Adult Learning in the Workplace

By

Tayla Anderson

Kaplan University

Dr. Cardenas

February 22, 2014

Interview Background

• The interviewee is a female who has been employed by her company for over six years.

• The interviewee trains new employees, young and old, as they enter the company.

• The interviewee trains and supervises new employees on various positions within the company.

• The interview questions for this assignment focuses on some of the learning characteristics of adult learners in a formal, corporate environment.

Interview Questions

• What is the hardest part of teaching adult learners?

• Which teaching tool do you think works best for teaching adult learners, visual representations or verbal explanations?

• What methods do adult learners use to help them understand their company role(s)?

• How active are adult learners in their learning? Do they prefer to ask questions or listen?

• When a problem arises, do adult learners exhibit frustration easily or do they calmly work through the problem?

• When comparing young adult learners to older adult learners, which group learns their company role(s) the quickest?

What is the Hardest Part of Teaching Adult Learners?

• Getting adult learners to listen.

• Most of the adult employees who come into the company feel as if they know the job or they feel as if they can learn the job on their own.

Which Teaching Tool do You Think Works Best, Visual Representation or Verbal Explanations?

• Neither.

• The best method is trial and error. The adult employees learn by making errors.

How Active are Adult Learners in their Learning? Do they Prefer to Ask Questions or Listen?

• Neither.

• Adult employees do not ask questions nor do they listen. They come with a preconceived idea that they already know the job.

When a Problem Arises, Do Adult Learners Exhibit Frustration Easily or do they Calmly Work Through the Problem?

• Work through the problem.

• Despite the training that adult employees receive, many of the adult employees prefer to figure things out on their own.

When Comparing Young Adult Learners to Older Adult Learners, Which Group Learns their Company Role(s) the Quickest?

• Older adult learners.

• Older adult learners are more serious about their work; willing to work hard.

• Young adult learners tend to joke and play on the job; wanting the rewards of working without the work.

Summary

• Adult learners approach learning with an assumption that they already have some knowledge about the teaching topic.

• Adult learners learn best by learning through their own mistakes. Trial and error.

• Between older adult learners and young adult learners, it is easier to teach older adult learners. Older adult learners take their work more seriously and they are willing to work harder.