Four Laws of Adult Learning

Robert W. Pike (1989), an internationally recognized expert in human resources development and author of the book Creative Training Techniques, has conducted thousands of adult training seminars. His principles of adult learning, referred to as "Pike's Laws of Adult Learning," have built upon the original philosophy to provide similar guidance for trainers:

Law 1: Adults are babies with big bodies. It is accepted that babies enjoy learning through experience, because every exploration is a new experience. As children grow, educators traditionally reduce the amount of learning through experience to the point that few courses in secondary and higher education devote significant time to experiential education. It is now recognized that adult learning is enhanced by hands-on experience that involves adults in the learning process. In addition, adults bring a wealth of experience that must be acknowledged and respected in the training setting.

Law 2: People do not argue with their own data. Succinctly put, people are more likely to believe something fervently if they arrive at the idea themselves. Thus, when training adults, presenting structured activities that generate the students' ideas, concepts, or techniques will facilitate learning more effectively than simply giving adults information to remember.

Law 3: Learning is directly proportional to the amount of fun you are having. Humor is an important tool for coping with stress and anxiety, and can be effective in promoting a comfortable learning environment. If you are involved in the learning process and understand how it will enable you to do your job or other chosen task better, you can experience the sheer joy of learning.

Law 4: Learning has not taken place until behavior has changed. It is not what you know, but what you do that counts. The ability to apply new material is a good measure of whether learning has taken place. Experiences that provide an opportunity for successfully practicing a new skill will increase the likelihood of retention and on-the-job application.

(The following material was excerpted from the NVAA specialized offering "The Ultimate Educator" by Edmunds, C., K. Lowe, M. Murray, and A. Seymour, 1999.)

Anyone have more laws or insights to add to the list?

You Can't Know It All

As an instructor, how many times have you had a participant ask a question you didn't know the answer to? The most experienced instructors out there will have this happen on a regular basis. Here are some suggested ways you can address this problem.

1. It's okay to admit you don't know the answer - we're not expected to know everything!
2. You could mention that this is something you would like to learn more about yourself and offer to find out and report back to the group.
3. Ask the other participants for their ideas and input - it's amazing how much your participants know collectively and how much you can learn from them!
4. Get clarification or more information from the inquirer about what they are really trying to find out. You might be able to still help them with an issue even though you may not be able to immediately answer their direct question to you.
5. Keep your confidence and don't become rattled or shaken. Participants want to view you as someone who can guide them, and may question how helpful you are if you don't appear confident.
Share your thoughts by commenting.
Beth Wickham, Director