Five Entry Points to Multiple Intelligences

When adults are offered only a single way of knowing a concept or problem, they are forced to understand it in the most limited or rigid way. By using these five entry points to multiple intelligences, you can make your training an accessible and irresistible opportunity to learn. Narrational Present a story or narrative account [...]

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Theory of Multiple Intelligences

To develop effective training, in addition to understanding what motivates adults to learn, you must also understand the multiple ways in which they are capable of learning, or, put another way, you should understand that adults have multiple types of intelligence. Understanding the different adult intelligences will provide you the insight necessary to deliver training [...]

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Malcolm Knowles

The following is a quote from Malcolm Knowles, a twentieth century American educator famous for his adoption of the theory of andragogy. It’s taken from his book, Andragogy: an Emerging Technology for Adult Learning. “Adults have a need to be treated with respect, to make their own decisions, to be seen as unique human beings. [...]

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Video

Changing Education Paradigms

From Sir Ken Robinson and RSA Animate, 2010, worth a rewatch, or a first watch.

How do adults learn?

Adults… learn only when they are ready to learn learn best what they actually perform learn from their mistakes learn easiest what is familiar to them favor different senses of learning learn methodically and systematically cannot learn what they do not understand learn through practice Mitchell, G. (1987). The Trainer’s Handbook: the AMA Guide To [...]

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Adult Learning is Not Top Down

In adult learning, information flow is not a top down process. It should be an exchange. This is a critical distinction to remember. Adults do not respond well to didactic learning situations like lectures. When designing an adult learning activity, the learner must be involved and information must flow in all directions, information is to [...]

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Pedagogy vs. Andragogy

Adults learn out of want or need. Children learn in preparation for additional learning. It follows that in a pedagogical model subjects and teachers are the focal point. Students must adjust themselves to the curriculum. In adult education, the curriculum is built around the learner’s needs. In pedagogical learning, the instructor is responsible for all [...]

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Adult Learning Principles: Definitions

When most adults are given the opportunity to teach, train, or facilitate for the first time, their thoughts hearken back to the time they spent in school as a child or young adult. The instinct is to use that experience as a model for the development of their own classes or workshops. What’s important to [...]

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