Understanding Adult Learning Needs In Training

I don't believe learners are dumb but... I do believe people's wants can prevent them from addressing their needs. Too many times when we're analyzing a situation to define a solution, we get hung up on... "What do the people say they want?" They tell us they're "visual learners," or they just want microlearning, or they just need more training. And we believe them. So we create flashy video, or thousands of microlearning modules, or entire year-long curriculum... only to find out none of it works. Or even worse, they don't even engage with it. Because what we've failed to do is look at what they really need through the lens of our expertise as learning and performance professionals. We've failed to see that by "visual learner" they meant they wanted a tutorial but also an opportunity to tinker, to practice, to get feedback, and to try again before they're unleashed into reality. We've failed to see that by "microlearning," they actually just meant they needed the content to be more focused, more relevant, and more timely. We've failed to see that by "more training," they actually needed managers who acknowledged when they were doing the job well and supported confidence-building. How many times have ignored needs in favor of wants because you failed to really gather data and analyze needs? I can help you get past that. It starts with going From Data to Design. #InstructionalDesign #eLearning #LearningAndDevelopment #TransitioningTeacher #Consulting #TalentDevelopment #LXD #LearningDesign

🔴 If learning stays separate from experience, it won’t stick. People don’t learn in a vacuum. They make sense of new information 👉 by connecting it to what they already know. Instead of just delivering content, help learners tie it to their own experiences. Here’s how: 1️⃣ Start with what they already know. Ask questions that activate prior knowledge: ✅ “Have you ever faced a challenge like this?” ✅ “What’s your current approach to solving this problem?” ✅ “What’s worked—or not worked—for you in the past?” This primes the brain to connect new insights to real-life situations. 2️⃣ Use reflection to deepen learning. After introducing a concept, have learners: ✅ Share how it relates to their own experiences. ✅ Compare it to what they’ve done before. ✅ Identify how they might apply it moving forward. Example: Instead of saying, "Here’s how to handle a difficult conversation," ask: "Think about a tough conversation you’ve had—what worked, and what didn’t?" 3️⃣ Encourage storytelling. When learners share personal experiences, they: ✅ Make abstract ideas concrete. ✅ Learn from each other’s perspectives. ✅ Feel more engaged and invested. 4️⃣ Design activities that require personal application. ✅ Case studies where learners apply concepts to their own work. ✅ Discussions that link new ideas to past experiences. ✅ Journaling prompts like: “How does this apply to your role?” Learning isn’t about memorizing facts. It’s about making knowledge personally meaningful. 🤔 How do you help learners connect new ideas to their own experiences? ----------------------- 👋 Hi! I'm Elizabeth! ♻️ Share this post if you found it helpful. 👆 Follow me for more tips! 🤝 Reach out if you need a high-quality learning solution designed to engage learners and drive real change. #InstructionalDesign #AdultLearning #MakeLearningStick #LearningAndDevelopment

Recently I listened to Luke Hobson, EdD's podcast on #andragogy, or the science behind #adultlearningtheory. It was incredibly insightful to hear him explain the six major principles in a simple to understand way! I also was very encouraged to notice I've already been using a lot of these in some sort of way (though there's always room for growth and improvement!). Here's a quick recap of my big takeaways: ✴️ "The Why Being the Ask" - Clarifying for the target audience how the learning will help them in their jobs. One great tip I got was to add a statement with each learning objective about its relevance (emphasis on relevance is a HUGE part of my instructional processes!). ✴️ Acknowledging what the audience already knows / past experiences - Each course I start, I always do a survey with my learners about their learning preferences, interests, and goals, as I make every effort to connect and cater the learning experiences to the interests and needs of my learners. While this may seem like a big task, by involving different forms of presenting information and ways to gather responses, I am usually able to meet the expectations and preferences of my learners. This also involves the concept of #universaldesignforlearning or #udl, which promotes the idea of having multiple ways and flexible means of how to accomplish #learninggoals (I've got a great suggestion for a book to help flesh this out; if you're interested, see the comments!). ✴️ Relevance - As mentioned above, going beyond just the theory to make clear the relevance of the learning is paramount! ✴️ Self-concept - Again, implementing UDL practices helps in providing flexibility for how learners want to learn! ✴️ Problem-Centric - Incorporating real-world problems for learners to solve (my favorite way is using #scenariobasedlearning, though case studies are also another great means); incorporating quality interactions and breaks also helps with this. I liked Luke's suggestion of the 70/30 divide - 70% "action," 30% exploring instructional content. ✴️ Last but not least, intrinsic motivation - Inspiring learners to believe in themselves and their abilities and encouraging a #growthmindset. This is always my goal as an instructor. Some great suggestions Luke had for supporting this are regular check-ins and giving learners feedback and praise for responses (again, I strive to do this as often as possible). This podcast also inspired me with some additional ideas that I look forward to implementing in the near future! What are your thoughts? What are your best tips for supporting adult learning? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! #instructionaldesign #learninganddevelopment #learningexperiencedesign #bettereveryday