Consider which category is most indicative of you, as an adult learner.
That is the type you will often plan for first.
AdultLearners
Adult Learners are different.
Teaching adult educators (andragogy) is vastly different from teaching students. The table below introduces questions you can ask during the design phase of planning professional learning to ensure your content is maximally effective in front of an adult audience.
Key Component of Adult Learning | Planning Questions for Consideration |
|---|---|
Relevant | How will your message meet the needs of your participants? Why would they want to know or learn it? What problem will this solve? How will this increase participant engagement or achievement? How might your content and processes make participants’ lives easier? |
Practical | How will you recognize the existing experiences and needs of the group? Will you curate resources for review and use? Will there be time for participants to apply or plan using the information shared during the session? Will there be time for feedback to refine skills? |
Active | How will you use your learning space for active involvement? Will you need materials to increase participation? (handouts, cards for sorting, sticky notes, markers, highlighters) Will you use specific groupings throughout the training? (dyads, triads, small table groups, or around-the-room discussion partners) How will you model any teaching strategies you are proposing? |
Positive | How might you use appropriate humor to set a fun tone? What might be a positive quote, picture, or video to instigate a mindset for learning? How will you monitor your own verbal and nonverbal behaviors to ensure they are portrayed as positive in nature? |
Adapted from Crafting Your Message: Tips and Tricks for Educators to Deliver Perfect Presentations
Speaking to Four Audiences
Weller and Herrmann (1996) and Herrmann and Herrmann-Nehdi (1996, 2015) identify four types of unique audience members to consider when designing professional learning. The following classification gives insights that a facilitator may overlook.
Logical and Methodical | Creative and Imaginative |
These learners need the facts, the numbers, the research, the data. They require you to answer the question, "Why?"
| They appreciate pictures, metaphors, and the big picture. These learners thrive on knowing how things connect and ways in which to visualize it.
|
Relevant and Practical | Relational and Emotional |
They are example-focused, sequential and detail-oriented. These learners are information users.
| These learners appreciate your stories and having a chance to interact with others about the topic. They are expressive and reflective. |
Self-Check
The category diagonally from your strength area consists of characteristics more opposite of you.
This is the type you are most likely to overlook.
It’s helpful to ensure that each portion of the quadrant is acknowledged for each major point or chunk of content. Consider using the Audience Planning Cycle for addressing each of the various learner types throughout a session.
Audience Planning Cycle
Begin with the facts and figures; meet the needs of logical thinkers. Once the members of this group know what you are discussing works, they will listen.
Connect the people to the topic to satisfy the relational and emotional types. Infuse compassion through a story or quote.
Share a metaphor to model possibilities, and use visuals to appeal to the creative thinkers.
Follow with practical examples of others who have tried or experienced the topic.