Teach SMEs to Design Training—Instructional Systems Design

Adult Learning Theory

A key part to delivering a successful training program is understanding how adults learn and retain information. Generally adult learners need active involvement and need to understand the relevance of the information to their job or organization in order for them to retain the information presented.

Furthermore, adults tend to retain information better if it is built on prior knowledge and experience. Adults generally are goal oriented, organized, and resistant to change. Additionally, most adults fear failure. Adult-learning theorist Malcolm S. Knowles determined that adult learners:

• need to see the relevance of the training to their own life experience

• learn best when they have a measure of control over their learning ...