Adult Education – How do we learn? Sue Aro, R.Ph, M.Ed Provincial Oncology Pharmacists Meeting BCCA Annual Clinical Cancer Conference November 29, 2003 Difficult

Objectives: At the end of the session, the participants should be able to: Describe the characteristics of adult learners Determine their learning style Discuss brain based learning theory and implications for adult learners

What is learning? Implies change Change may occur in a person’s skills, knowledge or attitude Bloom’s Taxonomy: psychomotor, cognitive or affective

Characteristics… Self directed Immediate use for the information Practical Voluntary learning Physiological changes Intelligence increases with age

Learning Cycle Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory Learn in different ways Learning is a cycle 4 processes to the cycle

Concrete Experience, CE Feeling Learn from specific experiences Relate well to people Sensitive to feelings and people Opposite of AC (Thinking)

Abstract Conceptualization, AC Thinking Plan logically and systematically Act on an intellectual understanding of a situation Opposite of CE (Feeling)

Active Experimentation, AE Doing Show ability to get things done Take risks Influence people and events through action Opposite of RO (Watching)

Reflective Observation, RO Watching Carefully observe before making judgments View issues from different perspectives Look for the meaning of things Opposite of AE (Doing)

Combined scores AC - CE = AC-CE AE - RO = AE-RO Identifies your learning style: Converger? Diverger? Accomodator? or Assimilator? AC - CE = AC-CE AE - RO = AE-RO

Diverging Learning Style Imaginative Understand people Recognize problems Open minded Prefer to work collaboratively, brainstorm Arts, Entertainment, Service Careers (Nursing, Social Work, Psychology)

Assimilating Learning Style Plan/Analyze Create models Define problems Develop theories Patient and methodical Prefer lectures/readings & like time to think Physical Sciences, Biology, Law, Theology Mathematics, Research

Converging Learning Style Solve problems Make decisions and set goals Logical Create new ways of thinking/doing things Prefer simulations, case studies, lab assignments, practical applications Engineering, Computer Sciences, Economics

Accommodating Learning Style Get things done Influence and lead others Take risks Act on “gut” feelings Adaptable and practical Rely on people for info Management, Sales, HR, Marketing

So what? Solving problems Working in teams Communication Career choices

Brain Based Learning (Brain Compatible Learning)

Things you always wanted to know about the brain…. At birth, the human brain weighs 1 lb 100 billion neurons 1 trillion glial cells Each neuron makes 5000 to 50,000 connections By the age of 1, the brain doubles in size Adult brain weighs 3 lb 1 quadrillion connections (1 million billion)

More facts about the brain… Visual Hungry - Vital organs - Growth and repair - Thinking Windows of opportunity

Memory Makes us unique Allows us to acquire and store new info Able to form new concepts ideas, feelings and behaviours Enables us to learn from experience Essential for survival Memory = Learning

“M-Space” “M Space” = Memory Space Capacity of the Working Memory “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus 2: Some Hints on Our Capacity for Processing Information” by George Miller

The “Cocktail Party Effect” “The mind can pay conscious attention to only one train of thought at a time.” (E. Cherry)

Procedural Memory (Undeclarative) Does NOT require conscious thought except when first learning. Practice does NOT make perfect. Practice makes permanent. Examples: Keyboarding Playing an instrument Playing a sport Driving

Declarative Memory Episodic - Autobiographical - Not very accurate Semantic - Facts, people, places, concepts

According to Patricia Wolfe… In order for learning to occur, there are two things that are critical. MEANING - Information that fits into or adds to an existing network has a much better chance of storage.

EMOTION “Emotion drives attention and attention drives learning.” Robert Sylwestre, Celebration of Neurons Optimal level of emotion is required for learning. Too much or too little keep the cortex from working as well as it might. Avoid “fight or flight response”

Average Retention Rate (After 24 hours) Lecture 5% Reading 10% AV Presentation 20% Demonstration 30% Discussion Group 50% Practice by Doing 75% Teaching Others 90% David Sousa, How the Brain Learns

In conclusion… Tell me - I forget. Show me - I remember. Involve me - I understand. Chinese Proverb