On Secondary Motivators for Engaging in Learning

Back in June, 1981, Ron and Susan Zemke sought to enumerate the things we as teachers / trainers / facilitators / classroom aides / tutors know about  (1) adult learners and their motivation; (2) designing curriculum for adults; and (3) working with adults in the classroom. They called them "truisms" based on a fairly large body of research conducted over the years about the adult learner.

In Truism No. 6 of their article, the Zemkes discuss the importance of increasing or maintaining a sense of self-esteem and pleasure as strong secondary motivators for adults entering into and engaging in new learning experiences. They mention Allen Tough (1979) and his co-researchers as making a major contribution to our knowledge base about adult motivation to learn.

Allen Tough and his research partners developed a model of self-directed learning (1979) which attributed the conscious anticipation of reward and benefits as a significant part of a learner's total motivation for studying. Anticipated benefits of acquiring new skills cluster around feeling pleasure, self-esteem, and enjoying the regard of others. Such persons might also be said to be certain of their control over their own destiny. 

The Zemkes postulate that "teachable moments" appear during the lives of adults and that training should not be delayed, since that will impact actual performance.

When adult students perceive that being engaged in learning, retaining knowledge or skills, and applying same to gaining a material reward (e.g., promotion at work) or gaining a symbolic reward (like credits and degrees) is more beneficial, more important to them than financial impediments, family obligations, or environmental barriers they may encounter they will embark upon their quest for learning and deserve our support as teachers.


READ ABOUT IT:

Tough, Allen. 1979, The Adult's Learning Projects, 2nd ed. Toronto: Ontario Institute of Studies in Education.

Zemke, Ron, and Susan Zemke. "30 Things We Know for Sure About Adult Learning," TRAINING Magazine, June 1981. Minn: Lakewood Publications. (Revisited in June 1995 -- they asked themselves, "Has anything changed?") Found at: http://www.trainingmag.com/sites/default/files//TrainingMagazine_1995_AdultsLearning.pdf