Learning StylesAre you a teacher or a teller?

OBJECTIVES

Understand how adults learn best The differences in generations Fun with learning styles Memory techniques Giving constructive feedback

The Respectable Artist

What Happened to Us?

Now That We’re All Grown Up

The Adult Learner

Seeks out learning experiences in order to cope with specific life-changing events—e.g., promotion, retiring, getting fired.

Personal interest or gain

Increasing or maintaining one’s sense of self-esteem and pleasure are strong secondary motivators or engaging in learning experiences.

Understanding Psychology

When We Age

The Hippocampus

DENDRITES AND NEUROTRANSMITTERS

Preferences with Adults

Adult learners prefer single concept, single-theory courses that focus heavily on the application to relevant problems. This tendency increases with age. Refrain from survey courses.

Adults need to be able to integrate new ideas with what they already know if they are going to keep-and use-the information.

Adults take errors personally and are more likely to let them affect self-esteem. Therefore, they tend to apply tried and true solutions and take fewer risks.

We Must Recognize

Adults want their learning to be problem-oriented, personalized and accepting of their need for self-direction and personal responsibility.

THE LEARNING STYLESAuditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic

THE AUDITORY LEARNER

THE VISUAL LEARNER

THE KINESTHETIC LEARNER

MEMORY TECHNIQUES

REMEMBER ME?

Understand instead of memorize Study with the middle in mind Start the day with a recap of yesterday Chunk information (credit card numbers) Mnemonics

FORGETTINGMemory is what makes you wonder what you’ve forgotten

HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET

Herman Ebbinghaus introduced the experimental study of learning and forgetting in 1885. He calculated how long it took to learn a list of three letter nonsense syllables such as SIB and RAL. He found that one hour after he knew the list perfectly, he remembered only 44%. A day later, he recalled 35%, and a week later, only 21%.

WORKING WITH DIFFERENT GENERATIONS

Managing the mix

TRADITIONAL GENERATION BORN 1922-1945

Likes formal communication and tradition

Clear, concise messages are good, but curt messages may seem rude.

Mailed letters or face-to-face contact works best

BABY BOOMERSBORN 1946-1964

Likes messages that clearly explain what happen without seeming like someone is controlling them.

They like being able to share rather than watch

They want their questions answered without too

many conclusive, direct statements They like phones and answering machines Prefer email versus letters

GENERATION XBORN 1965-1980

Likes their message in short, understandable bites

Prefers email

Likes feedback and involvement

Informal communication is best

GENERATION YBORN 1981-PRESENT

Likes concise action words Likes to use humor, but the other

generations won’t get it Emphasize that whatever you ask them to do

is fun and worth their time This group likes all senses stimulated with

color, movement, and music Many in this group have never used a

postage stamp