Peer Learning Groups and also the Adult Learner

Finding how adults learn is not only an instructional obsession of researchers and college professors. Rather, it’s an important endeavor in the current atmosphere while studying is important for organizations to stay competitive and forward-thinking.

Mister Malcolm Knowles, the “father” of adult learning, recommended 4 concepts:

Adults are most wondering subjects which have immediate relevance and impact for their job or personal existence.

Adults have to be active in the planning and look at their instruction.

Experience (including mistakes) offers the foundation for the learning activities.

Adult learning at issue-centered instead of content-oriented.

To work, every learning and training initiative must incorporate these concepts. Peer learning groups, as created by The Peer Learning Institute for management development, derive from and satisfy these four concepts.

Principle #1: Effective learning has immediate relevance and impact. Adults would like to learn how you can solve an instantaneous problem they’ve within their job. The managers who get together create their peer learning group around a particular topical module which will provide just-in-time understanding and talent-building to assist them to better handle a present workplace challenge.

Principle #2: Effective learning is self-directed. Adults prefer to be responsible for his or her learning decisions. Peer learning groups are self-directed. The managers themselves identify their learning need because of a business office challenge which has stumped them. They direct the structured discussion from the issue. They choose the understanding and skills they decide to adopt and employ.

Principle #3: Effective learning builds from experience. Adults have abundant understanding from experience. They have to share the things they know to allow them to build upon that understanding. Because of the right atmosphere, adults may study from one another. The very first peer learning group session begins by getting the people identify, evaluate and discuss where they’ve mishandled or poorly addressed a business office challenge. This forms the foundation for subsequent discussion from the root reasons for the problem and alternative ways of resolve it.

After experimentation between sessions 1 and 2, the managers think about their experience and plan the way they will alter their approach later on to handle the particular challenge into consideration.

Principle #4: Effective learning at issue-centered. Adults choose to target a particular subject or skill. A peer learning group, as described above, concentrates on active problem-solving through: the identification and analysis of other strategies in session one the experimentation having a different technique to address the issue in the period between sessions 1 and 2 and also the reflection and behavior adjustment decision occurring in session two.

A peer learning group that’s built on these adult learning concepts is a superb laboratory for solving problems and seeking new strategies to manage critical workplace challenges.

In conclusion, if you would like your managers to really succeed and develop professionally, it is advisable to apply peer learning groups that embody the 4 concepts of adult learning as recommended by Mister Malcolm Knowles.