Adult Learners

The CALP Policy Manual specifies that Eligible Learners are “all adults 18 and over who reside in Alberta”. 

Malcolm Knowles championed the importance of a learner-centred approach when working with adult learners. It is andragogy and it is the art of using specific educational methods for adults.

Knowles proposed a set of four principles of andragogy:

1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for the learning activities.
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance and impact to their job or personal life.
4. Adult learning is problem-centred rather than content-oriented.

(The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species, copyright 1973 by Malcolm S. Knowles)

More from Malcolm Knowles can be found in the Building Literacy Guide. 

Learner-centred means understanding each learner as a whole person, their goals, what's important to them, and how they learn best. Practitioners adjust their approach for each learner to remove barriers and support their success.