Trainer Basics

The Need to Learn

Another question of interest to andragogists and pedagogists alike is why people learn. Research suggests that people only learn when they have a need to learn, no matter what the trainer does or how good the presentation. Adults are motivated to learn when they:

1. see the relevance of the training to their own life experience

2. have some control over their own learning experience

3. have a vast store of knowledge and experience from which to draw and apply to the current learning situation

4. regard growth in self-understanding equally as important as growth in learning

5. take an active part in the learning process

6. are in task- or experience-oriented learning situations

7. are in cooperative climates that encourage risk taking and experimentation ...