Misconception of an Adult Learner Andrea O'Brien

Three Major MisconCeptions Adult Learners are unemployed, seeking education in order to find work. Adult Learners like to dismiss their previous experiences when pursuing their education. Adult Learners are not good self-directed learners.

Adult Learners are unemployed I thought... Facts are... Adults wanting to go back to school are only doing it because they need a job, and without an education they are having a hard time finding employment. Adult learners are usually above-average income. 80 % of adult learners work full-time. They are going back to evaluate their job security, professional competency and competitiveness with co-workers.  Stevens, J. (2014). PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES, & PREFERENCES OF ADULT   LEARNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A NATIONAL SURVEY. Journal Of   Learning In Higher Education, 10(2), 65-78. 

Andragogy  How can these adult learners be helped while pursuing their education and working full-time? Get their employers involved. Their employers need to be supportive-work with students in ways that will allow them to apply the information they are learning to their positions.  Universities need to work together with companies to allow students to receive financial benefits to go back to school. Students need a flexible program and to learn information that interests them and that they can apply to their work situations everyday. 

Adult Learners want to dismiss their previous experience I thought... Reality is... Adult learners wanted to move away from their previous experiences.  They were pursuing their education to make changes and to move on from the past.  Having previous experience gives students the capability to produce knowledge. It allows them to generate and communicate expert knowledge.  The integration of life experience is important in their learning experience.  Click Biniecki, S. Y., & Conceigao, S. O. (2016). Using Concept Maps to Engage Adult Learners in   Critical Analysis. Adult Learning, 27(2), 51. doi:10.1177/1045159515604148 to add text

Four Learning theories to help keep students engaged Cognitivist Constructivist  Transformative Social Learning How can we help learners stay engaged by using their past experiences? Have students compare what they have learned to past experiences they have had!

Self-Directed Learning I thought... When in fact... Adult Learners were not efficient enough to be successful to self-direct in their learning process. When a student finds something meaningful interesting and enjoyable they are self-determined to accomplish their goal. Students how self-direct help improves them to improve, grow and develop as learners. Kolbergytė, A. a., Indrašienė, V. v., & Bardauskienė, R. r. (2014). SELF-DIRECTED   LEARNING IN A PERSPECTIVE OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING THEORY.   Journal Of Educational Review, 7(4), 649-658.

Transformative Learning Theory What can educators do to help adult learners be self- directed? Lead them to resources. Provide assistance. Show support and guidance. "...theory that analyzes learning methods in order to achieve essential individual or/and social changes of development" Kolbergytė, A. a., Indrašienė, V. v., & Bardauskienė, R. r. (2014). SELF-DIRECTED   LEARNING IN A PERSPECTIVE OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING THEORY.   Journal Of Educational Review, 7(4), 649-658. 

References:  Bonk, C. J., Mimi Miyoung, L., Xiaojing, K., Shuya, X., & Feng-Ru, S. (2015). Understanding   the Self-Directed Online Learning Preferences, Goals, Achievements, and Challenges   of MIT OpenCourseWare Subscribers. Journal Of Educational Technology & Society,   18(2), 349-368.   Biniecki, S. Y., & Conceigao, S. O. (2016). Using Concept Maps to Engage Adult Learners in   Critical Analysis. Adult Learning, 27(2), 51. doi:10.1177/1045159515604148  Howell, G., Simos, A., & Starcher, K. (2016). Is this Course worth my time? Key Factors in   Adult Online Student Satisfaction. Currents In Teaching & Learning, 8(1), 28-39.   Kimmel, S. B., Gaylor, K. P., Ray Grubbs, M., & Bryan Hayes, J. (2012). Good Times to Hard   Times: An Examination of Adult Learners' Enrollment from 2004-2010. Journal Of   Behavioral & Applied Management, 14(1), 18.   Kolbergytė, A. a., Indrašienė, V. v., & Bardauskienė, R. r. (2014). SELF-DIRECTED   LEARNING IN A PERSPECTIVE OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING THEORY.   Journal Of Educational Review, 7(4), 649-658.   Merriam, S. B., Baumgartner, L., & Caffarella, R. S. (2007).Learning in Adulthood : A   Comprehensive Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.   Stevens, J. (2014). PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES, & PREFERENCES OF ADULT   LEARNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A NATIONAL SURVEY. Journal Of   Learning In Higher Education, 10(2), 65-78.