Learn for Life

This picture hangs in our office space-it serves to remind us of our vision and the need for clarity.

Just like the reflections in Malcolm Knowles’ book, The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species, where he talked of andragogy and used it to attempt to create a unified theory of adult learning based on four assumptions, we believe that we need to tell learners the truth, whilst introducing a dash of hope. Now the learners' forum are taking the lead using some of his messages and becoming pioneers in their own right. Reflecting the needs and wishes of adults in policy and practice development we're advocating that:

1. As they mature, adults tend to prefer self-direction. The role of the tutor then is to engage them in a process of inquiry, analysis, and decision-making, rather than to transmit knowledge.

2. Adults' experiences are a rich resource for learning and ensuring that learning relates to those experiences is critical to its success.

3. Adult learners' needs and interests are the starting points and serve as guideposts for all learning and training activities.

4. Adults are competency-based learners, meaning that they want to learn a skill or acquire knowledge that they can apply pragmatically to their immediate circumstances.

So let’s get on with it then.