Comments on: Teaching Adults: Is It Different? Research on The Topic #astd #trdev http://www.thetrainingworld.com/wp/training-wisdom-or-training-foolishness/teaching-adults-is-it-different-research-on-the-topic-astd-trdev/ Robert Bacal's Commentary and Learning Materials For Trainers, Managers, HR Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:59:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Robert Bacal http://www.thetrainingworld.com/wp/training-wisdom-or-training-foolishness/teaching-adults-is-it-different-research-on-the-topic-astd-trdev/comment-page-1/#comment-968 Robert Bacal Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:04:10 +0000 http://www.thetrainingworld.com/wp/?p=370#comment-968 Interesting, isn't it. In fact, adult learners are very much more similar to younger learners in almost every respect UNTIL you get down to children under, let's say the age of 10 or so, maybe some bit older. Children under certain ages are limited due to normal age related brain development. Research on Piagetian stages suggested that about 50% of adults actually never get to the final stage of cognitive development -- formal operations, which is required for abstract thought and moral reasoning. So, generally it's not that younger people function better that we thought, but that "adults" really function much less like "adults" than the party line states. As for the Generational stuff, you are right on. There's a book called Boom, Bust and Echo by Foot that deals with the subject. His position is quite fascinating and makes sense -- that generational issues are an illusion. What is important is age related experiences. For example, if you were to compare a 35 year old of today with one of twenty years ago, you'd find them very similar, because they are at the same life stage (married, career stable, parenting, etc). Interesting, isn’t it. In fact, adult learners are very much more similar to younger learners in almost every respect UNTIL you get down to children under, let’s say the age of 10 or so, maybe some bit older. Children under certain ages are limited due to normal age related brain development.

Research on Piagetian stages suggested that about 50% of adults actually never get to the final stage of cognitive development — formal operations, which is required for abstract thought and moral reasoning. So, generally it’s not that younger people function better that we thought, but that “adults” really function much less like “adults” than the party line states.

As for the Generational stuff, you are right on. There’s a book called Boom, Bust and Echo by Foot that deals with the subject. His position is quite fascinating and makes sense — that generational issues are an illusion. What is important is age related experiences. For example, if you were to compare a 35 year old of today with one of twenty years ago, you’d find them very similar, because they are at the same life stage (married, career stable, parenting, etc).

]]> By: Richard http://www.thetrainingworld.com/wp/training-wisdom-or-training-foolishness/teaching-adults-is-it-different-research-on-the-topic-astd-trdev/comment-page-1/#comment-967 Richard Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:55:45 +0000 http://www.thetrainingworld.com/wp/?p=370#comment-967 Thank God there is research supporting what I have always believed LOL. As a former high school teacher, now later an adult Workshop leader, I have always wondered how there could possibly be such a difference between adult and teenage learners. The two "groups" have far more similarities than differences. I feel the same way about Boomers, Gen Y, Gen X blah blah blah. Well prepared and designed presentations and practices are universally better that disorganized and irrelevant ones no matter the media. When the learning requirements guide the objectives that guide the design, together with the application of *real* learning theory, the training will be well served. Thank God there is research supporting what I have always believed LOL. As a former high school teacher, now later an adult Workshop leader, I have always wondered how there could possibly be such a difference between adult and teenage learners. The two “groups” have far more similarities than differences. I feel the same way about Boomers, Gen Y, Gen X blah blah blah. Well prepared and designed presentations and practices are universally better that disorganized and irrelevant ones no matter the media. When the learning requirements guide the objectives that guide the design, together with the application of *real* learning theory, the training will be well served.

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