Experience and Andragogy
CFAL competency training is based upon the principles of Adult Learning or Andragogy, the study of the way Adults learn and develop.
Instruction which sees the learner as a passive recipient of subject matter can limit and hinder adult learning. Adults bring with them rich resources of experience and knowledge which may enhance learning when utilized in the instructional setting.
Often however, these past experiences are seen by the instructor as irrelevant to the subject being taught, and are therefore ignored. This inattention to past experiences may frustrate adults, as they attempt to relate new learning to past experiences on their own, without the help or facilitation of the instructor.
The practice of Andragogy is often threatening to new instructors. It is relatively simple to prepare and give a lecture, then respond to simple questions directly related to the lecture topic. It requires more self-awareness and self-confidence to plan a course in a way which considers each adult in the room a unique individual and which modifies the learning environment for the needs of the learner. The benefits of an andragogical approach to adult education may, in the long run, outweigh any initial challenges to implement. Listening passively to a lecture, or performing a procedure in a rote way rarely leads to independent, self-directed learners. Learners who have experienced the self-responsibility required of adults within Andragogy are more likely to carry that self-responsibility into their lives.
CFAL is customized to you and the course you are developing, with 7 major feedback points along the way to ensure your success!
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