Welcome to class on this snowy, cold, January 26th evening. This may be your first experience having a class on the Web, but I trust it will be enjoyable. So get warm and comfortable and let's go at it.

For Class 3, although we would normally be looking at a 2.5 hour class, this class will last all week. You will be replying and responding to the message board discussions all week, so be sure to check in once a day to followthe discussions.

Today's topics include:

* Adult Learners

* Gagné's Nine Events of Instruction and

* Managing the Learning Environment

Take a moment and look at the Principles of Adult Learning, then discuss the question in the Message Board for Adult Learning.

Next look at the document regarding Gagné's Events of Instruction. Around World War II, Robert Gagné studied the steps that people go through during successful learning processes. First, you get their attention, then you tell them what the objectives are for the training. Next you help them recall similar things they have learned or done in the past before you give them the new information or instruction. You let them practice while you give them feedback and then you ask them to demonstrate their competency and help them understand how to take the new skill back to their job or workplace. Finally, go on to Managing the Learning Environment.

The PowerPoint deals with Managing the Learning Environment. I have added some notes to elaborate on the slides, so look at it in Normal or Notes view to see these comments. You will participate in the Message Board discussion for Managing the Learning Environment.

Principles of Adult Learning

Adults need to:

Need to know what to expect

Have a rich life experience

Need to know what skill or knowledge they will be acquiring

Need to have an opportunity to practice and apply those skills and knowledge

Need to have a variety of learning strategies available

Open access to exit and enter learning situations

Use reflective learning styles

Barriers to Learning for adults may include:

Finances

Time

Family responsibilities

Transportation

Lack of self-confidence

Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction

Robert Gagne studied internal processes (things going on in your brain during training and learning) and their corresponding instructional events. Shown below are those events. These can be found in Gagne's book The Conditions of Learning and the Theory of Instruction.

Internal Process / Instructional Event
1. Gaining attention / Reception
2. Informing learners of the objective / Expectancy
3. Stimulating recall of prior learning / Retrieval to Working Memory
4. Presenting the stimulus / Selective Perception
5. Providing "learning guidance" / Semantic Encoding
6. Eliciting performance / Responding
7. Providing feedback / Reinforcement
8. Assessing performance / Retrieval & Reinforcement
9. Enhancing retention and transfer / Retrieval & Generalization