Teaching the “tell me what to do” generations RRLC Pizza Session October 20, 2008 Suzanne Bell

What this Lecture will cover  Adult learners – how and why they’re different  A few words about the brain, learning, and aging  Implications of the above on teaching  Most useful teaching methods  Comments on teaching styles – bringing all the above together  Case Study and Discussion Suzanne Bell2RRLC Oct. 20, 2008

Learning Objectives  Share what I learned from the literature, the “theory”  Why teaching adults is different  Help you approach your planning for adult classes differently  Provide some specific suggestions, ideas, teaching methods to use  Offer an opportunity to share your experiences: see how practice compares to theory RRLC Oct. 20, 2008Suzanne Bell3

“Andragogy” vs. Pedagogy: experience plays a primary role RRLC Oct. 20, 2008Suzanne Bell4

Other differences  Older people get, the more diverse they are, based on…  Age, gender, ethnicity, language, culture, disabilities, socioeconomic factors, geography, education, past experience  Motivation for learning: very “life-centered” – want to learn to solve particular problems they face in life.  Desire to be self-directed (so much for “tell me what to do”!) RRLC Oct. 20, 2008Suzanne Bell5

Stuff About the Brain How do you “learn”? What makes for lasting memories? What happens as you age? RRLC Oct. 20, 2008Suzanne Bell6

The Brain  Neurons fire + emotional chemicals  neural networks and synapses = learning  Information, sensations enter via the senses  Brain is a “pattern-finding organ”  Activate my cortex and I’ll remember!  Aging and the brain – not all bad news… although “use it or lose it” is true. RRLC Oct. 20, 2008Suzanne Bell7