Method used in adult education
• Competence in the subject matter
• First impression
• Create the rules
• Encouraging active participation (asking questions, encouraging questions, answering questions, listening)
• Feedbacks
• Respect for different views
• Frequent repetitive learning
• Intermittent learning
• Appealing to multiple senses
Appropriate for the duration of the session.
| Warm-up techniques | Warm-up techniques help the group to get to know each other, create a comfortable, safe and friendly learning atmosphere, raise the energy of the group, and help the facilitator to create cooperation for learning. |
| Expression technique | Examples related to the subject should be given frequently. Humor should be used effectively. You should create movement in your voice tone. Eye contact should be established with the participants. Participants should be addressed by their names. Sharing experiences should be allowed provided that the topic is kept under control. Participants should be treated friendly and kindly. The trainer should make the participants feel trusted. |
| Question answer technique | The question should be short, clear, accurate in meaning, and stimulating. Questions should not be scattered; they should be appropriate, coherent, and compatible with the subject matter. The question should have a specific reason, characterized by logic, truth, and scientific principles. |
| Group discussion | In groups that share common problems or similar interests and needs, the group discussion technique can be used to allow participants to express their views and opinions, change attitudes, and gain problem solving skills. It is effective in groups of 10-15 people. |
| Case study technique | A group focusing on a problem or situation, in a cause-and-effect relationship The selected or examined event can be a written text, a report It can be real or fictional. |
| Role-playing | Role playing is the dramatization of a thought, idea, or problem in front of a group. It can have structured and unstructured forms. In the structured role-playing process, a scenario is prepared and roles are determined according to the purpose of the training and what kind of skills are expected from the participants. On the contrary, in the unstructured forms the process develops spontaneously. |
| Buzz groups | In a group environment in which all participants participate, the group is divided into groups of 2-3 people and they continue the discussion among themselves within a few minutes and share their opinions and experiences. It increases the efficiency of the discussion as it allows the participants to review their views before discussing the topic in the group. |
1.3 Learning styles: how do people learn? Adult learning characteristics
Adult learning
- Learning is, in general, a change in behaviour as a result of experience. Experiences are the result of an interaction process. In an interaction process, the teacher or the learner may have participated intentionally to help the individual to acquire a certain behaviour, or they may have participated unintentionally.
2. Informal Learning: In a learning process, when the teacher is intentional and the learner is unintentional.
3. Individual Learning: When the teacher is unintentional and the learner is intentional.
4. Random Learning: If both the learner and the teacher participate in a learning process unintentionally.
Adult education methods
Adult education methods can be analysed under two main headings: individual and group methods.
Individual Method
Living in small settlements, with obstacles and physically disabilities, may limit the use of other methods. The individual method can facilitate teaching even more when the characteristics of individuals are taken into account. In the individual method, activities are organized according to the individual needs and desires. When it is necessary to use this method, individual differences and their constituent elements as well as environmental factors should be taken into consideration.
Group (Cluster) Method
It is one of the most widely used methods in organizing and conducting non-formal education activities. In this method, the size of the group is an effective factor in determining the method to be used. Working with small groups is more effective when it comes to changing social behaviours. Methods such as classes, discussion clusters, workshops, meetings and collective discussions are the most popular.
The most widely used method in educational environments, since ancient times, is the lecture method. Methods such as question and answer method, problem-solving and demonstration, technical excursion, role-playing, and case study are also used by the subject to be covered.
One of the main features of adult education is that adults have different motivations for learning: adults are ready to learn only when they have a real-life problem or when they have experienced something they need to solve. Therefore, they participate in education and training activities live in a better way.
The most important consequence of this assumption is that when preparing educational programs for adults, these programs should be prepared within the framework of topics related to living conditions and problems, rather than being prepared according to subject units.
“How can I use the knowledge I have learned?” is the main question asked by the adult.
Information that can be applied to real life is extremely important for adults, while sometimes extra information that does not fit the adult’s type of life or is not useful in practice does not have much meaning for adults.
The vast majority of adults voluntarily participate in educational activities that interest them. However, there are some conclusions to be drawn from this situation: If adults feel that the educational activities do not meet their needs, or if they realize that these activities do not make sense for them, or if they seem meaningless, they can easily leave the educational activity. Therefore, adult educators need to pay close attention to the development of the training program and the training process.
The educator should be aware of these elements of the adult interest and prepare the conditions, tools, and materials to help them know their own needs. Again, learning programs should be developed within the scope of the participants’ lifestyles and organized according to their learning situation (Kurt, 2014).
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