By 1970, Knowles had already established his first four assumptions of adult learners. By comparing children with adults he suggested that:
(Knowles, 1970)
Around 1980, Knowles added in a fifth assumption:
5. External pressures from teachers, parents, and society drive children's motivation to learn. Adults can also respond to external motivators, such as the chance of a promotion, however according to Knowles, the most potent motivators for adults are internal.
(Knowles, 1995)
- Children have a self-concept of dependency, where as adults have a self-concept of a self-directing personality. (Knowles, 1975)
- "To a child, an experience is something that happens to him; it is an external event that affects him, not an integral part of him. -- But to an adult, his experience is him. He defines who he is, establishes self-identity, in terms of his accumulation of a unique set of experiences." By naturally having more experience than children, adults have more to contribute to conversation, have a richer foundation upon which they can relate new experiences, and have acquired fixed habits and patterns of thought and can therefore be less open minded. -- Practical experience training in education is crucial for adult learners. (QOTFC, 2007)
- Both Children and Adults pass through developmental tasks that produce a "readiness to learn." For children, developmental tasks tend to be products of physiological and mental maturation. For adults, developmental tasks are products of the evolution of social roles throughout adulthood. "For example, in a person's role of worker, his first developmental task is to get a job." --*To see Havighurst's list of social roles throughout adulthood, click the button at the top of the page.*
- Adults seek education with a totally different orientation to learning than children. Children tend to have a perspective of postponed application of content, meaning that the information they are learning now is of no immediate benefit. Adults, in comparison, take on a perspective of immediate application.
(Knowles, 1970)
Around 1980, Knowles added in a fifth assumption:
5. External pressures from teachers, parents, and society drive children's motivation to learn. Adults can also respond to external motivators, such as the chance of a promotion, however according to Knowles, the most potent motivators for adults are internal.
(Knowles, 1995)