Teaching Insights from Adult Learning Theory

How do undergraduate and graduate students learn? How can we use what we know about the learning process to teach more effectively? While the research has yet to connect fundamental processes in the brain to what we do as teachers with certainty, the past half-century of work on adult learning has produced several useful theories that can inform instructional choices. This article provides an overview of three learning models that yield insights into teaching practice—novice/expert behaviors, cognitive development, and learning styles—along with ways in which instructors can draw on these models in course planning and classroom teaching. Application of the theories toward refinement, reduction, and replacement of live animals in the veterinary medical curriculum is also discussed. Key Words: adult learning theory • teaching strategy • cognitive development • novice–expert difference • learning style