Project number: NPAD-2017/10097 TAU project

Seminar 1 Material [Part 3]

Motivating Learners
Creation of favorable educational
environment, management and
planning work with adult learners
Document details

Country: Finland

Company: Learnmera Oy

Elaborated by: Inês Messias

Date of submission 13.12.2017

Seminar details
Seminar date 22.11.2017

Partners present Ingmarie Rohdin - SE

Åsa Kajsdotter - SE
Yulia Bazyukina - FI
Inês Messias - FI
Marja-Liisa Helenius - FI
Veronica Gelfgren - FI

Responsible All partner countries. Activity to be held by each partner in their institution
for its participants.

Result Participants will improve their educational and management competence.

Topics addressed

9 Corporate language 10 Motivation and

training in Finland engagement

Using cell phones and

11 Learning as an adult: 12 tablets to motivate
the digital divide
adult learners
Topic 9
Corporate language training in Finland
 The students are usually very
Is usually done as tailor-made motivated as the courses are paid The motivation of the learners
courses for groups or one-on- by the employer and the courses is very high and they rarely
one training. are held in the office premises miss a lesson.
during working hours.

Having tailor-made courses structured

More often than not, the learners have
Having the teacher come to your to the learners’ own wishes and topics
the need to learn work-related
of interest is also a motivational factor,
own office is also a factor as you vocabulary and we are using material
as they choose their interests as
don’t want to leave someone like the company’s own brochures,
discussion topics and learning specific
waiting around. annual reports, contracts, website and
targeted vocabulary that they consider
other things.
important.

The teacher creates questions

about the company, their services
Videos of news segments of
and products, pick out articles
interest are also used as
from the newspapers or online
comprehension activities.
about the company or companies
in the same field or trade.
 A quiet but relaxed environment, such
The language cafe/exchange format to learn The social aspect of meeting and
as a cafe or a restaurant or even a
or practice languages outside the classroom conversing with new people and
in an informal setting is an excellent
private room at a public venue, away
sharing a common language can be
environment for language learning. from the classroom, is the best place
very motivating in language learning.
for such exchange.

It is very useful to have an assigned tutor in

Regularly attending a language cafe gives an
It can also be very rewarding to teach one’s all languages spoken in the cafe, when
opportunity to adult learners to both
own language to others in exchange, and possible, as well as some structure using
practice their language skills and form social
motivate people to come learn and share discussion cards, picture cards or other easy-
connections, even a community of language
their own language. to-use material, in case attendees run out of
learners and speakers.
discussion topics or start to get bored.
Topic 10
Motivation and engagement
 Motivation and
engagement are defined by
the effort and dedication
students devote to their
educational activities.

and on the quality

is usually reflected on the degree of of work they
on the time fun they present as a result
students spend experience while of the learning
with their learning, doing it processes they
have gone through
 Motivating adult students is possible through
interaction, meaning that the more a student
interacts the more motivated they become. This
is why usually, at first, it is advisable to create
forums on the formal learning management
Motivating adult students is systems (LMS) used by the institution (such as
Moodle or Blackboard) or, to use closed groups
possible through in social media to create a secure familiar space
interaction, meaning that where we can interact with students and discuss
topics of interest for their learning.
the more a student interacts
the more motivated they
become. These activities have the purpose of making the
learners feel part of the “group”. This feeling of
being part of a group, or community, of learning,
makes them feel less alone, and more motivated,
Anderson, 2003; Oncu & Cakir, 2011, Dron knowing that there are others going through the
& Anderson, 2014 same learning process they are, and creating
them a safe and secure space to ask questions,
interact with each other and exchange good
practices, creating the engagement required to
make them more motivated.
Topic 11
Learning as an adult: the digital divide
 The fact that adult
When it comes to adult learners may require
students, depending on their a flexible schedule, in
order to be able to
age and already gathered digital work and learn;

number of reasons:
This happens because of a
competencies, learning can be
frustrating, due to the fact that The need to
nowadays, in order to attain or overcome
have access to learning geographical barriers,
contents, they are required to making it easier for
students to access the
use technology. contents on their
workplace, at home,
or a school.
 To be able to access the
contents on these digital Using digital tools is
platforms, today’s student must difficult for adult learners
know how to use them. that have never used a
computer to learn.

How do I use this tool?

How can I access the
document I want?
That is why, usually, the teachers have to first give them
Where can I find my teachers?
their frustration:
It is usually here that lies

simple tasks and tools and gradually introduce the more

Where are my classmates? difficult ones, in order to give them time to get to know
Where do I start? the tool they are require to master, to then be able to
actually learn the contents they want.
Topic 12
Using cell phones and tablets to motivate adult learners?
 Using the devices for controlled and directed
tasks or activities, e.g. using the cell phone to
read a QR code with extra information about a
painting or a monument, which means that the
use of such tools is still only potential in these
types of classes.

It is necessary The contents must be prepared

to make all to be accessible on a computer,
When it comes to adult learning, to
be able to learn anywhere, anytime, materials tablet or cell phone
means that the possibility to use the available online
tablet or cell phone to learn while to the student,
commuting from home to work or on a formal or They must be light enough and
vice versa, is very much welcome. informal clear enough so that the student
platform can access it as fast of possible.
 Is the student a young adult?
(if yes, digital devices are welcomed,
they are already acquainted with them,
they are part of their routine. Young
The student’s
adults prefer the contents to be available digital
on several devices, they will find mobile
alerts about new tasks welcome. They
literacy?
like the possibility to do exercices on
their mobiles. His/her
The student’s
technological
profile
skills?

If the student is over 50, the usage of

digital devices is not advisable, since The
they will have the opposite effect from teacher
the young adults.
needs to
consider