Theories of adult learning Outline

Objectives -1 Introduction -2 Knowles's concepts of adult learning -3 .Benner's concepts of practice levels-4 Brookfield's concepts of critical thinking -5

:Objectives :At the end of this lecture, the student will be able to
Identify the Knowles concept of adult learning -1 .Identify the benner's concepts of practice levels -2 Identify the Brookfield's concepts of critical thinking -3

Introduction

The primary task of nursing staff development educators is to help the nursing staff translate the knowledge, principles, .skills and theories learned in nursing school into practice Humanistic education stresses the relationships between learners and educators. Educators function as resources and support people, whereas learners in the health care profession assume responsibility for learning the skills .necessary to provide high quality patient health care

Knowles's concept of learning

Knowles stated that ( At its best an adult learning experience should be a process of self directed with the resources of the teacher and materials being available to the learners but not imposed on them). Knowles believed the primary and immediate mission of every adult educator should be to help .adults satisfy their learning needs and achieve their goals Knowles's name is linked with and andragogic concepts of learning. Andragogy is (the art and science of helping adults (learn) and with pedagogy is (the art and science of teaching According to Knowles, andragog can be explained as a set of learning assumptions and a series of recommendations for .planning, implementing and evaluating learning

.The following lists assumptions about learning

Adults have a need to know the reason they should learn -1 .something Adults have a need to be self-directed -2 Adults have a greater amount and different quality of -3 .experience than people who are younger

Adults become ready to learn when they need to know so -4 that they can perform their tasks more effectively and .satisfyingly Adults are motivated to learn by extrinsic and intrinsic -5 .motivators In andragogy, the series of recommendations for educating adults has a different focus than pedagog. Pedagogic educators focus on facilitating the learner's acquisition of the content. Knowles' series of recommendations related to :the following .Setting the atmosphere -1 .Creating a mutual planning mechanism -2 .Diagnosing the participants' learning needs -3 .Translating learning needs into objectives -4 Evaluating the extent to which the objectives have been -5 .achieved

:Need to know
Professional nurses have strong beliefs about what educational offerings are needed to enhance clinical practice. Staff development educators should structure learning experience through simulation or role-playing so that .reasons to learn and the value of learning are experienced

:Need to be self-directing

Adults are individuals who have accepted the responsibility for their own lives. Adults are self-directed, making decisions and facing the consequences of those decisions

Knowles points out that adult educator need to help . learners discover that they can and should take responsibility for their own learning in addition to being accountable for their own professional development

.Differences in experiences
Adults primarily derive their self- identity from their experiences. They have different types and amounts of experience than children. An adult's experiences should be valued. When teaching adult, learners and provide experiential learning exercises that capture the learner's knowledge and skills. Experiential methods such as case .studies and group discussion are effective

-:Rediness to learn
Adults need to be involved in assessing their own educational needs and planning ways to meet those needs. All learners should involve in some form of self-diagnosis of their learning needs. The use of acompetency rating scale or pretest may demonstrate the class, value interms of necessary knowledge and skills. The needs survey provide .clues about long range career plans

: Orientation to learning
A learning situation has its best chance of success if approached developmentally. Adult's readiness to learn occur as a result of social roles. Education that is needed to succeed in a specific adult role must be presented at the
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appropriate time. Another factor that stimulates adult's readiness to learn is the immediate applicability of the .educational information to life situations

Extrinsic and intrinsic motivators

Adults respond to external motivators for learning such as a pay raise or promotion and a permanent day shift assignment. However, professional people are more likely to seek learning because of intrinsic motivation such as selffulfillment, or a desire to better perform their tasks

Implication for staff development:

Knowles's concepts of teaching from the androgenic .perspective offer guidance for teachers of adults Nursing staff development educators are facilitators and resource people. Staff development educators help learners clarify their educational needs. As a means of achieving professional goals, educators are responsible for providing appropriate physical and .psychological environments for the educational experience

.BENNER'S concepts of practice levels

The promotion of professional growth and development among nurses is dependent on educational needs being recognized and met throughout their careers. Benner was .able to identify various levels of clinical nursing practice She noted that as clinical practice skills develop, nurses change their intellectual orientation, integrate their .knowledge, and improve their decision-making processes

Benner describes five levels of clinical nursing .practice novice: novice refers to beginning nursing students who -1
.have no background about clinical situations : advanced-beginner level -2 In benner's opinion, (it is unusual for a graduate nurse to be a novice. The newly graduated nurse will perform at the .(advanced- beginner level

:The competent level -3

Nurses who have been in the same clinical practice situation for 2 or 3 years usually demonstrate the competent level of practice. Competent nurses are consciously aware of managing clinical practice in terms of long-range goals, develop plans based on analytic assessment of the problem, set priorities, meet the needs and acquire information about .advanced education

:The proficient -4
The proficient nurses perceive clinical situations as wholes rather than components; they base decisions on experience .and recent events and self-learner

:Expert nurses -5
Have extensive experience, they identify critical problem areas without wasting time, reviewing multiple alternatives, .and they are quick to initiate correct interventions

Implications for staff development

Benner's application of skill acquisition steps to levels of nursing practice has important implications for nursing staff development educators. The professional development and job satisfaction of nurses are enhanced by investigating the educational needs of nurses at each practice level and by .planning learning experiences that meet those needs

Brookfield's concepts of critical thinking

In addition to using guidelines to facilitate adult learning and to structure learning activities differently for various levels of practice, today's staff development educators attempt to infuse critical thinking skills into all learning .experiences :Components :Brookfield set four components of critical thinking identifying: the first component is to examine the values, -1 beliefs, rationale, and appropriateness of ideas that influence .actions Challenging: the second process of critical thinking -2 implies an examination of the circumstances surrounding an .action such as the factors related to a patient's complication Imagining and exploring alternatives -3

The fourth process of critical thinking is the ability to find -4 .the way to answer for most problems in the organization

Facilitating critical thinking

Listening attentively, identify and challenge assumptions .and explore alternatives and brain storming

:Implications for staff development

Staff development educators today are encouraged to integrate critical thinking skills into learning experiences so that learners are able to think new thoughts, respect patient .as unique individuals