Adult Learning

Principles,Training
and Facilitation skills
Session Objectives:
By the end of today’s session, participants will have:
Reflected on past learning experiences and trainer skills
Learned basic principles of adult learning to design and deliver
training
Understood the importance of using adult learning in training
sessions
Reviewed how to create a safe environment for training and
explored its impact on the learning process
Discussed how to use effective facilitation techniques
Identified different teaching methods and when and how to apply
them in trainings

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Group Reflection Activity
Describe your best
learning experience.
What made this
experience so good?
Take 5 minutes to
discuss and write
down your analysis
and share it with the
group.

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Learning from Self reflection
Activity
While knowledge of the subject is as
important for effective training, learning is
often a result of:
 how trainers communicate with learners and
 how trainers help to facilitate communication
among participants.

Understanding and applying principles of

adult learning in trainings will have a
positive impact on participants

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How Adults Learn…
RESPECT
IMMEDIACY
EXPERIENCE

20% hear
40% hear & see
80% do

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 5 Principles of Adult Learning
1. Adults feel anxious if participating in a group
makes them look weak, either professionally or
personally.
2. Adults bring a great deal of experience and
knowledge to any learning situation.
3. Adults are decision-makers and self-directed
learners.
4. Adults are motivated by information or tasks that
they find meaningful.
5. Adults have many responsibilities and can be
impatient when their time is wasted.
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1. Adults feel anxious if participating in a
group makes them look weak.

If this principle is true, what can you do as a

trainer to make adults feel safe to experiment
and learn and stretch their minds in your
classroom?

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 1. Adults feel anxious if participating in a
group makes them look weak.

Design training workshops, exercises, and discussion

sessions that help people feel:
 Safe to ask questions.
 Confident that they will be respected.
Don’t ask people to take risks too early in a workshop or
course (e.g., to engage in role play) unless they already
know one another well.
Provide opportunities and allow time for people to
establish themselves in a group.

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2. Adults bring a great deal of experience and
knowledge to any learning situation.

If adults define themselves by their experiences,

how might this influence how they learn?

What can you do as a trainer to make sure that

you are taking advantage of the knowledge and
experience of the adults in your classroom?

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2. Adults bring a great deal of experience
and knowledge to any learning situation.
Show respect for participants’ experiences by asking them to
share ideas, opinions, and knowledge.
Recognize that participants are a good resource for reaching
your goals.
An assessment of participants experiences and knowledge
can tell you more about them.
 Can be done before or on first day of training with a short
questionnaire.
 Or done orally during introductions or with an activity (e.g.,
“Stand-up/Sit down”)

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3. Adults are decision-makers and self-
directed learners.

How does knowing this make a

difference in your approach to training?

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3. Adults are decision-makers and self-
directed learners.

Adults like to learn at their own pace.

Adults will usually only do what they want to do.
Be the “guide on the side” rather than the “sage on
the stage”.
Listen to what they want and need and be flexible in
your planning.
 Change your approach if your agenda or methods
are not working.
 Seek feedback from the group.

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4. Adults are motivated by information or tasks
that they find meaningful.

“How can knowing this influence how you approach adult

learners?

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4. Adults are motivated by information or tasks
that they find meaningful.
Conduct needs assessment so that you are aware of:
 What people want (and need) to learn.
 How much they already know.
 Needs related to learning styles.

Try to identify themes that might affect participants’ attention spans:

 Concerns and issues that are most important in a person’s life.
 Themes may enhance or challenge a person’s ability to learn.
 Examples: Fear of losing a job, the health of a loved one or
themselves, the desire for promotion, or beginning a new job.

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 5. Adults have many responsibilities and can be
impatient when their time is wasted.

How can you conduct a training that takes this into

account?

“Be sincere, be brief, and be seated.”

-Spencer Tracy, actor

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5. Adults have many responsibilities and can
be impatient when their time is wasted.

Begin and end your session on time.

Clearly state session time and objectives
Understand who is in the audience and why they are
participating.
Learn what questions they have about the subject.
Don’t cover material they already know unless there is a good
reason for review.
Recognize that your subject is only one of many that participants
may be interested in learning about.
Keep participants physically comfortable.

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Four Adult Learning Styles
Experiencers
(Feelers)

Observers

Innovators
(Doer’s)

Analyzers
(Thinkers)

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Training Activities for Experiencers

Games
Role plays
Brainstorming
Interviews
Discussion
Hands-on exercises

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Training Activities for Observers
Lectures
Demonstrations
Videos
Visual Aids
Modeling
Exhibits
Instruments

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 Training Activities for
Innovators/Doers

Projects
Role plays
Hands-on,
experimental
exercises
Action plans

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Training Activities for Analyzers
Lectures
Case studies
Readings
Journaling
Visualization
Programmed
instruction

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Blending Styles
Well-known saying in teacher training courses:
I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.

But it is important to note:

 Some people learn (and remember their learning)
primarily by hearing others talk.
 Some people readily understand how to do
something if they only see someone do an
activity
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Levels of Training
Level 1: Didactic training (lecture, journal club,
rounds)
Level 2: Skill-building workshop (small group
discussions, role plays, demonstrations w/ practice)
Level 3: Clinical training (observation of care,
interaction with patients)
Level 4: Clinical consultation (phone, fax or internet)
Level 5: Capacity building (support of skills learned,
clinic/institutional-level change)

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Reflection Activity
Take a moment to
remember a good
trainer – someone
you knew recently or
long ago.
In your opinion,
what 1 or 2 personal
characteristics made
him/her an effective
trainer?

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Traits of a Strong Facilitator
Understands group dynamics
Subtly manages disruptive behaviors
Reflects back participant comments to clarify and confirm that
they understand what participant is saying– never assumes
understanding
Does not allow personal biases, opinions, experiences to enter
into the discussion
Sensitive to different cultural approaches
Empathetic and non-judgmental

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Traits of a Strong Facilitator (cont)
Enthusiastic and positive (“I’m glad you’re here/I’m glad I’m
here” attitude)
Flexible– can change agenda according to group’s
needs/responses
Has knowledge of topic
Uses language that the group understands
Utilizes a variety of teaching methods
Draws on experience of individual’s in the group
Manages time and agenda

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Effective Training Skills

Creating a Safe Environment

Using Effective Facilitation Skills
 Listening skills
 Asking questions
 Giving Feedback
 Managing time
 Managing group dynamics
 Managing sensitive topics in a group
 Managing Challenging Participants

Teaching Methods

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Creating an Effective Training
Environment
Table/desk set-up (small rounds or horseshoe)
Groundrules
Warm-Up/Introductions/Ice-breakers
Effective facilitation- create relaxed atmosphere
Small group work
Neutral space
Greet participants
Role of participants at training
Energizers after lunch

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Facilitation Skills: Listening
Responses
Non-verbal listening skills
 Eye-contact
 Encouraging gestures/posture
 Addresses all participants equally

Summarize what participants are saying

 Paraphrase
 Reflect-Back
 Elaborate or Clarify

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Facilitation Skills: Ways to Ask
Questions
Open – Questions that elicit long descriptive answers
and generate discussion.
 Start with words like what, why, how, and
describe

Closed – Questions that have short answers like

“yes” or “no.”
 Start with words like can, will, did, and are.

Closed questions can be helpful when used under the

right circumstances – do not discard them by default!
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Facilitation Skills: Managing Time
Constraints
Identify a timekeeper (give 15 minutes notice)
Use the “Parking Lot”
Politely move the conversation along
“This is a lot of useful information. There is a lot more
to say than we have time for today. Thank you for
sharing so much of your experiences.”
Reference schedule
“I know many of you feel strongly about this topic and
have a lot to share. I am going to need to move us to
the next topic so that we are sure to cover all of the
important topics on today’s schedule and so you can
leave on time.”

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Facilitation Skills: Giving Feedback
Feedback is an integral part of adult learning
Feedback is directed at skills, not personal
characteristics
Feedback is not negative criticism
Feedback combines both what worked well
during training and what could be improved

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Facilitation Skills: Characteristics
of Effective Feedback
Feedback should be specific, not general
statements
Feedback should be given at the time of
learning rather than later. The sooner, the
better
Give feedback in a “feedback masala dosa:”
 Positive observation
 Constructive critical observation or suggestion
 Second positive observation, summary statement

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Facilitation Skills: Characteristics of
Effective Feedback
Ask the learner for his/her own reaction or
opinion
 What do you think you did well?
 What do you wish you had done better?

If possible, suggest resources that might help

the person improve

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Facilitation Skills: Feedback “Do’s”

Do be honest, but also gentle

Do give reasonable and practical suggestions
for improving
Do think of feedback as a gift you can given
another person
Do use respectful statements like, “You may
want to consider…” instead of “You should…”

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Facilitation Skills: Feedback
“Don'ts”

Don’t critique personal characteristics.

Critique the skills that a person might be able
to learn or improve upon
Avoid the use of the word “should”
Don’t correct serious issues in public
Don’t add personal statements such as, “You
always…”

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Facilitation Skills: Receiving
Feedback
Try not to become defensive; listen with
openness – ACTIVE LISTENING
Focus on the specific suggestions you are
receiving
Separate facts from opinions
Form an action plan to improve
Ask questions about the feedback if you
are unclear or would like more information

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Key Points
Concepts of respect, immediacy, and experience
need to be applied when helping adults learn
There are 4 main adult learning styles
 None are “better” than the other
 Goal is to use a blend of methods to reach the greatest
number of adult learners

Adult learning principles should be incorporated into

every step of developing a training programme for
optimal results

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Key Points
A strong facilitator is:
 Well versed in the topic
 Empathetic, non-judgmental, respectful
 Enthusiastic and flexible

The environment needs to be taken into consideration when

implementing a training
There are several skills that facilitators need to develop in order
to deliver effective training
Multiple teaching methods are available for content delivery;
however it is important that they be appropriate to the specific
topic/session

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Thank You!

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