1. Barriers to Adult Learning
PROJECT
By: Patti Blight, Sarah Cancelliere, Danielle Gunton, Avril Reid, Kerry Weir
DUE DATE
JANUARY 16 2013 COURSE
BEC910CE- ADULT EDUCATION

2. What are some common barriers
experienced by adult learners when they
choose to return to school or participate in
workplace training?

3. ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS
YOU CAN’T
TEACH AN OLD
DOG NEW
TRICKS…OR
CAN YOU?

4. THE CASE
• Anita is over 50
• She has been in her job for 20 years
• Her job is being outsourced
• She can not afford to retire
• She needs to develop new skills
• She needs to go back to school

5. THE BARRIER
“Many adults have experienced so much
criticism, failure, and discouragement in their
youth that their self-confidence and sense of
worth are damaged. In a new learning
environment, adults often are anxious, fear
failure, and dread rejection by their peer group
(Kennedy, 2003).”

7. ALLEVIATING THE FEARS
Provide a safe and welcoming
environment
Have students interact and discuss prior
experiences
Have students explain their goals
Provide students with detailed course
outline and expectations

8. THE EDUCATOR
“Part of being an effective educator
involves understanding how adults
learn best (Lieb,1991)”.

9. APPLYING KNOWLES
KNOWLES’ EDUCATOR’S ROLE
PRINCIPLES Be a facilitator:
Understand how adults
1. Adults are internally
learn and allow students
motivated and self-directed
to participate in the
direction of the class
Recognize and
accommodate different
learning styles

10. APPLYING KNOWLES
KNOWLES’ PRINCIPLES EDUCATOR’S ROLE
2. Adults bring life Acknowledge value of
experiences and previous experience
knowledge to learning
experiences

11. APPLYING KNOWLES
EDUCATOR’S ROLE
KNOWLES’
PRINCIPLES Show direct link between
course material and
3. Adults are goal student’s goals
oriented
Use real case studies to
examine theory

12. APPLYING KNOWLES
KNOWLES’ EDUCATOR’S ROLE
PRINCIPLES Provide assignment
options that reflect
4. Adults are relevancy student interests
oriented Provide students with
reflective questions to
assess connection to
goals

13. APPLYING KNOWLES
KNOWLES’ EDUCATOR’S ROLE
PRINCIPLES Encourage active
participation allowing
5. Adults are practical students to experiment
and develop self
efficacy
Provide feedback on a
regular basis

14. APPLYING KNOWLES
KNOWLES’ EDUCATOR’S ROLE
PRINCIPLES
Acknowledge past
6. Adult learners like to be experience
respected Treat adult learner as an
equal
Promote an environment
for expression of ideas