Adult Learning Theories
There are many different ways of learning, and each person learns differently. However, there are overarching themes and principles of learning that seem to correlate with adult learners. Adult learners typically strive for autonomy and want to be in control of their learning. They also typically fear making mistakes (Gordon & Magler, 2007).
I will discuss four different principles of adult learning here - Perry, Belenky, et al., Kegan, and Knowles.
William Perry
Perry studied male college students' learning processes. He discovered steps that adult learners traverse through their learning journey. The stages of learning are referred to as 'Positions' in his research. The information on this page is cited from The Mentor's Companion by Gordon & Magler, 2007.
Position 1
Dualistic perception- everything is either 'right' or 'wrong' and learners expect their mentor to give them all the right answers.
Position 2
Learners begin to understand that 'right' and 'wrong' are not the only options, even if they disagree with that idea. They may think that by not giving definitive answers, their mentor is unknowledgeable, and they may want to find a new mentor.
Position 3
The learner understands that their mentor cannot provide the 'right' answer, but they may still seek to find it. Frustrations come to fruition as mentors or mentees struggle with the process of critical thinking.
Position 4
Learners are faced with the decision to accept ideologies other than their own or stay in their old mindset. They may believe that since the 'right' answer is relative, they do not need to continue learning, plateauing their knowledge. Learners in this position may think that they are always right.
Position 5
Learners understand the importance of knowledge relativity. They want to learn more about the processes of making decisions and answering questions.
Position 6
Learners begin to form their own opinions and beliefs and use those to impact their decision-making. They answer questions based on their personal values.
Position 7
Learners commit to the learning process in this position. They decide if they want to continue in their career field based on the information and context they already have.
Position 8
In this position, learners realize that their decisions have consequences, and they begin to explore what that looks like in practice. Ethical decision-making, problem-solving, and deep critical thinking occurs in this stage.
Position 9
Mentees and learners in this position realize that the benefit of mentoring directly relates to how much effort they exert in the relationship. They understand that learning is a lifelong process, and they must constantly improve to prevent skill stagnation.
Belenky, et al.
Perry's study focused on male college students, so this group of researchers decided to study women's process of learning.
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They discovered four categories of learning processes in women:
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The Silenced
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Received Knowers
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Subjective Knowers
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Constructed Knowers
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This information is cited from Gordon & Magler, 2007.
The Silenced
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This category represents a group of learners who are completely submitted to authority. They see themselves as a 'responder to authority', not really a learner. These learners assume their mentors are all-knowing.
Received Knowers
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These learners relate to Perry's positions 1-3. They think their job as a learner is to absorb information, and are dependent on other people for their learning. They think there is one 'right' answer and they must know what that is.
Subjective Knowers
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Learners in this group relate to Perry's 4th position. They may believe they have all the right answers and may feel offended or taken-aback when someone asks them to explain or defend their position. They dislike when others disagree with them.
Procedural Knowers
Learners are aware of a type of learning process. Two groups of people:
Separate Knowers and Connected Knowers
Both categories here related to Perry's positions 6 and 7 because they know that knowledge is gained by objectively analyzing information.
Separate Knowers may use the scientific method to analyze, test, and confirm ideologies or beliefs. They tend to judge all the information they are given.
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Connected Knowers learn through dialogue. Instead of judging the information, they tend to analyze it through different perspectives.
Constructed Knowers
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Learners relate to Perry's positions 8 and 9. They are aware of their whole self and understand the process of learning as multi-faceted. They realize there is no 'right' answer and each decision faces consequences.
Robert Kegan
Stages of Development
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Robert Kegan's adult learning model is really based on adult development and how we move through stages from independence to interdependence. Mentees in this learning model sometimes need their mentor to be directly involved with their learning and may wish for a hands-off approach at other times (Gordon & Magler, 2007).
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Please see this article and Robert Kegan's book for more information about this learning model.
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Eriksen, K. (2006). The Constructive Developmental Theory of Robert Kegan. The Family Journal, 14(3), 290–298. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480706287799
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Kegan, R. (2001). The evolving self: problem and process in human development. Harvard University Press.
Malcolm Knowles
Malcolm Knowles discovered 6 assumptions about adult learners. The information in this section is cited from Zachary, 2012, this website, and this article.
Self-Concept
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Adult learners have a fully developed concept of self, meaning they are autonomous, independent, and wish to be self-directed rather than outwardly directed.
Learner Experience
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Every adult learner has a wealth of prior knowledge, skills, experience, and education background. Their experiences can enrich the life of their mentor, and be a great tool for learning new information.
Readiness to Learn
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Adults want the information they learn to be relevant to their current situation and allow for immediate application. They gravitate towards the information they want and need to know.
Immediate Application
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This concept is closely related to our readiness to learn. Adult learners want to know the information they are receiving is directly applicable to their current situation.
Problem-Based Learning
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Adults desire to solve problems and learn how to approach conflicts, rather than have their learning revolve around subject matter. They need to know the value of what they are learning and how it can contribute to solving real-world problems.
Motivation to Learn
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Adults can learn best when intrinsically motivated rather than extrinsically motivated. They will respond better to learning when they have a desire to do it for personal reasons, rather than external motivations.