One thing to note when considering the learning styles above is
that the entire concept of aligning training
programs with learning styles is a Western-based concept and
may not transfer well to all cultures. It is
important to consult with local experts when designing training
programs for a global audience. This will allow
the trainer to tailor activities to the distinct cultural needs of the
local audience.
References
Barbe, W. B., Swassing, R. H., & Milone, M. N. (1979).
Teaching through modality strengths: Concepts and
practices. Columbus, OH: Zaner-Bloser.
Cherry, K. (n.d.). The David Kolb theory of how experience

12. influences learning. Retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/experiential-learning-2795154
Knowles, M. (1980). The modern practice of adult education:
Andragogy versus pedagogy (Rev. and updated
ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Cambridge Adult Education.
Visual
• See It
Audible
• Hear It
Kinesthetic
• Do It
Figure 2: Learning styles
MHR 6551, Training and Development 5
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the
source of learning and development (Vol. 1).
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

13. Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy Center. (n.d.). TEAL
Center fact sheet no. 11: Adult learning theories.
Retrieved from https://lincs.ed.gov/state-resources/federal-
initiatives/teal/guide/adultlearning