The Characteristics and Methods of Adult Learners

摘要

Lifelong learning is becoming more and more popular these days. Adult learners want to change their fates through continuous learning. In this fast paced world, many people do not have enough time to sit in a classroom and listen to a lecture by a professor for three to four hours. In this information age, a lot of teaching methods are utilized through modern technology means in the process of adult leaning. Not all the methods; however, are suitable for adult learners. Many education researchers begin to pay close attention to in the area of MOOC about how adult learners learn. Then, it will discuss useful teaching methods according to the results of previous research. These include useful tips, practical orientations, and education settings which apply to specific characteristics of adult learners. The content of such education tends to be practical and focuses on newer knowledge and applicable skills. One major goal of such education is to meet the technological changes and constantly changing working requirements. Adults as a specific group of learners, acquire six unique characteristics. This paper is designed to address four questions: 1) The characteristics of adult learners; 2) The characteristics of adults learning methods; 3) when you would use which method. The purpose of this article is to provide adult learners some valuable methods and suggestions.