Adult Learning Theory & Andragogy Flashcards

A CPI instructor creates a pre-assessment to surface what adult learners already know before beginning a unit. This practice is MOST aligned with which principle?

Answer: Leveraging prior experience and diagnosing learning needs as andragogy prescribes

Pre-assessment to surface prior knowledge directly applies the andragogical principle that adults' experience should be assessed and used as a foundation for new learning.

Which concept describes an adult's accumulated store of knowledge and skills from formal and informal experiences that serves as a foundation for new learning?

Answer: Experiential reservoir

Knowles described adult learners' accumulated experience as an 'experiential reservoir' that is the richest resource available to both learner and teacher.

In situated learning theory (Lave & Wenger), novice adult learners best acquire skills by:

Answer: Participating in authentic communities of practice with legitimate peripheral participation

Lave and Wenger argued that learning is embedded in authentic activity; newcomers participate at the periphery of real communities, gradually moving toward full participation.

When evaluating the effectiveness of adult learning programs, which approach aligns MOST closely with andragogical philosophy?

Answer: Including self-evaluation and collaborative assessment alongside instructor evaluation

Andragogy supports mutual diagnosis and self-evaluation as part of assessment, honoring adult self-directedness rather than relying solely on external judgment.

An adult learner resists changing a deeply held professional belief despite compelling counter-evidence in class. Mezirow would describe this as resistance to:

Answer: Perspective transformation

Mezirow's transformative learning theory describes perspective transformation as the process of revising meaning perspectives, which adults often resist when deeply held.

Which environmental factor has research consistently shown to MOST negatively impact adult learner persistence in postsecondary education?

Answer: Competing life demands such as work and family responsibilities

Research consistently identifies competing life demands — work, family, financial obligations — as the primary situational barrier reducing adult learner persistence.

Which instructional design feature MOST directly addresses the andragogical principle that adults are problem-centered learners?

Answer: Structuring units around real-world problems and application scenarios

Organizing instruction around authentic problems and application scenarios directly addresses Knowles's orientation-to-learning assumption that adults prefer problem-centered approaches.