Teaching the Adult Learner  Diminishing stress and strengthening a learner’s confidence and decision-making skills can be achieved by incorporating a risk  assessment tool into a training program. Risk assessment tools should always be used to help determine the level of risk involved with  any flight so that the pilot or other support person maintains a margin of safety in the activity they are involved. Key to any risk  assessment is the individual’s objectivity to ensure safety during their flight.  While aviation instructors teach learners of all ages, the average aviation learner age is 30 years old. This means the aviation  instructor needs to be versed in the needs of adult learners. The field of adult education is relatively young, having been established in  the late twentieth century by Dr. Malcolm Knowles. His research revealed certain traits that need to be recognized when teaching  adult learners as well as ways instructors can use these traits to teach older learners.  Adults as learners possess the following characteristics:  Instructors should:  2-17  ⦁ $_{Use books, programmed instruction, and computers which are popular with adult learners. }$ ⦁ $_{Remember that self-direction does not mean isolation. Studies of self-directed learning indicate self-}$ directed projects involve other people as resources, guides, etc.  ⦁ $_{Take advantage of the adult preference to self-direct and self-design learning projects by giving the learner }$ frequent scenario based training (SBT) opportunities  ⦁ $_{Recognize the learner’s need to control pace and start/stop time.}$$_{ }$ ⦁ $_{Assume responsibility only for his or her own expectations, not for those of learners. It is important to }$ clarify and articulate all learner expectations early on.  ⦁ $_{Help learners integrate new ideas with what they already know to ensure they keep and use the new }$ information.  ⦁ $_{Provide a training syllabus (see Chapter 7, Planning Instructional Activity) that is organized with clearly }$ defined course objectives to show the learner how the training helps him or her attain specific goals.  ⦁ $_{Adults want to solve problems and apply new knowledge immediately. }$ ⦁ $_{The need to increase or maintain a sense of self-esteem is a strong secondary motivator for adult learners }$ ⦁ $_{As do all learners, adults need to be shown respect. }$ ⦁ $_{Adults are practical, focusing on the aspects of a lesson most useful to them in their work. }$ ⦁ $_{Adults are relevancy oriented. Their time perspective changes from one of postponed knowledge }$ application to immediate application.  ⦁ $_{Adults are goal-oriented. }$ ⦁ $_{Adults have accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge and draw upon this reservoir of }$ experience for learning.  ⦁ $_{Adults are autonomous and self-directed; they need to be independent and exercise control. }$ ⦁ $_{Adults seek out learning experiences in order to cope with specific life-changing events—marriage, }$ divorce, a new job. They are ready to learn when they assume new roles.  ⦁ $_{Adults who are motivated to seek out a learning experience do so primarily because they have a use for the }$ knowledge or skill being sought. Learning is a means to an end, not an end in itself. 