Learning & Development by David James

Episode Summary:

‍In this episode of the Learning and Development Podcast, host David James interviews Dr. Carrie Graham about the critical importance of adult learning theory in corporate training and development. Dr. Graham explains how adult learning (andragogy) differs fundamentally from childhood education (pedagogy), emphasizing that adults bring rich life experiences that must be acknowledged and leveraged in training programs. The conversation explores common mistakes in L&D, particularly the failure to understand who learners are as individuals rather than just their job roles or demographics. Dr. Graham shares her pivotal experience witnessing disengaged employees during mandatory sexual harassment training while the organization was simultaneously facing litigation for the same issue, highlighting the costly consequences of ineffective training. The discussion covers how adult learning theory should influence analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation of training programs, with emphasis on creating realistic problem-solving opportunities and meaningful engagement strategies. They address the challenges of e-learning and virtual training, noting that despite robust technical design, most online learning fails because it lacks understanding of learner motivations and experiences. The conversation concludes with practical advice for incorporating adult learning principles, starting with understanding your audience as learners and building content that references their experiences while providing opportunities for skill application. Dr. Graham advocates for moving beyond "silver bullet" solutions to focus on engagement, retention, and application as the three core outcomes of effective training and development programs.

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Listen Here > https://omny.fm/shows/the-learning-development-podcast/adult-learning-theory-with-carrie-o-graham

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10 Key Points:

1. Adult learning theory differs fundamentally from childhood education, requiring different approaches based on life experience
2. Most L&D professionals fail to understand their audience as learners rather than just job roles or demographics
3. Effective training must focus on engagement, retention, and practical application of skills
4. Adults bring rich life experiences that should be leveraged, not ignored, in learning programs
5. Poor training design has significant financial implications including legal costs and brand reputation damage
6. E-learning often fails despite technical sophistication because it lacks understanding of learner motivations
7. Training design should incorporate realistic problem-solving opportunities and meaningful practice
8. Assessment and evaluation must include both quantitative and qualitative measures for long-term success
9. Upskilling and reskilling efforts fail when they don't consider learners' career lifecycle and social roles
10. The search for "silver bullet" solutions in L&D prevents proper analysis and understanding of learner needs

10 Takeaways/Action Items:

1. Conduct thorough analysis of your audience as learners, not just their job roles or demographics
2. Apply the three core outcomes of adult learning: engagement, retention, and practical application
3. Incorporate learners' life experiences and backgrounds into training design and content
4. Create realistic problem-solving opportunities that mirror actual work situations
5. Move beyond generic online content libraries to develop user-centric and employee-centric programs
6. Design training that acknowledges different career lifecycle stages and social role changes
7. Include both quantitative assessment and qualitative feedback in evaluation strategies
8. Build content that references learners' experiences while providing skill application opportunities
9. Consider the emotional and human elements of learning, not just technical content delivery
10. Stop seeking "silver bullet" solutions and invest in proper analysis and understanding of learner needs

Key Insights:

‍Dr. Graham emphasizes that effective training and development must begin with understanding who learners are as individuals with rich life experiences, rather than treating them as generic recipients of content based solely on their job roles. She advocates for moving beyond the search for "silver bullet" solutions in L&D to focus on the fundamental principles of adult learning theory: meaningful engagement, information retention, and practical skill application that directly connects to learners' real-world work situations.

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Resources‍

Listen Here > https://omny.fm/shows/the-learning-development-podcast/adult-learning-theory-with-carrie-o-graham

Read >  Adult Learning Potential: A Deep Dive Into Theory and Practice

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