Neuroscience Of Adult Learning

[Billi Plancarte]

AdultLearning highlights that adult learners are fundamentally different in their methods of learning in comparison with children. As an L&D professional, you need to understand these differences and figure out the best ways to apply them to meet your learner's needs.

With adult learners, you will encounter unique expectations, demands, and challenges. The key is to accommodate these and design training and eLearning courses in a manner that is most effective and engaging for them.

While there are multiple methodologies to make this happen, there is a model proposed by Lila Davachi, Associate Professor of Psychology at New York University that is known to be effective. Known as AGES (Attention-Generation-Emotion-Spacing), this model highlights four key elements that are essential for effective adult learning to happen.

The first and foremost step in any learning process is to gain the learner's attention. While a little distraction is good in some situations, during learning, it is important that the learner is single-mindedly focused. This is especially true when a person is trying to learn something new. Research has revealed that though it is physically possible to multitask, the efficiency and effectiveness of the time taken to complete a task gets impacted negatively during multitasking.

In fact, Edward Hallowell, MD, Director of the Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health has reiterated that true multitasking is only a myth. Though we are inclined to believe that we are doing multiple things at the same time, it is nothing but a misconception. This is because the cerebral cortex in the brain can focus on only one thing at a time. What happens is that the mind shifts from one thing to the other very quickly and in the process, the effectiveness of both is lost.

Once you have managed to gain the attention of a learner for a particular task, an idea is generated in the working memory. However, the important thing now is to decide how to maximize the likelihood of these memories forming. Research has proved that repetition has a limited impact on creating learning that lasts. By repeating something ten times, you are not necessarily creating the desired learning impact.

Adult learning is totally different from the way children learn. While children learn from their surroundings without being choosy, adults learn in a more selective manner. They tend to capitalize on what they already know and build upon it. They take responsibility for what they need to and want to learn which is why self-directed learning is a hit with adults. Self-directed learning allows the learners to control what they know and to an extent, how they learn. It provides a foundation for transformative learning - using critical thinking to challenge and question what students have learned earlier and thereby, form conclusions on what they learn.

Now, why and how is this more effective? The brain depends on experiences, both individual and social for its growth. Whenever the human brain is actively involved in learning, it is more effective and efficient.

It is a well-known fact that emotion and memory are interlinked. Research has shown that emotionally active events form a place in our memory for a longer span of time than the events that are slightly on the neutral side.

Hermann Ebbinghaus, a German psychologist, came up with a theory called the Forgetting Curve. It refers to the period just after learning has taken place when we start to forget what we have learned. According to the findings, we tend to forget almost 50-80 percent of all new information we have learned within a few days after the learning event has occurred. But we tend to recall more and forget less when the learning is spaced across time and repeated during the teaching session. According to these same findings, learning using the spaced repetition method, improves long-term retention by 200 percent.

Learning designers should hence, design learning programs that space the reiteration of content delivered to the learners. When you distribute the learning in spaced stages, it ensures long-term memory, thus making the learning effective and more impactful.

Have you ever felt like your courses are packed with facts and figures, yet your learners just aren't retaining the information? Why do you think that is? Could it be that the way we're presenting information just isn't sticking?

Are you facing criticism for your company's eLearning courses not being engaging enough? In today's fast-paced work environment, where time is a precious commodity and information overload is a daily challenge, capturing and maintaining your team's attention can be a daunting task. The reality is stark: traditional training methods are no longer effective for a workforce that demands not only knowledge but also relevance and adaptability to fit into their busy schedules. Simply maintaining the 'status quo' in your training approach is no longer sufficient.

In today's landscape, training and development departments are tackling a range of challenges from technological upgrades to creating content that's accessible and engaging for a diverse workforce. This complex landscape is reflective of broader industry trends where the pace of change is not just fast, but accelerating. The Industry at a Glance: According to LinkedIn's 2022 Workplace Learning Report, 64% of learning and development professionals agree that their role has become more challenging compared to just two years ago. This is largely due to the rapid technological shifts and the increasing demand for digital upskilling. A recent Gartner survey highlights that 58% of the workforce needs new skill sets just to keep up with their current job demands, let alone future innovations. The same Gartner study points out that the shift to more remote and hybrid work models has necessitated a complete rethink of traditional training methods. This includes not only the mediums of delivery but also the content itself to ensure inclusivity and engagement across geographies and cultures.

As adult learners now make up the majority of U.S. students, it is more important than ever for educators who administer and teach in post-traditional programs to understand how the adult brain learns. This article examines the science of how the adult brain learns and offers suggestions for faculty in post-traditional programs to capitalize on this knowledge and maximize the effectiveness of their teaching. Both theoretical underpinnings and practical tips for brain-based teaching are offered

I will elucidate on some of what we know about how the adult brain learns, through examination of one of the most intriguing concepts from the field of neuroandragogy, an emerging field born from the intersection of neuroscience and andragogy, a term popularized by Malcolm Knowles, the influential theorist of adult education whose book The Modern Practice of Adult Education still serves as a seminal text for educators. I will provide an illustrative example of the application of this knowledge to teaching practice. The science and the tips offered in this piece are applicable to both on-campus and online learning.

With a perfunctory understanding of andragogy and neuroandragogy, let us now examine the science of how the brain actually learns. I will then offer tips for maximizing this knowledge toward better teacher practice.

Thus, to understand how the brain learns is to understand that teachers, trainers, and facilitators simply must find some way to connect new information to something the learner already knows. Without that connection, learning is simply not taking place.

This article has shared the science behind the importance of creating enriched environments when teaching and provided an example to help illustrate how you, too, can engage in the best possible practices to ensure learning is taking place in your classrooms whether online or on campus.

Wilson, C. (2011). Neuroandragogy: Making the case for a link with andragogy and brain-based learning. Paper presented at the meeting of the Midwest Research-to-Practice Conference in Adult, Continuing, Community, and Extension Education, Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO.

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Impact of Neurosciences in adult learning has been a subject of great interest for L&D professionals for sometime now. There is a fantastic connection between Brain Sciences and the learning process. Neuroscience inspired approaches captivates, engages, and empowers the learning process of adults.

Understanding Adult Learners:Adult learners bring a wealth of knowledge and life experiences to the learning process, making it dynamic and unique. They are motivated by specific goals and seek practical and applicable knowledge. Adult learners usually prefer self-directed and problem centered learning, where they can actively engage with the content and apply it to real-life situations.

Start sessions with compelling stories or personal anecdotes that resonates with learners and evokes emotional responses thereby building connection to the content. Incorporate moments of surprise, curiosity, or novelty throughout the learning experience to sustain learners' attention and curiosity.

Repetition is the key to learning, and spaced repetition is the key to remembering" - Patrick Allan. Patrick is a writer and productivity expert. He highlights the importance of spaced repetition in the learning process. The quote underscores the idea that repetition alone is not enough; it is the strategic spacing of repetitions that enhances memory and retention. By incorporating spaced repetition techniques into learning experiences, we can optimize the learning process and improve long-term recall.

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