Module 2/4 34 min
Designing a session for adults
Step 1 / 2·Adults learn differently in four ways
0/2 steps done
Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Apply adult learning principles to session design
- Build a session on the four-beat structure
- Allocate time between input and practice
Learn ~12 min
Adults learn differently in four ways
Design around how learners actually take things in.
Four characteristics and what they mean for design
| Characteristic | Design consequence |
|---|---|
| Adults need to know why before they will engage | Open with a problem they are having, not with a learning objective |
| Adults arrive with existing experience | Ask how they do it now before showing a new way; dismiss their experience and they turn defensive |
| Adults learn to solve a problem, not to accumulate knowledge | Organise content around work situations, not around theory chapters |
| Adults want a say in how they learn | Offer choices: exercises on their own cases, their own pace, difficulty level |
