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a. Characteristics of Adult Learners
According to Brookfield 1986: 30, adult learners had four essential characteristics. First, they had different orientation in learning. They were already
mature enough to decide the next step in their life and it enabled them to be responsible for everything that they did. They had set their own goal and also the
way to achieve it. Adults learn because they needed to learn. In other words, their willingness to learn based on their needs.
Second, adult learners showed diverse learning style. They already had some experience in their life so they wished that they could learn something with
their own style. It was more interesting for them to have problem centered activity rather than to have teacher centered activity. It was because they could apply what
they had learned in their real life. Therefore, authenticity was famous term in adult learning Brookfield, 1986: 30. They are motivated to learn something that
benefit in their life. Third, Brookfield 1986 also stated that adults’ past experiences could
affect their learning. Their past experiences could be motivation or obstacle for them. Their past experience could be related to the learning experience. They
might have learned particular material in their past and they could not understand because of external factor teacher, learning atmosphere. It would be a traumatic
experience for them to learn. Fourth, adult learners had the tendency of self-directed learners. Since
they had passed some life phases, they were aware of their needs. They learned because they needed it and they would be responsible for that. It was advantage
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for the teacher because there was no need for them to encourage the learners to learn.
b. Effective Learning for Adult Learners
After examined the characteristics of adult learners, it was the time to learn about how to make effective learning for adults. To have effective adult
learning, teachers should consider some principles. Brookfield 1986, 11 explained that there were six principles of effective learning for adults.
1 Voluntary Participation
Adults had their own motivation to learn, so there was no need for teachers to motivate learners to learn or to participate in class actively. Therefore,
teachers needed to be so creative in creating the class activity. Once, adult learners might be not too interested to play game, role play or other activities whenever
they thought that it was not related to their needs.
2 Mutual Respect
Different learners had different characteristics and uniqueness which should be respected. The effective learning would be perfect when there was
respect for learners’ uniqueness and diversity. Therefore, the learning would create a challenging situation in which learners were challenged to express their
differences through class discussion.
3 Collaborative Spirit
It was one of the differences between adult learning and other learning because there was collaboration between the learners and the teachers. There was
collaboration in setting the goal, analyzing the needs, creating the learning
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methods and so on. However, there was also collaborative activity, which surely considered voluntary participation and mutual respect. The relationship between
teacher and students was interdependent. Teachers needed to set the goal, define the learning activities by conducting needs analysis to the students. Students
needed the teachers’ help to support them in achieving their goal. Therefore, teachers would be eager to teach when they could meet their students needs and
students would be motivated to learn because they learn something beneficial for them.
4 Action and Reflection
The learning activity was continuing process with reflection in the end of the activity. It was aimed to investigate and to explore new idea, skill and
knowledge through learners own experiences. It helped the teachers to examine the previous learning process and to prepare better learning process.
5 Critical Reflection
Based on the learners’ uniqueness and diversity, teachers were to develop their awareness of having culturally diverse of knowledge, beliefs, values and
behaviors by presenting alternative interpretation of learners’ personal relationship, views of the social and political world. Therefore, learners were to
see and to appreciate that those diversity were culturally exist. It was aimed to shape their critical mind.
6 Self-Direction
Adult learners had the tendency of self-directed learners, it was one of their characteristics to direct themselves towards their needs to learn. Adults were
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highly motivated to do some efforts to fulfill their needs. It was good for the teachers for they had no obstacle in delivering the material. However, it might be
not good for them because learners would easily ignore whenever they found it did not meet their needs.
The learning for adults would be effective by considering those principles. However, it would be better if it was also supported by suitable
material and class activity without ignoring those principles.
6. Immersion Program
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