Adult educator

Anadult educatororAEis one who practices the profession offacilitatingthe learning ofadultsby applying the principles ofandragogy.The broader term of trainer is sometimes used for an adult educator when listing job categories. However, a trainer is not necessarily an adult educator. AsMalcolm Knowlesproposes, to be a successful adult educator, one must recognize thatadult learnersare self-directed. That is, they know basically what they need to learn at a given point in their career and seek to engage in the process of their learning through active participation.

Work

The adult educator applies the principles of adult learning to the six phases of course development: determining learner needs; writing learning objectives to fulfill those needs; creating a learning plan; selecting learning methodologies geared to the adult learner; implementing the learning plan; and evaluating the degree to which the learning objectives have been met. Central to the creation of the learning plan is the realization of how adults learn most naturally and incorporating that knowledge into every aspect of the practice ofadult education.

Adult learners tend to be verypracticallearners. That is, they wish to see the application of their learning almost immediately. To better insure that this happens, the adult educator must understand the basics of the work, the workenvironmentand the challenges facing the adults engaged in that work. This information is obtained during the needs assessment phase of course development.

Knowles'theorieson adult education were further enhanced by the work ofDavid A. Kolb.Kolb proposes that adult learners learn through reflective observation,abstractconceptualization, active experimentation, and concrete experience. Kolb recommends that adult educators create learning plans that incorporate the four learning styles so as to make learning more successful.

We see adult educators in many contexts. They teach adults inuniversitysettings, ingovernment organizationsand in forprofitcompanies. When Knowles wrote about adult education in the 1950s, he was referring to the classroom environment. Today with the opportunities presented through elearning, the adult educator can reach adult learners virtually any time, anywhere.

The term is attributed to Malcolm Knowles, anAmericaneducator, who wrote The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to Andragogy (1980).

Kolb identifies four basic ways adults learn through his studies of how adults take-in (prehend) knowledge and how they apply (transform) knowledge into practice.

An adult educator can assume one or more of the following work: analysing, assessing, consulting, curriculum design & development, facilitation/training, instructional design, learning/training & development and researching.

In Singapore, there is a national professionalisation called the Adult Education Professionalisation (AEP) initiative for Adult Educators. The Adult Education Professionalisation (AEP) initiative is a step forward in creating a strong, dynamic and forward-looking Adult Education profession in Singapore. AEP aims to advance the professional standards and identity of Adult Educators as professionals recognised for both pedagogical and professional excellence. To raise the quality and professionalism of the Training and Adult Education sector, it is important that we enable Adult Educators to continue to deepen their professional skills, and to be recognised for their mastery of skills. This is particularly so, in view of the crucial role that Adult Educators play in supporting the nationalSkillsFuturemovement to impart knowledge and skills to our workforce.

References

• Knowles, Malcolm (1980).The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to Andragogy.Prentice Hall/Cambridge.ISBN0695814729.
• Kolb, David; Fry, Ronald (1975).Toward an Applied Theory of Experiential Learning.Sloan School of Management.