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I work in a middle school grades sixth through eighth. My DTTP will be made for Parkland Middle School and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). I am going to construct my DTTP for professional development to address how to effectively use Chromebooks and all of the Google Applications for Education. In my plan I would like to include two major changes that will occur for technology professional development both in my school and in the county. 1.) Every educator will have to receive technology training in professional development at least five times a year and 2.) Every educator will have to undergo a mandatory county-approved technology training every five years when they are due to be recertified. 

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I work in a middle school grades sixth through eighth. My DTTP will be made for Parkland Middle School and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). I am going to construct my DTTP for professional development to address how to effectively use Chromebooks and all of the Google Applications for Education. In my plan I would like to include two major changes that will occur for technology professional development both in my school and in the county. 1.) Every educator will have to receive technology training in professional development at least five times a year and 2.) Every educator will have to undergo a mandatory county-approved technology training every five years when they are due to be recertified. 

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Professional Development and Adult Learning Theory

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Professional Development and Adult Learning Theory

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Adult Learning Theory: Everything eLearning Professionals Should Know

In 1968, Malcolm Shephard Knowles put forward a theory that distinguished adult learning (andragogy) from childhood learning (pedagogy). He expounded his ideas using five main assumptions. Out of these five points, he extrapolated four principles to make adult learning education more effective. Ηis theory still holds water. It's closely referenced in the development of eLearning material. Here are 7 notable facts and tips about adult learning theory that you may want to consider before creating your next eLearning course.

1. Adult Learners Have A Well-Established Sense Of Self

In childhood, we model ourselves off our parents and siblings. As teenagers, we pull away from family to mimic our friends and peer groups. It isn't until adulthood that we pick-and-choose from these two stages. We form a complete entity we call our 'self' and can be very attached to it. Even if we're not emphatic about identity politics, we do have a clear sense of self. We know we're distinct and separate from those around us. This affects our decisions and actions. In a training context, this means we want a say in our eLearning courses. We require a healthy sense of autonomy in learning. Otherwise, we soon lose interest.

2. Past Experiences Play A Pivotal Role In Adult Learning

Kids go to school with a good deal of knowledge, but it's not necessarily academic. By pre-school, they vaguely know how to share and speak. But there's lots of space for fresh data. Adults, on the other hand, have a world of experience behind them both academic and social. To teach them effectively, you have to feed into what they already know. Piggy-back off that and launch new concepts. This is crucial, because if your new data clashes with their existing knowledge base, they're not likely to accept it. You have to skillfully integrate into their lived experience, becoming an active part of their thought process.

3. Adult Learning Is Purpose Driven

Kids go to school because they're supposed to. Adults learn because they see the relevance. If they don't train, it could cost them a non-compliance fine or a promotion. They consciously decide to pick up a new skill or polish a valued hobby. It's a choice, not a duty. So their learning needs to be goal oriented. They have to see measurable learning objectives and have a clear system of gauging their progress. Otherwise, they'll just walk out of class. An eLearning course for adult learners must be tied to real-world applications. For example, incorporate simulations or real-world examples that allow them to see how the skill relates to their job duties or will help them overcome a challenge that is hindering their work performance.

4. Adult Learning Relies On A Readiness To Learn

Closely tied into their practicality is their willingness to attend the eLearning course. They paid for this eLearning course themselves or were sponsored by their employer. But they're still aware they're in the session by choice, so they're open to learning. They see the value in it and can comprehend the big picture. This makes them more receptive to study the online training material. It also makes them more discerning. They can recognize quality and are more vocal in demanding it. They relate to online instructors and eLearning course designers as peers, since they're fellow adults. They rarely hold them in awe or derision like kids do with their teachers. Keep online training material relevant and task based to tap into their openness and interest.

5. Adult Learners Are Driven By Internal Motivation

Kids can be trained with 'carrots and sticks'. They want their teacher to like them, and they're eager for those gold stars. They're scared of disapproval. These polar emotions can keep them working hard, at least for a while. Adults develop their own methods of motivation. Focus their online training on problem-solving. Rote learning doesn't do them much good. There's no stage in their workday when they'll need to recite their lessons. Instead, offer simulations and contextual role play, showing how to translate their online training into real life. This will keep them coming back to class.

6. Mistakes Are Often The Most Valuable Teacher

The adult learning theory hinges on experiential learning. Which means that adults are encouraged to explore the subject matter firsthand and learn from their mistakes. For example, participate in branching scenarios that show them how their actions or behaviors lead to real consequences. As a result, they are less likely to make those mistakes in the workplace and continually develop their experiential knowledge.

7. Adult Learners Must Play An Active Role In The eLearning Course Design Process

A core principle of the adult learning theory is that online learners must be actively involved in the process so that they're empowered and motivated. They should play a part in developing eLearning content, evaluating performance, and creating training criteria. Conduct surveys to get their feedback, then invite them to sit through a test course to identify gaps. They should also be able to personalize their learning paths and choose eLearning activities that are relevant to them and their job duties. Namely, resources that allow them to immediately apply what they've learned and address individual pain points.

Some of Knowles' concepts of andragogy are generally accepted. Others are disputed because they overlap with pedagogy. Further research has shown that childhood to adult learning is a spectrum. Some kids are precocious and some adults are immature where online training is concerned. That said, Knowles' adult learning theory states adults have a developed sense of self, prior experience, practical reasons for learning. They're ready to learn and internally motivated. As a result, their online training programs should be self-directed, relevant, contextual, and task-based. They should be less theoretical and more hands-on.

Do adults learn in the same way as their younger counterparts? Or do they need their own special approach to absorb the information? Do you know what your adult learners need to achieve their goals and tackle everyday challenges? Are you looking for ways to keep your adult learners engaged during your eLearning course? Download our free eBook Designing eLearning Courses For Adult Learners: The Complete Guide to find out about the adult learner characteristics, the obstacles they need to overcome, ways to engage and motivate busy adult learners, and some amazing adult learning facts and stats you need to know as an eLearning pro.

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7 Top Facts About The Adult Learning Theory (2018 Update) - eLearning Industry

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In 1968, Malcolm Shephard Knowles put forward a theory that distinguished adult learning (andragogy) from childhood learning (pedagogy). He expounded his ideas using five main assumptions. Out of these five points, he extrapolated four principles to make adult learning education more effective. Ηis theory still holds water.

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The Adult Learning Theory - Andragogy - of Malcolm Knowles

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Are you interested in Adult Learning Theory? Check the The Adult Learning Theory - Andragogy - of Malcolm Knowles to find out more.

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Introduction to Malcolm Knowles's andragogy theory

Here are two terms that every instructional designer should know. Andragogy and Pedagogy. Andragogy is the process of helping adults learn. Pedagogy is the process of teaching, particularly children. One of the biggest differences between the two is that Andragogy emphasizes learner motivation by connecting it to practical application. While a Pedagogical approach can emphasize learning for the sake of learning. Why is motivation so important? Might be helpful to think of a filing cabinet. When it's new, you can put a file in a drawer then open the drawer again and have no trouble finding the file. But things get different when the filing cabinet is stuffed full of files. Now it takes extra effort to put a new file in. And you'll need a good indexing system to be able to find that file once again. In some respects, our brains are like filing cabinets. As adults, when bombarded with new information while feeling pressed for time. Our brains feel full. So it takes effort to cram new information in there. Malcolm Knowles is widely credited with identifying Six Principles of Andragogy or adult learning. That can help us address this challenge. The first is need to know. Learning takes effort and concentration. So adults need to know the reason they're being asked to learn. That's why it's often helpful to share the purpose of an activity or its objectives. The second principle is Experience. Learning is easier when we can build on existing knowledge. So participants prior experience should provide the basis for many of our learning activities. The third principle is Self-Concept. This means that adults need to be responsible for their learning decisions. For example, you have the ability to skip around from video to video within this course or try or not try various activities. The fourth principle is Readiness. Adults learn best when a training can be used to help them solve an immediate problem. Try to imagine a time when you were really motivated to learn something. You might have been taking skiing lessons so you could go skiing. Or perhaps, you took driving lessons so you could get your drivers license. You may have even taken music lessons so you could play your favorite song. Motivation increases when there's an immediate reason to learn. The fifth principle is Problem Orientation. Adults learn best when training is problem oriented rather than content oriented. That means the training is focused on helping participants acquire specific knowledge, skills or abilities rather than generic content. Adults are much more likely to learn when they feel the training can really help them. The sixth principle is Intrinsic Motivation. Adults learn best when motivation comes from within, rather then relying on external motivations such as prizes or incentives. Let's use a Presentation Skills Class as an example to illustrate how applying adult learning principles can improve a training program's effectiveness. The class originally began as a corporate training program offered on an open enrollment basis. Just in case you aren't familiar with open enrollment. It refers to a course where anyone in the organization can sign up. The course received decent reviews from participants. But there wasn't a strong connection between people taking a class and actually giving better presentations. A few learner focused adjustments were required to make the training program much better. For Need to Know, the course was offered to particular departments. That way, the department leader could help align the training with the department's business goals. For example, the Marketing Director wanted her team to take the course so they could give better presentations at conferences. For Experience, a survey was used to learn about participants past experience given presentations. This enabled the training to build on what they already new. For Self-Concept. Participants were asked to identify the specific presentation skills they wanted to improve. For Readiness. Classes were scheduled at a time when participants really needed it. For example, the marketing department attended the class as part of their preparation for their biggest conference of the year. For Problem-Centered. The training was focused on helping participants prepare and develop a specific presentation. Each participant from the marketing department used the class to design their presentation for the upcoming conference. For Intrinsic Motivation. The course design connected the content with the participants work goals. Members of the marketing department were highly motivated to take the class, because they saw how it could led to a much better performance at their big conference. Applying Malcolm Knowles principles to the presentation skills class transformed it from a generic course to a program that helped participants do their jobs better. Now, it may be helpful to apply these principles to one of your own training classes. You can download the Learner Motivation Worksheet for this video and use it to review an existing program. See if you can identify adjustments that will increase participant motivation. And make your program even more engaging.

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Introduction to Malcolm Knowles's andragogy theory - Instructional Design: Adult Learners Video Tutorial | LinkedIn Learning, formerly Lynda.com

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Here are two terms that every instructional designer should know. Andragogy and Pedagogy. Andragogy is the process of helping adults learn. Pedagogy is the process of teaching, particularly children. One of the biggest differences between the two is that Andragogy emphasizes learner motivation by connecting it to practical application.

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All of Knowle’s principles could be applied to technology training for professional development. 

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All of Knowle’s principles could be applied to technology training for professional development. 

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Need to know: the reason we are being asked to learn

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Need to know: the reason we are being asked to learn

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Experience: learning is easier when you can build on existing knowledge

Self-concept: adults need to be responsible for their learning

Readiness: adults learn best through training; motivation increases when you are ready and want to learn

Problem orientation: adults learn best when training is problem oriented vs. content oriented

Intrinsic motivation: adults learn best when motivation comes from within

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1. Need to Know
2. Experience
3. Self-Concept
4.Readiness
5. Problem orientation
6. Intrinsic Motivation

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Motivation: filing cabinet analogy: open the drawer and it-our brains are like filing cabinets: as adults we have more responsibilities and are pressed for time and feel stressed or full when having to cram in new information

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Motivation: filing cabinet analogy: open the drawer and it-our brains are like filing cabinets: as adults we have more responsibilities and are pressed for time and feel stressed or full when having to cram in new information

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Pedagogy: Learning for the sake of learning

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Pedagogy: Learning for the sake of learning

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Pedagogy: The process of teaching, especially children

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Pedagogy: The process of teaching, especially children

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Andragogy: Learner motivation by connecting it to practical application

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Andragogy: Learner motivation by connecting it to practical application

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Andragogy: The process of helping adults learn

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Andragogy: The process of helping adults learn