Exploring Teaching Approaches Responsive to Adult Learning Styles in Community College Classrooms in Limpopo, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Decades of career in adult education confirmed the author’s assumption that adult learners possess lots of lived experiences, exhibit different learning styles and have immediate learning needs to fulfil. Some learners may be slow and take time to grasp information while others might be shy, introverts, lack confidence or extroverts who like to lead and be heard. These characteristics of adults do not require rigid educator control. Human rights, social justice and democracy require educators to be innovative, flexible and implement teaching approaches that could suit learning styles of adults in community college programs. The objective of this case study was to explore various teaching approaches that can maximize learning among adults in three community college classrooms in Limpopo province in South Africa. Data were collected through interviews and the study confirmed that adult learners have different learning styles and to promote learning among them educators should use various teaching approaches.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by South Africa’s National Department of Higher Education and Training and the European Union under Grant/Project Number S20010/2020. All the ideas and views expressed in this work are the author’s own and not the funders