Creating Effective Presentations for Adult Learners

Creating Effective Presentations for Adult Learners

Yenobis Amundaray de Galan

‘The learner should be actively involved in the learning process.’

-Malcolm Knowles

Andragogy is the study of how adults learn. This theory was coined by the educator Malcolm Knowles in the 1950s.

Knowles proposed five assumptions about the characteristics of adult learners that form the foundation of Andragogy (Pappas, 2013):

Principles of Andragogy

• Adults have a self-concept of themselves as being responsible for their lives and decision-making.

• Adults have accumulated a wealth of life experiences that they can use as a resource for learning.

• Adults need to be involved in planning and evaluating their learning.

• Adults are most interested in experiences relevant to their work and life.

• Adults are motivated to learn by internal factors such as problem solving, rather than external factors such as grades or rewards.

Why is it important to apply Andragogical principles when creating professional development sessions?

Applying Andragogy in professional development sessions can promote learning independence and build engagement. By applying these principles, learners can make more sense of the direction of their learning depending on their goals and needs (Bashir et al., 2016).

Best practices for creating and delivering effective presentations to adult learners.

• Use visual aids, such as slides or videos, to help illustrate key points and make the presentation more engaging.

• Use concise language to communicate the material, and avoid using jargon or complex terminology that may be difficult for learners to understand.

• Monitor the learners’ engagement and adjust the presentation as needed to maintain their interest and focus.

How cultural, ethnic, and gender biases of presenter and audience can affect presentation effectiveness?

Making assumptions of how your audience thinks just by considering their race or gender can be offensive and cause you to lose engagement.Also, if the presenter holds biases that are not shared by the audience, this can create misunderstandings or conflicts, leading to a less effective presentation

Strategies to reduce or eliminate bias.

• Be conscious of the language you use and avoid words or phrases that may be offensive or alienating to certain participants.

• Consider the cultural, ethnic, and gender backgrounds of the audience and tailor the presentation to be inclusive and relevant to everyone.

• Seek feedback from the audience to ensure that the presentation is not biased and is inclusive of all perspectives.

• Avoid making assumptions about the audience’s knowledge, experiences, or beliefs. Approach the presentation with an open mind and a willingness to listen and learn (Safir, 2016).

Thank you for your attention!