1) The document discusses different theories and concepts related to training, education, and adult learning. It addresses pedagogy versus andragogy, the five principles of andragogy, Kolb's experiential learning cycle, and Honey and Mumford's four learning styles. 2) The trainer's role is to help make learning voluntary, break topics into manageable parts, relate topics to jobs or existing knowledge, and ask questions to promote feedback. Trainers should understand different learning styles and motivation factors. 3) Motivation to learn involves curiosity, self-efficacy, attitudes, needs according to Maslow's hierarchy, competence, and external motivators like incentives. The environment, readiness to learn, and

1. Training Theories
Learning Styles
Module Number 2

2. Project No: 2017-1-IE01-KA202-025711
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
2

3. What’s in this Module
• Concepts of training and education.
• Key principles and methodologies of adult learning.
• State the different ways people learn and what motivates this learning.
3

4. Concepts of Training and Education
• The traditional concept of training and education is defined as the
transferring of skills from the trainer to the learner.
• A change in attitude towards training means that training needs to be
seen as whole person development.
• This entails focusing on enabled learning and personal development
rather than imposing training.

5. Pedagogy versus Andragogy
• Pedagogy - All learning and teaching strategies, regardless of age.
• Andragogy - Learning strategies focused on adults.

6. Andragogy
It is the concept of adult learning, which is:
• Student-centred
• Experience-based
• Problem-orientated
• Collaborative
(Malcolm Knowles [1978, 1990], R.Burns [1995])

7. Andragogy
The five principles of andragogy are:
• The need to know
• Learner self-concept
• Role of learners' experience
• Readiness to learn
• Orientation to learning
(Malcolm Knowles)

8. Trainer’s role in the learning experience
Learning is a voluntary process, however the trainer can help it
along by ….
• Breaking up subject into manageable chunks
• Setting the subject in context
• Relating the training to existing job or knowledge
• Ensuring trainees are relaxed & comfortable
• Allowing trainees to get to know each other
• Allowing trainees to get to know you
• Being aware of individual differences
• Maximising use of the senses
)

9. Trainer’s role in the learning experience
Also ......
• Put something in it for them – “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM)
• Encourage throughout
• Feedback on what they are doing right or wrong
• Encourage questions from learner’s
)

10. Trainer’s role in the learning experience
The importance of asking questions of learner’s throughout the
training course:
• To promote effective learning
• Understand participants background
• To produce reliable feedback
• To maintain & arouse interest

11. Trainer’s role in the learning experience
• The acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, practice, or
study, or by being taught, which leads to a long-lasting change of
behaviour.

12. Stages of Learning
1. Unconscious Incompetence – not knowing that there is anything to
learn
2. Conscious Incompetence – knowing what needs to be learnt but
express lack of self-confidence in ability to complete the newly learnt
task
3. Conscious Competence – comfortable in knowledge and actions of
learnt task
4. Unconscious Competence – completing the learnt task without
thinking

13. How do we learn?
• Information should be presented in a form that is absorbed
by a broad range of learners.
• Learning occurs though three sensory channels:
• Visual (29%)– what we see
• Auditory (34%) – what we hear
• Kinesthetic (37%) – what we touch & feel

14. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle
Concrete
experience
(feeling)
Reflective
observation
(watching)
Abstract
conceptualisation
(thinking)
Active
experimentation
(doing)

15. Honey & Mumford 4 Learning Styles
 Theorists
• Learn best when reviewing in terms of a
system, theory or model
• Tend to be detached and analytical
• Put great stock in logic and rationality
 Activists
• Would learn best from short here and now
tasks.
• Enthusiastic about new activities
• Will try anything once
• Action based games, courses, exercises
• Enjoy anything competitive
 Reflectors
• Quieter, more cautious individual.
• Have a preference for sitting back and watching
others, preferring to think before acting
• Prefer to collect and analyse data before coming to
conclusions
• Enjoy watching people in action
 Pragmatist
• Learn when there is an obvious link between
the subject matter and a problem or
opportunity on the job
• Search for new ideas and look for chances to
apply them to relevant situations
• Like to get on with things rather than have
long open ended discussions.

16. Why does this matter
• It is important to understand how people learn and how to ensure
an interesting and effective learning environment for all learners.
• Teach as to suit all learners styles not just your own!!

17. Motivation and Learning
• Motivation – the desire that drives people to act or behave in a
certain way
• Motivation can be viewed sometimes by employers as the
difference between what people can do and what they will do.

18. Motivation and Learning
Six components of the motivation to learn
1. Curiosity – trainer can ask questions or pose problem solving tasks
2. Self-Efficacy or Self-Belief – trainer can help learners develop self-belief
through positive verbal reinforcement of their capabilities
3. Attitude – behaviour may contradict attitude
4. Need – Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
5. Competence – external support, respect and encouragement are important
for the learner to achieve competence
6. External Motivators – a stimulating learning environment can motivate the
learner

19. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (original five-stage model)

20. Motivation and Learning
Matthew Weller discusses basic principles of motivation which are
applicable to learning in any situation:
• The environment can be used to focus the learner’s attention on what needs to
be learned.
• Incentives motivate learning.
• Internal motivation is longer lasting and more self-directive than is external
motivation, which must be repeatedly reinforced by praise or concrete rewards.
• Learning is most effective when an individual is ready to learn, that is, when
one wants to know something.
• Motivation is enhanced by the way in which the instructional material is
organised.

21. Motivation and Learning
Remember:
• As with learning styles not all learners will be motivated to learn in the same
manner
• Always answer the learner’s unspoken question - “What’s in it for me?”

22. Thank you for your
attention