ADULT LEARNING DIGEST
“Education is not prepa-
ration for life; education
is life itself.”
- John Dewey
In This Digest
Born to Learn
The Motivation Continuum
Best Practices through the Lens of
Motivation
4 Conditions that Influence Motivation
What Happens When They Go Home?
3 Strategies for Sustaining Learning (and
Motivation)
SSIPP: Recipe for an inviting learning
activity
Janet McAllister, Northeast SARE Professional Development Program
Motivation—a perennial challenge... In our recent survey of state coordinators, a number of respondents ex-
pressed this challenge as an area in which further professional develop-
ment was desired:
How can I motivate my audiences to engage in the learning experiences I
offer and take action using what they learn?
There is a lot packed into that question.
We will do some unpacking in this digest by:
Exploring concepts from social psychology about different types of mo-
tivations and the human needs driving them.
Considering conditions that motivate adults to learn and to participate
in education programs, and their relationship to the best practices for
adult learning
Understanding from neuroscience that the learning is just beginning
when your workshop is done and what more you can do to keep learn-
ing and motivation going.
Motivating learners and Sustaining their learning Winter 2016
“The noblest pleasure is
the joy of understanding.”
- Leonardo da Vinci
2
3 INNATE HUMAN NEEDS drive our motivations ac-
cording to self-determination theory, a broad framework for the
study of human motivation.
Curiosity to learn is a natural human state.
Born to Learn! Motivation to learn is a trait all humans share.
Humans by nature are curious, inquisitive and adven-
turous. We have a natural inclination to be motivated to
learn and explore the world around us. We need to learn
to survive. We are attracted to novelty. We actively
seek to assimilate new information and creatively apply
our skills. We’ve been doing this since the day we were
born.
Self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci, 2000) de-
scribes two types of motivation— Intrinsic and Extrinsic.
We’ve mentioned these before in discussion of adult
learning and you probably know something about them
from experience and intuition. But we’ll review.
Intrinsic motivation: doing something because it is
inherently interesting and enjoyable. It comes from within
the person.
People are intrinsically motivated for some tasks and
not others.
Not everyone is intrinsically motivated for every task.
Extrinsic motivation: doing something for its instru-
mental value; i.e. because it leads to a separate outcome
we desire. It comes from causes outside the person.
Outcomes can include:
Avoiding a punishment
Gaining approval or reward
Achieving a goal
.
COMPETENCE: Humans have a
need to be (and be seen as) com-
petent and capable of success.
AUTONOMY: Humans have a need
to be (and be seen as) self-
directing, responsible and in control
of their own destiny.
CONNECTEDNESS: Humans
need to feel connected to other
people—family, peer group, team,
community, society.
People build
stronger intrinsic
motivation for a
task when they feel:
Competent: It’s im-
portant for learners to
experience success
using new skills in
real-life situations
Autonomous and in
control of the task:
Offering choices pro-
motes responsibility
for learning
Socially connected:
Fostering social inter-
action; a sense of
belonging and pur-
pose toward a shared
learning increases
commitment
3
The Motivation Continuum
Motivations occur along a continuum. Note as you move farther out the right side of the continuum, the
source of motivation becomes more internal to the person. People generally have more than one motivation
along the continuum—a mix of internally and externally derived motivations—for learning or doing something.
What’s important for facilitators of adult learning to know is that motivations that are internalized—those to-
wards the right side of the continuum—are more likely to be sustained.
Good News: Generally, adults participating in voluntary
professional development education enter the programs with
at least a moderate level of internally driven motivations. Oth-
erwise they wouldn’t show up. They are not likely at the far
right of the spectrum, intrinsic motivation—learning just for the
fun of learning, but they likely have a self-improvement pur-
pose or a goal they want to achieve, which is a higher level
extrinsic motivation.
A challenge for facilitators is to gain an understanding of
learners’ goals and aspirations so they can align the project
goals with the learners’ goals as much as possible.
Helping participants internalize the value of the learning for
helping them achieve their goals is an important step toward
fostering lasting motivation to stick with the learning program.
Do you know what’s motivating
your participants?
4
Best Practices through the Lens of Motivation
Adults enjoy being successful at learning that helps them effectively cope with
problems or situations important in their lives.
Starting from this statement, let’s consider 4 conditions that influence adults’ internal
motivations for learning. Understanding these conditions and their influences will help
you design strategies that promote positive motivations for participation and learning.
Fortunately, we have a toolbox already to draw upon for designing such strategies.
As you review the 4 conditions that influence motivation below, refer to the 4 best
practices for adult learning posted beside them. Can you identify at least one best practice strategy
you are already using that addresses each motivational condition?
The 4 motivation-influencing conditions provide another lens to use for understanding the rationale for effec-
tive project organization and facilitation strategies, and for selecting strategies. We can meet both the neuro-
logical and psychological needs surrounding learning using the same tools.
4 Best Practices for Adult
Learning
1. Provide a safe envi-
ronment for learning
2. Uncover and share
learners’ mental
models
3. Link content to
learners’ prior experi-
ence; let them experi-
ment with it
4. Let learners con-
tribute to content, pro-
cess and outcomes
Can you identify which of the
3 INNATE PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS
from page 2 each of the 4 motivation-
influencing conditions relate to?
(Wlodkowski, 2008)
5
INCLUSION
Humans have highly developed neural net-
works that drive our social actions and re-
sponses to social interaction. These cause
us to seek bonds with others, cooperate,
mourn loss, and fear rejection. As such,
adults are motivated to participate when they feel part of a
learning community where their differences in experiences,
viewpoints, goals are respected. When adults feel free to
make contributions without fear of judgement or rejection,
and feel that their voices are heard, their experiences and
contributions matter, they are more motivated to partici-
pate. If adults feel a strong sense of connection with the
learning group, they may become motivated not just for
their own learning, but for the group’s collective learning.
WHAT FACILITATORS CAN DO:
a. Include introductions and other opportunities for shar-
ing experiences and stories,
b. Use team/small group projects and exercises; these
can be organized for a number of different purposes.
ATTITUDE
Adults form attitudes immediately about any learning expe-
rience. It happens automatically. Participants in voluntary
learning, like Extension and SARE projects, likely arrive at
the first event with initial positive attitudes based on recruit-
ing information and reputation of Extension, SARE and/or
the facilitator. It’s critical at the each meeting, but especial-
ly the first, to do as much as possible to rein-
force positive initial attitudes so participants
return. Attitudes are not static; they will be
influenced continually by these conditions:
Interest and relevance of the content—Adults are
most interested in and pay more attention to content that’s
relevant to helping them with something in their lives, but if
participants get bored by unstimulating learning activities,
they can lose interest in even highly relevant content.
WHAT FACILITATORS CAN DO:
a. Offer learners multiple ways to interact with content
and participate actively.
b. Create opportunities for learners to connect content to
their own experiences and life situations
c. Positively confront/discuss erroneous or negative be-
liefs or assumptions learners may hold about content.
Expertise, attitude, facilitation abilities of instructor—
Adults will judge you and the project; forming
and reforming attitudes constantly. They will be
deciding if your project is the right place for
them to achieve the learning they desire—are
the instructors knowledgeable, unbiased, en-
gaging, supportive and nonjudgmental?
WHAT FACILITATORS CAN DO:
a. Ensure all instructors have an attitude of acceptance
and inclusiveness
b. Inform guest facilitators about learning objectives, par-
ticipants backgrounds and project goals.
c. Encourage guests to minimize use of PPT.
Volition and responsibility towards the learning—
Adults do not like feeling coerced or forced into any action,
or feeling that what they learn and how they learn is dictat-
ed and out of their control. We want to be self-directed—to
have volition about our learning. Adults need to experience
choice in all aspects of their learning – what they learn,
how they learn, how they apply what they learn.
WHAT FACILITATORS CAN DO:
a. Conduct needs, interest and skill assessments to give
participants input about interest, relevance of content.
b. Solicit input for and endorsement of project goals and
expectations for participants
c. Include personal goal setting, learning/participation
agreements, self-directed learning tasks
Self-efficacy and success in learning—Adults want
to be successful in learning. It is motivating to experience
success and attribute that success to our own efforts.
Adults typically carry a lot of baggage about their learning
capabilities based on prior experiences—anxieties, emo-
tional reactions, opinions about how well they
can/can’t learn certain content or in certain
formats. These can negatively influence atti-
tudes and confidence about new learning.
WHAT FACILITATORS CAN DO:
a. Inform adults at the beginning about all aspects of the
project – the objectives, plan for learning, what is ex-
pected of them and how they will be supported
b. Offer encouragement, recognition and supports
throughout the learning.
c. Include opportunities to see what success looks like in
others (e.g. role models, mentors, relatable peers).
More about the conditions that influence motivation...
6
MEANING
To learn and retain learning, adults must be able to make
meaning of the new information. If learners can’t make
meaning or understand the purpose of the learning as it
relates to their needs and interests, then they will be
frustrated and disinterested – these are not motivational
attitudes.
Relevance plays a key role in ability to make meaning of
new information we encounter. A few adults may be in-
terested in learning just for the sake of learning (do not
count on these being a large proportion of your audi-
ence), but most have a purpose for their learning—a per-
sonal goal for how the learning will help them deal more
effectively with something important. The more adults
can internalize the relevance of the learning for their pur-
pose, the more the project will mean to them, and the
greater their motivation.
A motivating purpose for the learning may
extend beyond the individual’s self-interest
to a social purpose. If coping with a life
problem or situation improves a valued soci-
etal condition or purpose as well, say it re-
duces pollution or promotes community welfare, then this
additional social relevance can add an emotional dimen-
sion that increases meaning and motivation.
WHAT FACILITATORS CAN DO:
a. Organize content by life or problem situations rather
than by subject to respond to adults’ life-centered
orientation to learning.
b. Use stories to help learners recognize the value of
the personal and social purposes for the learning.
c. Remember the neurological processes of learning,
and design activities for connecting new information
with prior knowledge and applying new skills in au-
thentic tasks.
d. Use engaging activities like case studies
and problem scenarios that challenge
learners to extend and develop their cur-
rent knowledge or skills.
COMPETENCE
Competence means having the necessary knowledge
and skills to effectively do the things we need to do or
value doing. Competence in purposeful activities brings
us fulfillment and a feeling that we matter. This is one of
the innate human needs driving learning and striving
from birth onward. We build competence as we take new
learning and practice with it, particularly in our real lives
or situations that closely resemble our real
lives. We also need feedback about our
performance to make improvements and
connect successes to our efforts.
When we become competent, we feel confident to use
our new knowledge and skills to address the situations in
our lives, which hopefully, include the performance tasks
for your project.
WHAT FACILITATORS CAN DO:
a. Include opportunities for practice and authentic prob-
lem solving/skill application activities and assign-
ments.
b. Use assessments of performance by self, peers,
teachers and/or mentors
c. Provide timely, constructive feedback.
The 4 conditions described above aim to promote internalization of motivation.
Do externally driven motivators work at all?
In some cases external motivators of rewards or approval can help create positive motivation for learning.
For example, continuing education credits are an often-used extrinsic motivator. Many people take their profes-
sional development very seriously and getting credits is a way to show others you are staying on top of your
game, as well as a source of personal pride. Surely some may attend just to get the credit certificate signed, but
many will be there to truly learn as well as get the credits.
Financial incentives can be positive motivators. Surveys of farmers (Dollisso and Martin, 1999),
found that a desire ‘to increase profitability’ was the top reason they participated in educational pro-
grams. However, this desire was closely linked with a more internal drive ‘ambition to succeed’, the
top-rated motivation for learning, demonstrating the mix of motivations mentioned earlier. Financial
supports such as money for travel reimbursement or supplies to implement an activity that applies the learning
may also have a positive influence on motivation.
7
What Happens When They Go Home?
You help learners comprehend meaning of new
concepts by helping them make direct linkages to
related ideas already stored in neural networks—
this saves cognitive energy. These connections to
prior knowledge and skills help the brain more
easily “make sense” of the new.
But deep learning takes time and adults will not
build a strong neural network for new content at
one workshop, or even two. Their networks for
new learning will still be fuzzy when they leave
your events. They need time and meaningful prac-
tice to reinforce their new networks.
3 Strategies for Sustaining the Learning (and Motivation)
BEST PRACTICE STRATEGY HOW IT SUSTAINS LEARNING
Deliberate Practice
lays down main neural highways
needed for knowledge and skill
Allows learners to develop essential content-specific knowledge and skills
Improves their efficiency using knowledge and skills
Reduces cognitive load (as some tasks become automatic) so brain can address
genuine problems
Applications to Genuine
Problems
establishes neural connectors to
other brain networks
Allows learners to identify gaps in knowledge and skills as they work to apply what
they learned in real-life situations
Reinforces and expands essential knowledge and skills
Commitment to Social
Learning
establishes and strengthens the
connectors to other brain networks
Helps learners uncover, share and expand mental models—exposure to a range of
possibilities within the domain context
Identifies gaps in experience, knowledge and skills
Enables learning from role models, mentors, vicarious experience
Help learners get from
here...
...to here with the
strategies below.
Turn the page for specific examples of things you can do to apply these strategies
in your projects.
Which motivational conditions do you think each of these strategies is influencing?
Adapted from Sandy Bell, 2015
The strategies below will reinforce and sustain participants’ learning after an event. But there’s more—the strate-
gies will also reinforce and sustain participants’ motivation to continue participating and learning with you.
Another win-win for the best practices!
8
9
(Sandy Bell, 2015)
SSIPP: Recipe for an Inviting Learning Activity
Safe. There is little risk of learners suffering personal embarrassment from lack of knowledge,
personal self-disclosure, or hostile/arrogant social environment
Successful. There is some form of acknowledgement, consequence or product that shows
learners are effective, or that their effort is worthwhile investment towards progress
Interesting. The activity has some parts that are novel, engaging, challenging or stimulating
Personally endorsed. Learners encouraged to make choices that affect the learning ex-
perience (e.g. what they share or learn, how, when or where they learn, with whom they learn,
how they are assessed), basing choices on their values, needs, concerns or feelings.
Personally relevant. Learners’ concerns, interests or prior experiences are used to cre-
ate elements of the activity, or activity developed in collaboration with the learners.,
Try this recipe out for an activity at your next event! (Wlodkowski, 2008)
10
References
Bell, A. (2015). Three strategies for sustaining learning after a learning event or project. Workshop
for Northeast SARE state professional development coordinators., Unpublished.
Deci, E.L. and Ryan, R.M. (2000) . The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the
self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4: 227-268.
Dollisso, A.D. and Martin, R. A. (1999). Perceptions regarding adult learners motivation to partici-
pate in educational programs. Journal of Agricultural Extension, vol. 40. no. 4: 38-46.
Wlodkowski, R. J. (2008) Enhancing adult motivation to learn. 3rd ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-
Bass Publishers.
A Few Other Interesting Reads (not specifically referenced)
Brzozowski, R. (2014). Coordinating effective professional development projects. Journal of the Na-
tional Association of County Agricultural Agents, vol. 2, no. 2.:1-6.
Friedman, R. Deci, E.L., Elliot, A. J., Moller, A. C. and Aarts, H. (2010). Motivational synchronicity:
Priming motivational orientations with observations of others’ behaviors. Motiv Emot, 34:34-38.
Gillet, N., Lafreniere, M.K., Vallerand, I.H. and Fouquereau, E. (2014). The effects of autonomous
and controlled regulation of performance-approach goals on well-being: A process model. British
Journal of Social Psychology, 53:154-174.
Knowles, M.S., Holton, E.F. and Swanson, R.A. (2005). The adult learner. 6th ed. Burlington, MA:
Elsevier Publishers.
Lieberman, M. D. (2013). Social: Why our brains are wired to connect. New York, NY: Broadway
Books Publishers.
Strong, R. and Harder, A. (2010). Motivational orientations of adults participating in a Cooperative
Extension master gardener program. Journal of Extension, vol. 48, no. 4.: 1-7.