CareerDestiny builds industry-standard Adult Learning Principles into their instructional design and delivery offerings. This ensures optimum learning and retention as well as a positive learner reception to the classroom offering and supporting materials.

1. Responsibility for training rests with both the Instructor and the student. "They just won't learn" is often an excuse for "I don't know what they need." Students need to see the need and relevance. Ultimate responsibility for learning, however, rests with the individual.

2. The peak of learning ability is probably reached somewhere between age 20 and 25. However, people of all ages can learn. Factors that affect adult learning are:

   • levels of practice

   • previous experiences

   • absence from structured learning

   • good/bad memories of school

   • unable to see tangible benefits

   • formality/informality of learning event

   • acknowledgment of adult's life experiences

   • negative self-talk (I've never been technical)

3. Children are more likely to accept external motivation factors unquestioningly. Adults must know how they can benefit by learning.

4. The adult and child may be equally capable of learning by rote but it is usually not the most effective way of learning for an adult. Adults generally dislike memorization.

5. An adult may have to "unlearn" before learning new material.

6. When training we usually start with (1) must know, then (2) should know; then (3) nice to know. The basics must be covered as a base for the "nice to know." e.g. an individual has to have basic mathematics in order to learn accounting principles. However, to ensure ongoing motivation, integrate participant objectives with the "must know" information.

7. Whether an individual is at a class because he/she wants to be or not, students forced to attend training may be unwilling to learn. Motivation to learn affects learning over and above the class content.

8. Adults learners want to know how they are doing and whether they are learning correctly, before continuing with learning. Constructive feedback which includes what they are doing well and suggestions for improvement is essential.

9. Competition under time pressure is not a realistic motivational device during the transfer of learning but may be appropriate during skill practice to set up some learners for success.

10. Training goals should be determined by the needs of the participants in conjunction with the needs of the organization. The more closely linked, the higher rate for success.