The Six Assumptions of Adult Learning

This year the speaker used PowerPoint presentation to guide him and its viewers during the lecture. I thought that the topic of his "school culture" was quiet, but at the end of the speech I could not resist a heavy line of sight. The speaker seems to be an expert in his field, but his voice has no distortion or tone. In fact, he is a thing. After my first break, after returning to our seat, I noticed that I did not notice for the past few years.

Finally, adult learning is a theory with six assumptions about adult learning methods, and this theory emphasizes the value of the learning process. There are six assumptions for adult learning, and it is necessary to know why adults need to learn, learning preparation, self concept, learning motivation, learning direction and learner's experience. This approach is based on questions and collaboration, not discipline. It is also based on the equality of trainers and trainees. (Advantages and problems, n.d.)

According to Darkenwald and Merriam (1982), these assumptions focus on the importance of adult learning and development. The first two hypotheses (adults are independent and form their identity from their own personal experience) come from human philosophy and psychology. The last two hypotheses (involved in adult learning preparation) help to understand adult learning in terms of psychosocial development. These assumptions, combined with the principles associated with the learning process, allow adult educators to understand the interrelationship between adults and learning.

Andragogy is the art and science of adult education based on a series of core premises on the causes and methods of adult learning. The first assumption is that adults are voluntary (Knowles, 1984). Therefore, adults learn best if the learning process is voluntary, not focusing on the traditional dependent educational environment. Second, adults can learn more learning experiences and extensive experience (Knowles, 1984). Third, the development of adult roles plays an important role in promoting adult learning (Knowles, 1984). For example, when a person gets older and takes on a new role, such as a care provider, for a child or elderly parent, the individual needs to learn new skills. The fourth hypothesis is that adult learning is directly related to adult development, so the focus of adult learning is to solve the problem or do a new work (Knowles, 1984).