Adult Learning Theories

Question 1

Who considered that learning is the process of constructing new knowledge on the foundations of what you already know.

Answer 1

Vygotsky (1997),

Question 2

considered that adults learn in different ways from children

Answer 2

Malcolm Knowles (1988)

Question 3

He introduced the term ‘‘andragogy’’ to differentiate adult learning from pedagogy

Answer 3

Malcolm Knowles (1988)

Question 4

andragogy can not be applied equally to children’s learning. True or false?

Answer 4

False

Question 5

___________ includes the acquisition of three domains: knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Answer 5

Learning

Question 6

Any theories should ideally account for ________

Answer 6

Learning

Question 7

These focus on individual experience, and include the behaviourist and cognitive learning theories.

Answer 7

Instrumental learning theories

Question 8

are the basis of many competency based curricula and training programmes

Answer 8

Behavioural theories

Question 9

in the environment leads to a change in behaviour.

Answer 9

stimulus

Question 10

focus learning in the mental and psychological processes of the mind, not on behaviour.

Answer 10

Cognitive learning theories

Question 11

focus learning in the mental and psychological processes of the mind, not on behaviour. They are concerned with perception and the processing of information

Answer 11

Cognitive learning theories

Question 12

has influenced adult education by making educators responsible for creating, facilitating access to and organising experiences in order to facilitate learning

Answer 12

Experiential learning

Question 13

both Bruner’s (1966) discovery learning and Piaget’s (1952) theory of cognitive devel- opment support this approach

Answer 13

Experiential learning

Question 14

has been criticised for focusing essentially on develop- ing individual knowledge and limiting the social context

Answer 14

Experiential learning

Question 15

has been criticised for focusing essentially on develop- ing individual knowledge and limiting the social context

Answer 15

Experiential learning

Question 16

These theories promote indi- vidual development and are more learner-centred

Answer 16

Humanistic theories:

Question 17

to produce individuals who have the potential for self-actualisation, and who are self-directed and intern- ally motivated.

Answer 17

Goal of Humanistic theories

Question 18

Knowles (1988) supported this theory by popularising the concept of ‘‘andragogy’’.

Answer 18

Humanistic theories:

Question 19

explains the motivation to learn, its main limitation is the exclusion of context and the social mechanism of constructing meaning and knowledge.

Answer 19

Humanistic theories:

Question 20

adults can plan, conduct, and evaluate their own learning

Answer 20

Self-directed learning

Question 21

emphasising autonomy and individual freedom in learning.

Answer 21

Goal of Self-directed learning

Question 22

explores the way in which critical reflection can be used to challenge the learner’s beliefs and assumptions

Answer 22

Transformative learning theory:

Question 23

A disorienting dilemma which is the catalyst/trigger to review own views/perspectives – ‘‘knowing that you don’t know’’

Answer 23

perspective transformation

Question 24

The context, which includes personal, professional and social factors

Answer 24

perspective transformation

Question 25

identifies different forms of reflection in transformation of meanings, structures, context, process and premise. Premise reflection involves the critical re-examination of long held presuppositions

Answer 25

Critical reflection

Question 26

The two elements that are crucial to social theories of learning are context and community

Answer 26

Social theories of learning:

Question 27

In social theories learning, The two elements that are crucial to social theories of learning are _____ and _____

Answer 27

Context Community

Question 28

These concepts have been developed by Etienne Wenger (Lave & Wenger 1991; Wenger 1998), who emphasises the importance of ‘‘communities of practice’’

Answer 28

Social theories of learning

Question 29

Person who emphasises the importance of ‘‘communities of practice’’ in guiding and encouraging the learner.

Answer 29

Etienne Wenger

Question 30

The way in which a learner’s experience is shaped by their context and community is developed by ________

Answer 30

situativity theory

Question 31

is discussed by Durning & Artino (2011).

Answer 31

Situativity theory

Question 32

__________ and __________ are social activities

Answer 32

Learning Thinking

Question 33

_________ and ________ are structured by the tools available in specific situations

Answer 33

Thinking Learning

Question 34

is influenced by the setting in which learning takes place (Wilson 1993).

Answer 34

Thinking

Question 35

Any theoretical model that attempts to explain and relates adult learning to an educational theory must have two critical elements – _________ and ____________

Answer 35

Motivation Reflection

Question 36

Any theoretical model that attempts to explain and relates adult learning to an educational theory

Answer 36

Motivational models:

Question 37

recognises the importance of intrinsic motivation

Answer 37

Motivational models

Question 38

The theory recognises the importance of intrinsic motivation, and considers that three basic needs must be fulfilled to sustain it: __________, __________, and a feeling of ______

Answer 38

Autonomy Competence Belonging

Question 39

One of the issues about learning is that a low expectation of success will result in poor motivation to learn, unless the perceived value of success is overwhelming. This is partly explained by __________ theory of needs

Answer 39

Maslow

Question 40

theory (Weiner 1992) incorporates the _____ of success and expectancy of success.

Answer 40

Value

Question 41

Motivation to learn = ___________ of success x _______ of success

Answer 41

Expectancy Value

Question 42

The main external barriers to motivation are ______ and_______, __________, and ________ to learning or obtaining information.

Answer 42

Life events transitions Opportunities Barriers

Question 43

consider that reflection leads to action and then change.

Answer 43

Reflective models

Question 44

The reflection-change models consider that reflection leads to ________ and then ________

Answer 44

Action Change

Question 45

important relevance to medical education, and more widely in society

Answer 45

Reflective Learning

Question 46

using _________ and _________ as tools to develop both knowledge and skills is starting to provide very valuable insights for educators

Answer 46

Reflection Feedback

Question 47

considered that the mind was a tabula rasa or ‘‘blank slate’’

Answer 47

John Locke

Question 48

derived his laws, principally the law of effect

Answer 48

Edward Thorndike

Question 49

learning occurred if it had a positive effect on the individual

Answer 49

Law of effect

Question 50

repetition strengthened the learning.

Answer 50

Law of exercise

Question 51

who demonstrated that some forms of learning could be demonstrated by a simple stimulus-response para- digm

Answer 51

Skinner

Question 52

reward could be used to ensure an appropri- ate response to a stimulus.

Answer 52

simple stimulus-response para- digm,

Question 53

Skinner showed that there were three elements that strengthened learning, _____, _______, ______

Answer 53

Frequency contiguity contingency

Question 54

_________ showed that there were three elements that strengthened learning, namely frequency

Answer 54

Skinner

Question 55

the number of times a stimulus was presented

Answer 55

frequency

Question 56

the time delay between the response and the reward

Answer 56

contiguity

Question 57

continued link between the stimulus and the reward

Answer 57

contingency

Question 58

considers that the type of experiments favoured by behaviourists do not explain the acquisition of higher order skills, such as the learning of language.

Answer 58

Chomsky

Question 59

argued that our brains are programmed to acquire higher order skills, which we develop and modify by experience.

Answer 59

Chomsky

Question 60

a cognitive constructivist

Answer 60

Piaget

Question 61

considered the different types of knowledge that could be acquired at different stages in a young person’s life

Answer 61

Piaget

Question 62

who studied the way in which college students change from dualism

Answer 62

William Perry

Question 63

Is a Social constructivists

Answer 63

Vygotsky

Question 64

focus on the way that the learning community supports learning.

Answer 64

Vygotsky

Question 65

Zone of Proximal Development, whereby a learner can only acquire new knowledge if they can link it in with existing knowledge.

Answer 65

Social constructivism

Question 66

This enables us to formulate abstract concepts that make sense of the new data.

Answer 66

reflection in action,

Question 67

In turn this will lead us to propose tests of our knowledge, through direct experimentation or through debate and discussion.

Answer 67

reflection in action

Question 68

It is crucial that the learner thinks about the processes they have used, and the extent to which they were rigorous or appropriate in the use of the material; this is fundamental to learning.

Answer 68

reflection on action.

Question 69

refers to the structural things that teachers do to guide learners through the teaching and learning material.

Answer 69

Scaffolding

Question 70

They are necessary because the sheer volume and complexity of knowledge to be acquired often leaves the learner standing on the threshold (in a state of liminality), rather than stepping into the world of learning.

Answer 70

Scaffolding

Question 71

exists when the learner’s existing knowledge is challenged and found to be incomplete. The challenge can be internal, when a learner is thinking things through, or it can be external, provided by a teacher or patient.

Answer 71

dissonance phase

Question 72

the learner seeks out a number of possible explanations or solutions to a problem (elaboration), and through completing tasks, research, reflec- tion and discussion refines the new information into a series of concepts which are, for the learner, new.

Answer 72

refinement phase

Question 73

is where the learner develops or restructures their ideas to account for the increased information they have acquired.

Answer 73

organisation phase

Question 74

is arguably the most crucial, as it is where the learner articulates their newly acquired knowledge and tests it against what their peers and teachers believe.

Answer 74

feedback phase

Question 75

will either reinforce their schema, or oblige the learner to reconsider it in the light of new information.

Answer 75

Feedback phase

Question 76

the learner reflects upon the process they have undergone, looking back over the learning cycle and identifying what they have learned from it

Answer 76

consolidation phase

Question 77

Learners role Identify prior (base-line) knowledge, skills and attitudes  Recognise what is unknown Teachers role Provide the context in which the student can learn. Increase extrinsic motivation through appropriate tasks

Answer 77

Dissonance phase

Question 78

Learners role Think of many possible explanations or solutions to the case or problem.  Work out which are the most likely resources to refine the possibilities Teachers role Ensure the relevant learning experiences are available – at the appropriate level for the learner

Answer 78

Refinement phase

Question 79

Learners role Test and re-test the hypothesis Organise the information into a ‘‘story’’ that makes sense to the learner Teachers role Provide advance organisers for the learners – struc- tures upon which they can continue to build. Encourage reflection in action

Answer 79

Organisation phase

Question 80

Learners role Teachers role

Answer 80

Feedback phase

Question 81

Learners role Reflection in the light of prior knowledge  Reflection on the learning process Teachers role Provide opportunities for the learner to rehearse and/apply their new knowledge  Encourage reflection on action.

Answer 81

Consolidation phase

Question 82

The key to success as an educator is probably providing the advance organisers.

Answer 82

The dissonance phase.

Question 83

If the aim of the educational intervention is simply to present the learner with new knowledge

Answer 83

surface learning

Question 84

The educator has two roles in supporting the learner. (2pts)

Answer 84

Scaffolding Syllabus

Question 85

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Answer 85

Declaration of interest