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A learner's
characteristic of adults is perhaps the best way to describe
the level of participation and achievement during the
process of learning the golf skills. In fact, it also
applies in any discipline of acquiring knowledge. The
learner's characteristic will account for the enthusiasm,
motivation, passion and success of learning. The
personality, character, attitudes, aptitude and goal-setting
are the elements that individual learning characteristics
will built on.
My experience in teaching thousand of beginner golfers and
players has reaffirmed that students’ progress during their
learning are according to their learning characteristics.
You may also conclude your progress in learning golf swing
technique and game proficiency by anaylsing your learning
characteristics.
The understanding of the adult learning characteristics is
best related to the pioneering work in the field of adult
learning by Malcolm Knowles (1988) who popularised the term
'andragogy' as the art and science of helping adults to
learn'. The word has its roots from the Greek words "andra'
meaning man, not boy or adult, and 'agogus' meaning 'leader.
Knowles' (1988) contribution alerts adult educators to the
fact that adults tend to learn differently. This is in
contrast to the field of 'pedagogy' which refers to the art
and science of teaching children. With pedagogy, the teacher
has the responsibility for making decisions about the
learning process. The learner is passively involved in the
absorption of knowledge through the use of activities such
direct teaching, reading, drill and practice and
memorisation.
Knowles (1988) makes assumptions about the differences
between children and adults as learners by looking into
areas of the need to know, self-concept, experience,
readiness to learn, orientation to learning and motivation.
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Knowles Comparison
of Andragogy and Pedagogy |
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Characteristic |
Andragogy |
Pedagogy |
1
|
The need to know
|
Adults need to know why
they have to
learn
|
Children need to be told
|
2
|
Self-concept
|
Adults are
self-directed; they take
responsibility for and
manage their own
learning
|
Children are
dependent on the teacher
|
3
|
Experience
|
Adult have a
reservoir of experience that
serves as vital
resource for learning, in
making connection with
knowledge
|
Children have
little to bring to the
learning place in terms of
personal
experience
|
4
|
Readiness to learn
|
Adults learn to
fulfill roles they play in the
community and to
solve real-life problems
|
Children learn in response to societal
expectations
|
|
5 |
Orientation to
learning
|
Adults are focused
on immediacy of
application for problem solving
|
Children focused on
the subject to
acquire knowledge for use at a later
time
|
|
6 |
Motivation
|
Adults
are driven by internal factors
|
Children
are driven by external factors
|
Based on the foregoing characteristics, here
are some explanations.
1. The need to know
Adults have a need to know why they should learn something
because learning of any discipline requires time and effort.
Before engaging on any field of skill acquisition or study,
he will want to know the answers to the following questions:
“Why do I need to learn golf? and what’s in it for me?";
“What do I really stand to gain?" or "Will it benefit me
and/or my family?" or "What if I don’t learn to play golf?”
Adult needs to be convinced that the time and effort
learning the new skill is of value. The common reason of
adult involves in golf is the curiosity of where are the
funs and thrills that my friends and so many people play
golf.
Children need to learn a new skill because parents tell them
it is good to for them.
2. Self-concept
The principle of Self-concept refers to the self-directing
characteristic of the adult learners. Adult has a strong
self-concept and perception of what to be as person. He will
decide what is best to do that will affect the quality of
her or his life. He respect others decision and proposal. He
will choose what and how he or she wants to learn to improve
the quality of life. This self-concept of an adult is what
helps to prioritize the activities that is needed to involve
his career and social life including learning the game of
golf.
His self-concept statements are "There must something about
golf that my friends continue to play for so many years"; "I
want to start golf so that I wouldn't be alienated."
Children self-concept of learning a new skill may be
assisted by their parents and teacher. Examples - parents
will tell their children "You can choose to learn drawing or
painting" or "learn to swim or play golf".
3. Experience
The principle of experience refers to an adult having a
variety of experiences in life including successes, failures
and learning experiences. An adult’s experience makes the
person that he or she is. Therefore any learning must make
sense to his or her experiences before the learning can take
place and be acceptable. Their experiences also teach them
to choose the type of meaningful learning and environment to
suit their characteristics. He will want to know the answers
to the following questions:
"How the learning will be conducted?"; "What is the learning
environment, teaching methods, time frame and cost?"
Children do not possess sufficient life experiences to
effectively incorporate into their learning environment.
Their types of learning are decided by the parents and
teachers.
4. Readiness to learn
Adults are ready to learn when they enter a learning
environment. The learning needs are focused towards their
performing social and community roles. They want to be ready
and prepared to solve problems that may arise. They will
voluntarily choose to learn when they can see how the skill
will help them in their lives and in their work.
Their statements to themselves are "I will be able to
participate in my association golf charity activities this
year” or “I want to do be better than I am doing".
On the other hand, children learning needs
are geared towards physiological and mental development
stages.
5. Orientation to learning
Adults is life-centered (or task-centered or
problem-centered) in their orientation to learning. Adults
are motivated to learn to the extent that they perceive this
learning will help them perform tasks or deal with problems
that arise in their life situations.
Orientation to learning refers to adults
focusing on immediacy of application of their learning, more
value or being able to practically apply their learning.
Their affirmation can be “I want to play
competitive golf with my clients” or "I will be competent
with this new knowledge and skills".
Children naturally focus on postponing immediate application
for future needs.
6. Motivation
While we are responsive to some external motivators (better
job, promotion, higher salaries, wage increase, recognition,
promotion, etc), the most potent motivators are internal
pressures (the desire for increased job satisfaction) and
intrinsic (self-esteem, growth, broader responsibilities,
power, achievements). Some adults are motivated to keep
improving, growing and developing.
The pedagogy model assumes that children are motivated to
learn by extrinsic factors (good grades, parental approval,
a new toy, getting that diploma or degree). Learning a
subject just for the sheer of joy of it seems a strange
concept.
As a golf teaching professional trainer for
many years, I consistently research, study and apply as many
adult learning principles, styles, activities coupled with
teaching methodogy and instructional strategies to
complement the
six (6)
concerns in adult learning characteristics. This will
facilitate the learning acceleration of golf
skills. This engagement during the lessons is what make my
teaching process very challenging and exciting. Each golf
student will be motivated to nurture their talents in the
shortest time possible.
Learning and reflective-learning will give you an experience
which produces a relatively permanent change in behaviour,
or potential behaviour.
If you
always do what you always did….you always get what you
always got.
“Is a tall order to be successful in what we want to do".
This article is referenced from:
Knowles, M. (1975). Self-Directed Learning. Chicago:
Follet.
Knowles, M. (1984). The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species
(3rd Ed.). Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.
Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Philip Ang
Asian Golf Centre
Certified & Licensed
USGTF
Master Golf Teaching Professional - USA
Certified Professional Teacher and Trainer - University of
Cambridge UK
Singapore Sport Council - NCAP Level 1, 2 & 3
Singapore WDA-WSQ ACTA Certified Trainer & Assessor
Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP™) Practitioner -
USA
Certified Professional Clubmaker by GCA (USA)
GCA Winner International Clubmaker of the Year - USA
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