Principles of Adult Learning

Principles of Adult Learning Certificate III in Retail 9August 2010

Review previous lesson • Task analysis – complete this activity Write a task analysis Choose topic Plan training

Learning Outcomes • List the nine principles of adult learning • Discuss how the principles impact of the learner • Develop a list of ways to encourage learners to be actively involved in the learning process

Principles of Learning • Small group exercise • Think about your experiences as a student. • Make a list of the things which helped you to learn and those which hindered your learning • You many notice that some things listed relate to content (what was taught) and process (how it was taught). Both are crucial to effective to learning What helped? What hindered?

The nine principles‘RAMP 2 FAME’ • Recency • Appropriateness • Motivation • Primacy • 2-way communication • Feedback • Active Learning • Multi-sense learning • Exercises - Practice

Recency • The law of recency tells us that the things that are learned last are those best remembered. • Keep each session as short as possible • Summarise key points • Keep the participants fully aware of the direction and progress

Appropriateness • All training, information, training aids, case studies and other materials must be appropriate to the participants needs • Clearly identify a need for participants to be taking part in the training • Use descriptions, analogies, examples or illustrations that the participants are familiar with

Motivation • Participants must want to learn, they must be ready to learn and there must be some reason to learn. • Not only does the participant have to be motivated so does the trainer

Primacy • Things participants learn first are usually learned best. • Keep sessions relatively short • Make the beginning of your sessions interesting and include key points • When showing participants how to do something, show them the right way first. This way they wont have to ‘unlearn’ it.

2-way communication • The training process involves communication with the participants, not at them. • Allow for interaction • Make sure your body language matches what you are saying • Our session plan should have interaction designed into it.

Feedback • How do we encourage feedback? • Encourage trainees to ask questions • Allow for review periods • Discuss & correct errors • Give results of trainees work A.S.A.P. • Help trainees to develop skills on feedback • What are the benefits of receiving feedback? • Establishes rapport • Assesses trainee’s comprehension • Identifies trainees with special needs Q & A

Active Learning • We learn by doing! • Develop ways you can encourage students to be actively involved (work in pairs) • Use practical exercises during instruction • Use plenty of questions during instruction • If at all possible get the participants to do what they are being instructed in

Multiple-sense learning • 83% through sight • 11% through hearing • 3.5% through smell • 1.5% through touch • 1% through taste

Exercise - Practice • Things that are repeated are best remembered! • The more trainees repeat something the more likely they are to retain the information • The participant must perform the exercise themselves • At the beginning of the session get trainees to summarise the previous session

Practical – Small group activity • Select a topic you are familiar with and design a way you can get the trainee to practice. • Consider the way adults learn • What techniques will you use to sustain interest and facilitate learning

Principles of Adult Learning