Adult Learning Styles and Effective Transfer of Information

Abstract

Effective training and other technology transfer (T2) activities occur when teachers/trainers or T2 agents recognize and use training techniques that correspond to the learning styles of their learner audiences. Learning style is defined as one’s personally preferred way of processing information and experience. It crosses all content areas. It is affected by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as stress, world view, and environment. Each learner has the ability to utilize a variety of learning styles, and each teacher has a preferred teaching style based on his or her preferred information processing mode. Each learner learns most comfortably and fastest when his or her preferred learning style meshes with the teaching style of the teacher/trainer. Often teacher/trainers do not have the time, funds, or opportunity to determine their learners’ preferred styles. The effective teacher/trainer utilizes a variety of teaching techniques to engage and convey the most information to the most learners.