About Adult Learning Theory in Nursing
Educator Malcolm Knowles came up the concept of adult learning theory. His belief was that adult learner’s expectation differs to their younger counterparts, and identified characteristics to prove his theory. These characteristics can be applied to the adult nursing student as well.
Self-Guided
Adult learners usually use a self-guided approach in comparison to younger students. Thus, a teacher should work as a facilitator to help their student's use their own life experiences and draw conclusions, instead of inundating the student with leading facts. This theory also builds on the belief that student’s feel they have ultimate decision making responsibility.
Cater to Students
An adult learner comes to a classroom with experience and prior knowledge, and those key features can help their future learning abilities as well. Thus, for nursing instruction to be effective, teachers have to learn to connect to their adult student’s prior knowledge and experience and implement classes geared to these key elements.
Practicality
Adult nursing students might question the reason why learning a particular area is necessary. Therefore, it is up to the nursing instructor to establish a relationship between the theory of the course and the application in the clinical setting to bring clarity. Since, this helps the student in the classroom acquire knowledge, new attitudes and values when they receive information in the context of life experiences.
Motivation
Motivating the adult learning is very important, and a nursing education program should make sure that the adult learner has respect. Without respect the motivation to learn decreases greatly. Thus, the adult nursing program should have internal and external motivators to help the adult instructor nurture an environment geared to teaching an adult learner. Program can offer promotions, higher salary as eternal motivator and provides job satisfaction as motivator for the internal motivation. Having good internal and external motivators will help build a respective and supportive environment for both the student and the teacher.