Adult learning - a key to successful change

Bringing about broad and lasting change in an organization is much easier said than done. Habits are deeply ingrained in us, and much of it is in the walls. How do you get people to adopt new ways of thinking and acting, and make them their own? With knowledge of adult learning, it becomes easier to create common understanding.

Adult learning in change

There are fundamental differences in how children and adults learn new things. If you want to make a change, it is important to take into account how adults develop new knowledge. Some people talk about adult pedagogy, but the term pedagogy actually means the science of educating children. Some people talk about andragogy, but that would mean the science of educating men. And that doesn't feel very modern.

Other conditions

A common arena for adult learning is the world of work. Once our school years are over, the way we absorb new knowledge changes. One fundamental difference is that we are then mature, independent individuals who want to be involved in influencing how learning takes place. If we are given influence over the structure and content of the process, we take greater responsibility for our learning. We have also accumulated a lot of knowledge already, and these experiences are an important basis for building new knowledge. For example, the process can be based on perceived problems, which can be discussed and solutions found together. In a group of adults, there are usually different points of view and experiences that can be used and lead to new understanding for everyone in the group. For adult learning to work, people must also feel that they benefit from the new knowledge, and preferably be able to use it in their everyday lives fairly immediately.

Creating the desire to learn

However, the most important aspect of adult learning is that learning must be perceived as reasonably enjoyable. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, often involving, engaging and interacting. An endless powerpoint presentation with lots of stacked information is doomed to fail. By inviting discussion, doing group exercises, showing an inspiring movie, presenting a good case, using elements of competition and play, brainstorming and so on, you get all the way to the finish line. Then, it is important to remember that true change takes time, and new knowledge must be given the chance to be repeated and further developed on an ongoing basis.

Some key points:

Motivation and commitment

When learning is fun, all parts of the brain are activated to develop and absorb the new knowledge.

Participation in the learning process

Making participants feel that they own their own learning process is very valuable. Being open and flexible creates a sense of shared responsibility for the process.

Based on experience

The different knowledge and experiences of participants are often a goldmine when it comes to finding new ways forward.

Relevant for immediate use

In order for new knowledge to be generated, it must be able to be put fairly directly into a context that feels relevant in the participant's everyday life.