Designing Training and Development

Anticipated training techniques are adult learning techniques. The first theory that would greatly benefit new and current teachers in a lesson about how to install a new state curriculum that has been recently released is the Adult Learning Theory. “Adult learning theory was developed out of a need for a specific theory of how adults learn” (Designing Training, p. 148). There are several assumptions that are based in the Adult learning theory. There is the assumption that adults need to know exactly why they are learning what they are, they can direct themselves, adult learners bring work-related knowledge into a lesson (leads to a problem-centered approach), and that adults are motivated by intrinsic and extrinsic components (Designing Training, p. 148). Despite the information being taught, the intended audience is a group of adult teachers, both experienced and inexperienced, and there is no need to pretend that they should be taught like children. They may have a lot of experience in the profession, and if they are taught a lesson like a student, they may feel patronized and not do well or pay attention as they should.

A second theory that may be applied is the Information Processing learning theory. This theory “gives more emphasis to the internal processes that occur when training content is learned and retained” (Designing Training, p. 149). The lesson at hand is nearly irrelevant but for the fact that the information has to be retained, learned, and using in the profession immediately. This learning theory emphasizes “the internal processes needed to capture, store, retrieve, and respond to messages (and) the information processing model highlights how external events influence learning” (Designing Training, p. 149). This theory would be a good fit to teach educators about the new curriculum changes because there is a lot of information and most likely several policies to be not only learned, but retained and used correctly.

It is important to treat the teachers as adults, as educators, during the lesson about the new state curriculum so that the information can be retained properly and used in the classroom as it is needed. Training and learning theories are important in the teaching process so that the intended audience can get as much as possible out of the lesson at hand.

Reference

Designing Training. Learning Theories and Program Design. 141-149.