Supporting the Agency for Professional Development of Teachers in Serbia (ZAVOD)

1. Supporting the Agency for Professional Development of Teachers in Serbia (ZAVOD) Workshop Identifying learning barriers September 2016 Beograd Prepared by Univ. Prof Dr Viktor Jakupec

2. Identifying Learning Barriers • Learning Outcomes • The learner identifies general learning barriers and their causes and defines strategies to minimise/overcome learning barriers • Teaching Activity • Explain the main learning barriers incl. social, communicative (language, literacy), cultural, personal, motivational and their causes (practical examples, open forum) • Learning Activity • Identify and discuss the effects of systemic, institutional and personal barriers to learning • Present a checklist for overcoming learning barriers (group activity) 1

3. Identifying Learning Barriers • Introduction to Topic • Types of learning barriers • Causes of learning barriers • Overcoming learning barriers • Activity: Apply What You Have Learnt 2

4. Identifying Learning Barriers • Introduction to Topic 3

5. Identifying Learning Barriers • Types of learning barriers • General Categories • Learning defences: General ways a learner actively prevents her/himself from learning • Learning obstacles: Beliefs, values, people or events that directly hinder attainment of specific learning goals. 4

6. Identifying Learning Barriers • Types of learning barriers • Learning Defences • Defending against learning because of sources • Defending against learning because of content • Defending against learning because of message delivery 5

7. Identifying Learning Barriers • Types of learning barriers • Learning Obstacles • Lack of importance or uncertainty of importance. • Difficulty in reaching a learning goal. • Stress in reaching a learning goal • Doubts about success • Lack of control (content, timing, assessment, learning mode, etc.) • Poor attitude regarding the goal (e.g. previous negative experiences) • Lack of support from others (peers, family, friends i.e. “motivation killer”) • Hassles, due to higher expectations, more work, and more complexity in your work • Lack of advantages 6

8. Identifying Learning Barriers Personal Barriers • Common Medical conditions as barriers • Dyscalculia: A learning disability in which the person has difficulties understanding mathematics • Dyslexia: A learning disability in which someone has difficulties understanding the written word. • Dyslexia is sometimes called the "invisible disability" because no one knows a learner has it unless someone asks the person to read or write. • Dysgraphia: A learning disability in which the learner has difficulties with forming letters when writing. 7

9. Identifying Learning Barriers Motivational Barriers • Fear • A fear of what people say, fear of criticism and judgement • A fear of not succeeding, fear of failure· • A fear of rejection • Adjusting to Change • Learners overestimate the value of the status quo and underestimate the value of what they may gain by changes. 8

10. Identifying Learning Barriers Overcoming learning barriers • To be effective, any adult learning practice must incorporate, at its core, and allow toflourish, the fundamental and well-established principles of adult learning: • Learner centeredness: Placing the learner at the centre of the learning experience, • Flexibility in teaching-learning methods, assessments, content structure, etc. 9

11. Identifying Learning Barriers Basic Strategies for overcoming learning barriers • Make training relevant • Integrate learning with the daily work • Discussing best practices and new ideas on a daily basis. • To find separate time for training, trainers of trainers need to demonstrate that learning is a priority. • Building purpose • New skills should be made immediately applicable to real-world challenges, • Make learning challenges seem worth embark upon. • Ensure that learning organisations provide trainers a reason to acquire new skills, by connecting the daily task to a larger purpose that is inherently meaningful. 10

12. Identifying Learning Barriers Detailed Strategies for overcoming learning barriers • Overcoming Barrier 1: Independence • Independence is not taken for granted. It is critical to respect the trainees/participants’ experiences and accomplishments. • Overcoming Barrier 2: Negative Feelings About Training/Learning • Encourage learning by avoiding situations that “test” the learner or situations that have a risk of failure. • Overcoming Barrier 3: Preoccupations and mental distractions • Help participants to focused on the learning activity and their related experiences • …2 11

13. Identifying Learning Barriers (continuation) Detailed Strategies for overcoming learning barriers • Overcoming Barrier 4: Resistance to Change • Persuade learners the new ways of working and learning are more productive than the old. • Overcoming Barrier 5: Selective Filters • Adults only pay attention to what is relevant, interesting, or stimulating to them. Provide learners with a variety of learning activities and help to keep their attention and focused. • Overcoming Barrier 6: Unclear Motivators • The best training sessions satisfy learners’ needs, solve their problems and can be used immediately in the work place • .…3 12

14. Identifying Learning Barriers (continuation) Detailed Strategies for overcoming / minimising learning barriers • Overcoming Barrier 7: Fear of Participation • Create an atmosphere that keeps anxiety levels as low as possible. Make no judgments, make positive comments to reinforce desired behaviour, and only offer constructive criticism. • Overcoming Barrier 8: Strongly Established Habits and Tastes • Introduce new learning concepts without producing hostility and resistance. Maintain a conducive learning climate. Introduce habitual changes gradually • Overcoming Barrier 9: Fear of Failure • Place the emphasis on personal improvement of individual participant and provide support 13

15. Identifying Learning Barriers Activities • Participants to chose a real-life problem, project, or issue • Define and select a select number of possible barriers • Develop strategies to minimise these barriers • Justify they strategies (group activity) • Present findings to other groups 14