Principles of Adult Learning
Riyani Wikaningrum
Komisi Penelitian & Pengembangan
Kurikulum
P2K
FK Universitas YARSI
Anatomy lab
Collegezaal rond 1798
Collegezaal rond 1998
Amphitheater lecture room with dedicated
LCD and access to the internet
Anything changed?
Overview of Presentation
• Principles on learning and transfer
• Principles of Adult Learning
• Conclusions
Principles on learning and transfer
• What is important for learning
Assumption
Provision of information
=
Learning
Information transfer
Simplified Model of the Cognitive System
Input Short-term memory Long-term memory
Sensors
Output
What do we see in practice?
• It is very difficult to retrieve knowledge
from your long-term memory
• Students have difficulties in applying
knowledge in practical situations
Learning principles
Average
Teach Retention Rate
others 80%
Practice by doing 75%
Discussion group 50%
Demonstration 30%
Audiovisual 20%
Reading 10%
Lecture 5%
National Training Laboratories, Bethel, Maine, USA
Learning principle
How to fly a kite
A newspaper is better than a magazine. A seashore is a
better place than the street. At first, it is better to run
than to walk. You may have to try several times. It takes
some skill but it’s easy to learn. Even young children
can enjoy it. Once successful, complications are
minimal. Birds seldom get too close. Rain however,
soaks in very fast. Too many people doing the same
thing can also cause problems. One needs lots of room.
If there are no complications, it can be very peaceful. A
rock will serve as an anchor. If things break loose from
it, however, you will not get a second chance.
Learning principles
• The activation of prior knowledge
facilitates the acquisition and recall of
new information
Practical implications
• students should be stimulated in activating
prior knowledge about the subject
– (asking questions, presenting a problem,
discussions)
• so they realize what they know and what
they don’t know
• and…. what they wanted to know
Learning principle
Learning principles
• Contextual information is always stored
along when new information is acquired
Practical implications
• The information given should be very rich of
context, contain many clues
• Context facilitates recall of information
(losing your key)
Learning principle
Learning principles
• Giving meaning to learning activities
facilitates recall of information
Practical implications
• Try always to link the information given
to relevant and meaningful practical
situations
Learning principle
Learning principles
The alphabet
•A Z
Z A
Learning principles
• The way that knowledge is structured in
memory will determine its accessibility
for later use
Practical implications
• Try to provide the students information
as authentic as possible or link it to very
common situations in practice
The 4 Learning principles
• Prior knowledge activation
• Context of learning
• Give meaning to learning activities
• The problems presented should equalize
the real life situation
Laws of Learning
• Doing
• Effect
• Exercise
• Primacy
Principles of Adult Learning
Adult Learners . . .
1. Are autonomous and self-directed.
2. Have a foundation of life experiences and
knowledge.
3. Are goal-oriented.
4. Are relevancy-oriented.
5. Are practical.
6. Need to be shown respect.
1. Adult learners are
autonomous and self-directed.
Implications:
• Involve participants.
• Serve as facilitator.
• Determine interests of learners.
2. Adult learners have a foundation
of life experiences and knowledge.
Implications:
• Recognize expertise of participants.
• Encourage participants to share their
experiences and knowledge.
Prior knowledge activation
3. Adult learners are goal-
oriented.
Implications:
• Be organized.
• Have clear objectives.
4. Adult learners are
relevancy-oriented.
Implication:
• Explain how learning objectives relate to
medical training.
5. Adult learners are
practical.
Implication:
• Show relevance of learning to the future
profession.
6. Adult learners need to be
respected.
Implications:
• Acknowledge the wealth of knowledge and
experiences the participants bring to the
training.
• Treat the participants as equals rather than
subordinates.
Conclusion
Expertise research
Novice
Novice Expert
Adult Learners
• are goal-oriented and
opportunity driven
• Use their experience to
help out their learning
• Learn best in informal,
pleasant environments
Active Learning
• Learning is not a spectator sport.
• The more actively engaged the learner is,
the more learning takes place.
• Different instructional methodologies have
greater rates of retention e.g. Problem-
based Learning
Methods of Instruction
Telling
• 70% recall 3 hrs
• 10% recall 3 days
Showing
• 72% recall 3 hrs
• 20% recall 3 days
Show & Tell
• 85% recall 3 hrs
• 65% recall 3 days
Thank you for your attention!