Adult learning theories: Implications for learning and teaching in medical education: AMEE Guide No. 83

Figures & data

Table

Practice points

Becoming a member of a healthcare profession not only demands the acquisition of knowledge and skills, but also involves a process of growing into the professional community. Although people learn in different ways, we all run through a process of working out what the possible explanations are and sorting them into probable and less probable, on the basis of reflecting on feedback, our existing experience and knowledge. Through understanding the ways in which people learn we can plan the most effective ways in which we can help them to learn. The model presented here gives a scheme and a checklist that we can use to increase our effectiveness in organising curricula, delivering education and assessing the outcomes.

Figure 1. The Kolb Cycle after (Kolb 1984).

Figure 2. Bloom's taxonomy, after Atherton (2011).

Figure 3. Miller's pyramid after Miller (1990).

Figure 4. The Johari Window after Luft & Ingham (1955).

Figure 5. A proposed model of adult learning.

Table

Phase	Learner's roles	Teacher's roles
Dissonance phase	• Identify prior (base-line) knowledge, skills and attitudes • Recognise what is unknown • Recognise personal development and learning needs • Participate in planning personal learning objectives and relevant experiences	• Provide the context in which the student can learn. • Increase extrinsic motivation through appropriate tasks • Help learner to recognise or promote internal motivation factors • Explore the learner's prior knowledge and experiences • Help student to identify his/her learning needs and the relevance of each
Refinement phase	• Think of many possible explanations or solutions to the case or problem. • Work out which are the most likely resources to refine the possibilities • Actively participate in the activity and experiences • Refine the information into a hypothesis	• Ensure the relevant learning experiences are available – at the appropriate level for the learner
Organisation phase	• Test and re-test the hypothesis • Organise the information into a “story” that makes sense to the learner	• Provide advance organisers for the learners – structures upon which they can continue to build. • Encourage reflection in action
Feedback phase	• Articulate the knowledge, skills or attitudes developed • Provide feedback to peers and staff • Accept, and if appropriate act upon feedback received from others	• Reflection on the learning experience (in action and on action) • Provide feedback to the learner, formally or informally. • Accept, and if appropriate act upon feedback received from the learner
Consolidation phase	• Reflection in the light of prior knowledge • Reflection on the learning process • Evaluate personal responsibility for the learning • Development of knowledge, skills and attitudes	• Provide opportunities for the learner to rehearse and/apply their new knowledge • Encourage reflection on action.

Kolb D. Experiental learning. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 1984

 Google Scholar

Atherton JS, 2011. Learning and teaching; Bloom's taxonomy [Online]. [Accessed 19 March 2011]. Available from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/bloomtax.htm

 Google Scholar

Miller GE. The assessment of clinical skills/competance/performance. Acad Med 1990; 63: S63–S67

 Google Scholar

Luft J, Ingham H. The JoHari window, a graphic model of interpersonal awareness. UCLA, Proceedings of the western training laboratory in group development. Los Angeles, CA 1955

 Google Scholar