OED 109: PSYCHOLOGY OF ADULT LEARNING --- THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA

Motivating Factors in Adult Learning 

Adults have a range of different motivations for selecting a course/programme. Some reasons they may choose to take a course include:

	For personal development purposes, e.g. communication or financial management skills
	For professional advancement, e.g. upgrading of skills to enhance employability or change careers
	To meet employment expectations, e.g. an employer may require that the person attend
	To bring additional skills to the workplace, e.g. presentation skills or information technology skills
	To develop skills which will benefit the local community
	To sample a topic which they might consider studying in greater depth
	To prepare for further study/full-time education
	To resolve personal problems, e.g. conflict resolution
	To facilitate/accommodate life changes, e.g. retirement or parenting
	To make or maintain social relationships
	For escape or stimulation
	For interest only

Tutors should be aware of the possible motivations behind their students' enrolment in order to have a better understanding of how to shape/modify their teaching materials and classroom exercises. It is likely that any group of students will have a variety of motivations and all need to be considered.

OED 109 : PSYCHOLOGY OF ADULT LEARNERS --- THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA.

Anxieties of Adult Learners

Adults may have many anxieties about learning and returning to an educational environment . Adult learners arrive at class with a wealth of experience that can be harnessed to generate interesting and dynamic debate. However, before this is to happen, we need to be aware that adults can also arrive full of anxieties, which if not managed correctly, can impair the learning process. These anxieties may be the legacy of their prior experience of education, or as a result of an extended absence from an educational environment. Examples of anxieties that might arise include:

	Fear of failure
	Concern about being the oldest member of the group
	Fear of being made to look foolish
	Fear of the new technological environment and the implications this has for their study, e.g. use of the internet and email, producing assignments, accessing the library
	Concern about their ability to contribute and make intelligent/worthwhile inputs in classroom discussion
	Doubts about coping strategies - juggling family, career and social commitments with demands of studying
	Consideration about physical impairments such as fading eyesight or hearing which may impact on their participation in class
	Concern about application processes to colleges or education providers. For example, sometimes the language of course brochures and/or application forms can be confusing as it assumes a certain amount of knowledge about education systems and structures
	Distrust about their own abilities and about how valid or worthwhile their experience is in relation to the topic at hand
	Questions about their study skills, e.g. note taking, reading - when to stop as they become more immersed in a subject
	Fear of assessment and confusion about what is expected, particularly regarding more formal assessment exercises such as exams
	Worry about the distinctions between academic writing and informal writing, and when it is necessary to use references and quotations
	Concerns about external influences, e.g. a need to require a skill for employment purposes

OED 109 : PSYCHOLOGY OF ADULT EDUCATION ---- THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA.

Characteristics of Adult Learners 

Adult learners have characteristics that set them apart from 'traditional' school or college learners. All adults come to courses with a variety and range of experiences, both in terms of their working life and educational backgrounds. This impacts on how and why they participate in learning. While each student has individual learning needs, there are some characteristics that are common to adult learners:

	Adults have accumulated life experiences. Adults come to courses with experiences and knowledge in diverse areas. They tend to favour practical learning activities that enable them to draw on their prior skills and knowledge. Adults are realistic and have insights about what is likely to work and what is not. They are readily able to relate new facts to past experiences and enjoy having their talents and knowledge explored in a teaching situation.
	Adults have established opinions, values and beliefs which have been built up over time and arrived at following experience of families, relationships, work, community, politics, etc. These views cannot be dismissed and must be respected.
	Adults are intrinsically motivated. Learners increase their effort when motivated by a need, an interest, or a desire to learn. They are also motivated by the relevance of the material to be addressed and learn better when material is related to their own needs and interests. For learners to be fully engaged in learning their attention must be fully focused on the material presented.
	Individual differences. Adults learn at various rates and in different ways according to their intellectual ability, educational level, personality and cognitive learning styles. Teaching strategies must anticipate and accommodate differing comprehension rates of learners.
	Adults learn best in a democratic, participatory and collaborative environment . Adults need to be actively involved in determining how and what they will learn, and they need active, not passive, learning experiences.
	Adult students are mature people and prefer to be treated as such. Being 'lectured at' causes resentment and frustration.
	Adults are goal oriented / relevancy oriented. Adults need to know why they are learning something. Adults have needs that are concrete and immediate. They can be impatient with long discussions on theory and like to see theory applied to practical problems. They are task or problem-centred rather than subject-centred. Adults tend to be more interested in theory when it is linked to practical application.
	Adults are autonomous and self-directed. They are self-reliant learners and prefer to work at their own pace. Individuals learn best when they are ready to learn and when they have identified their own learning needs. Where a student is directed by someone else to attend a course, e.g. by an employer, then that individual may not be ready to learn or may not see the value in participating on that course. This can lead to a mismatch of goals between all parties - student, employer and trainer.
	Adults are practical and problem-solvers. Adults are more impatient in the pursuit of learning objectives. They are less tolerant of work that does not have immediate and direct application to their objectives. Problem based learning exercises are welcomed as they build on prior experience and provide opportunity for practical application of materials/theories covered.
	Adults are sometimes tired when they attend classes. Many students are juggling classes with work, family, etc. They, therefore, appreciate varied teaching methods that add interest and a sense of liveliness to the class.
	Adults may have logistical considerations, including: Family and caring responsibilities including childcare and/or eldercare Careers Social commitments Time Money Schedules Transportation
	Ageing concerns. Adults frequently worry about being the oldest person in a class and are concerned about the impact this may have on their ability to participate with younger students. Creating an environment where all participants feel they have a valuable contribution can work to allay such concerns.
	Adults may have insufficient confidence. Students come to class with varying levels of confidence. Some may have had poor prior experiences of education leading to feelings of inadequacy and fear of study and failure. This can manifest itself in many ways, as indicated in the next section.

OEM 201 : EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP----THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA.

Management Theories & Concepts at the Workplace

A combination of management theories may help increase worker productivity and service quality.

Management theories are implemented to help increase organizational productivity and service quality. Not many managers use a singular theory or concept when implementing strategies in the workplace: They commonly use a combination of a number of theories, depending on the workplace, purpose and workforce. Contingency theory, chaos theory and systems theory are popular management theories. Theory X and Y, which addresses management strategies for workforce motivation, is also implemented to help increase worker productivity.

Contingency Theory

This theory asserts that managers make decisions based on the situation at hand rather than a "one size fits all" method. A manager takes appropriate action based on aspects most important to the current situation. Managers in a university may want to utilize a leadership approach that includes participation from workers, while a leader in the army may want to use an autocratic approach.

Systems Theory

Managers who understand systems theory recognize how different systems affect a worker and how a worker affects the systems around them. A system is made up of a variety of parts that work together to achieve a goal. Systems theory is a broad perspective that allows managers to examine patterns and events in the workplace. This helps managers to coordinate programs to work as a collective whole for the overall goal or mission of the organization rather than for isolated departments.

Chaos Theory

Change is constant. Although certain events and circumstances in an organization can be controlled, others can't. Chaos theory recognizes that change is inevitable and is rarely controlled. While organizations grow, complexity and the possibility for susceptible events increase. Organizations increase energy to maintain the new level of complexity, and as organizations spend more energy, more structure is needed for stability. The system continues to evolve and change.