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“Who knew rigorous learning could be so much fun?” a participant commented in our closing circle.
We were just wrapping up a full-day Professional Development Committee meeting that challenged our thinking, called for creativity, and was simply fun. This comment primed thinking about what adults need to learn and engage in meaningful professional development.
If we are to make adult learning meaningful, we need to rethink professional development.
I’m sure we have all been part of the brutal PowerPoint presentations - pouring information into one ear and having most of it drizzle out the other. 👂 The tortuous sessions that have you staring at the clock every 5 minutes wondering if it is broken because time seems to be standing still.
Just like students need high levels of engagement, collaboration, and fun, so do adults.
If we are to make adult learning meaningful, we need to rethink professional development. Reimagine the structures that can elevate adult learning to be meaningful and not just another PowerPoint pow-wow.
In this week’s post, I’ll review the fancy word, andragogy and how it should inform professional learning. Then, I’ll suggest four key principles for you to follow if you want to knock your next professional development session out of the ballpark.
How do Adults Learn Best?: What to Consider for Engaging Professional Development
If you’ve ever taught or worked with adult learners, you know that they don’t always fit the mold of traditional students. Adults come with years (sometimes decades!) of life experience, varied motivations, and specific learning needs.
Simply put, andragogy is the theory of how adults learn. Developed by Malcolm Knowles (1984) in the 1970s, andragogy shows that adults learn differently than children and need different kinds of support to ensure meaningful, engaging learning. Understanding and considering these differences when designing professional development can make a world of difference.
Unlike children, who typically rely on teachers to guide them, adults are more likely to take charge of their learning. They have clear goals, a sense of independence, and the drive to figure out what they need to learn next. This means that adult learners often prefer to choose their learning path or at least have a say in it which is why choice and autonomy are key to keep participants motivated.
Adults thrive when they can immediately apply new knowledge to their daily lives.
Additionally, adult learners have life experience. Whether it’s professional experience, personal challenges, or even previous education, adult learners have a lot to connect new information to. This background knowledge can be a goldmine for teaching because it gives learners context, enriching their learning and deepening their understanding.
When leading a session, it’s important to honor these life experiences and build learning activities that allow adults to integrate and reflect on their prior knowledge (Merriam et al., 2007).
Adults' intrinsic motivation generally leads to them wanting to improve their skills, advance their careers, or satisfy personal interests. This type of motivation means that adults are often more goal-oriented in their learning. To tap into this, design learning experiences that directly connect to applicable and relevant goals.
Grounding learning in goals or skill development can create buy-in as well. Adults thrive when they can immediately apply new knowledge to their daily lives. When adults can see the direct connection between their learning and their personal or professional lives, they’re much more likely to stay engaged and retain the information (Knowles, 1984).
Andragogy isn’t just about understanding that adults learn differently—it’s about using that understanding to create learning experiences that meet their needs. So let’s begin to inspire buy-in and really make teachers’ professional development engaging and meaningful.
4 Core Principles for Engaging Professional Development
The Why
Goals, goals, goals. Before beginning any professional development, there needs to be a clear reason as to why teachers are learning what they are learning. What is the overall hope or goal?
When you have the why, teachers can then start drawing connections to their lived experience as they move through the session.
One way to make the why clear is by stating the intended outcomes or weaving the why into your welcome message. Whichever method you choose toc ommunicate the why, make sure it is clear, relevant, and meaningful.
Interactive Structures
One of the best ways to engage adults is by encouraging collaboration. Adults learn well from each other because of the diverse experiences they bring. Group discussions, peer feedback, and even collaborative projects can spark valuable exchanges of ideas. When we socialize while learning, we can also build a sense of community.
Having participants move about in your learning space and connecting with motley individuals can broaden and deepen their learning experience as well. The movement and the verbal engagement neurologically solidify new learning.
Interactive structures can also include individual reflection, creative projects, visuals, and problem-solving amongst other strategies. As Kolb (1984) suggests, learning is most effective when it involves action followed by reflection. So, encourage learners to reflect on their experiences and apply those lessons to future challenges.
Having participants move about in your learning space and connecting with motley individuals can broaden and deepen their learning experience as well.
Choice
Adult learners juggle work, family, and other commitments, so flexibility is key. Offering a variety of learning formats—such as online courses, workshops, or hybrid models—allows adults to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule. It’s also a great way to accommodate different learning styles and preferences. Some adults may prefer self-paced courses, while others may benefit from group discussions or in-person sessions.
Now, if you're following the traditional in-person professional development session, make sure there are plenty of opportunities for choice. Choice with content, choice with how they share their learning, choice with note-taking sheets, just throw choice in the air like confetti. 🎊
By permitting choice, you also go beyond engagement and show trust. You trust participants to make the choice that best meets their needs. And when you repeatedly allow for this, you can continue to build community and connection.
Fun
Professional development doesn’t have to be all business—it can be fun, too! 😀Integrating elements of play, creativity, and humor into learning sessions not only boosts engagement but also fosters stronger connections among participants.
Interactive games, team-building challenges, and energizers can make complex topics more approachable and memorable. Embedding these activities also gives your brain a break to reset and refocus.
When educators are energized and enjoying themselves, they're more likely to feel motivated, retain information, and apply new strategies in their classrooms.
By incorporating fun, you can begin to transform professional development into an experience educators look forward to—one that inspires both personal growth and professional excellence.
One Last Thought
Over the years, I have used various strategies and techniques for the professional development sessions I’ve led. I have found the most success with adhering to a responsive approach.
What this looks like and sounds like is providing a clear, predictable, interactive structure. I generally kick off my sessions with a morning meeting where we have team building and some interactive, group activity.
Then, I ground the session with the why. Next, the work begins which involves participants being active and interactive in their learning (there is plenty of choice confetti). Finally, I end the session with a roadmap of where we are going next and a closing circle.
This approach has proved most effective in not only increasing engagement and making the time fly but most importantly, setting teachers up to learn and build community and connections, the foundation of learning, love, and success.
References
Knowles, M. S. (1984). Andragogy in action: Applying modern principles of adult learning. Jossey-Bass.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2007). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide (3rd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
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