Unlike children, adults have some experience to which they relate any new learning material to. So, their learning style is unique and different from that of a child. Children have no prior experience and so they are eager to learn anything. Therefore, adult learning is based on learning principles that help the learner gain the most from the learning experience. These principles have become fundamental, and online courses developers draw from them when developing modules and learning materials. So how are the principles used in online learning?
Typically, adults learn by doing. It allows them to draw from their experience and utilize the new learning materials in their learning endeavors. Read on to see the uses of adult learning principles in online learning.
Adults Learn Well When They are Self-Directed
According to this principle, adults love it when they are in control of the learning process. It allows them to learn at a pace they are comfortable with, enabling them to set priorities. Thus, online courses are self-directed. They allow the learner to choose the content and the pace at which to learn it. The course spells out the learning outcomes but allows the learners to choose those they want to achieve fast. In fact, it is the reason why the learner’s preference is vital in online courses.
Therefore, a good online course should provide the learner with job aids that motivate them to pursue the course up to the end. Also, by the end of the course, learners should solve the teething problem they face.
Content Should Be Task-Oriented and Relevant
Children are prepared to learn anything including boring content. However, adults choose what to learn. They will be eager to get exposed to content that is useful in their daily lives or which can help them add value to the job they do. The training must be relevant to their responsibility or the role they play in society. For instance, a red cross employee would be eager to learn about first aid than learning about customer care etiquette. So, in developing online courses, the focus should be on what they need to know to help them enhance their performance. Similarly, the content should be task-based and designed to solve the problem at hand. It should use examples that connect to the role they play.
Should Draw on Knowledge and Experience
Adult students are mature and have an enormous amount of knowledge and experience to draw from. So, they will want to receive the learning material right and not according to your views. They have a mindset that tells them what is right.
As a result, online course developers should tailor the training material to connect to the previous experience. Also, the course should appreciate that the learners have different mindsets and capabilities. So, it should be as receptive as possible. Lastly, it should provide the learners with an opportunity to give feedback at the end of the course. It helps you adjust the learning materials to include the suggestions in the feedback and things the adults want to learn.
Should Be Goal-Oriented
Children learn because that is what their parents and teachers want them to do. But the case is different for adults who only want to acquire certain knowledge because there is something pleasant, they expect to get at the end of the course. Some of the things that may motivate them to learn include starting a new business, getting promoted, or bettering their performance at their workplace. For instance, a doctor in the current pandemic situation would be eager to learn a therapy that reduces severe effects of coronavirus in patients.
Therefore, adults will choose a course they believe can help them fulfill their goals. They will not bother taking part in learning content to either finish or please elders.
Also, adult courses should be practical. They may not be interested so much in the theories the way the young persons do. Therefore, you must approach online courses from a practical point of view. There should be a direct link on how the learner can apply the learned material to solve real-life problems. If it offers a real-life solution to the problem, the contentment or the course will attract and endear learners.
Notice that the course should be relevant, and you must tailor it to meet the stated goal. It should be relevant to the problem at hand and must help the learner become a better person. It should allow them to participate in various activities taking place. As a result, online course developers must tailor their courses to offer permanent solutions to the problem they face.
Foster Collaborative Relationship
You can force kids to learn any material you want. However, the ball game is quite different when you step into an adult’s court. The learning material should be interesting, and you must build a collaborative relationship, respect and treat them as adults. Also, you should value and provide an opportunity for feedback. The course should encourage learners to use social tools, including LinkedIn, Twitter, or even Facebook. It helps them to collaborate further and share their learning experience with the rest of the world.
Also, you may need to go a step further and appreciate them for any milestone made towards achieving their goal. When you appreciate and applaud learners, they feel motivated, and you will see them walk the extra mile.
Final Thoughts
Incorporating adult learning principles in e-learning makes learning better and helps bring about the desired behavioral change. So, learning principles are important in online course development. They are the tools they need to create courses that meet the targets and expectations of the learners. They are based on the sense of self-belief and values, So the course should create a sense of orderliness and sync with the inner purpose of the targeted students.
