About Experiential Learning
Successful Projects is focused on experiential learning for the improvement of project management-related skills, knowledge, awareness, and preparation for the PMP® certification exam. We create and deliver learning games and activities, practice situations and scenarios, and guide group discussions and other activity-oriented methods to help learners understand, practice, explore, and actively engage in their education and training. We design our training games so that they are positive-sum games, instead of zero-sum games. This allows our participants to learn to look for ways to both win themselves and also to benefit the others in their “community.”
Theory of Adult Learning
Successful Projects deals exclusively with adult learners. This means we specialize in “andragogy” – learning strategies focused on adults.
Knowles’ Theory regarding andragogy was developed by American educator Malcolm Knowles. This theory asserts that adult learning should be distinguished from pedagogy (child-learning) based on the following assumptions:
- Adults need to know the reason for learning something (Need to Know)
- Experience including error provides the basis for learning activities (Foundation).
- Adults need to be responsibile for their decisions on education; involvement in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept).
- Adults are most interested in learning subjects having immediate relevance to their work and/or personal lives (Readiness).
- Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation).
- Adults respond better to internal versus external motivators (Motivation). This is why a self-directed approach is better for adults than ‘taught’ education.
Successful Projects has designed the Certificate in Project Management program and adult intelligent discovery learning activities based on these philosophies.
References:
- Knowles, M. (1975). Self-Directed Learning. Chicago. Follet.
- Kowles, M. (1984). The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species (erd Ed.). Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.
- Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Franciscon: Jossey-Bass.