Adult learners are most engaged when the information and ideas  solve problems they’re presently faced with.

Motivation is pivotal to learning and motivating learners  means stimulating them to be involved.  As tutors we can encourage involvement by purposely using a wide range of behaviours to reflect interest and enthusiasm in the subject.  But there must be something ‘in it for me’  to drive the learner in the first place, author Bill Lucas explains in his book, Power up your mind.

Adult learners tend to have a ‘just in time’ approach, learning something just when they need it.   The ‘what’s in it for me’ formula helps us work out the relevance of learning at a life stage, Lucas explains.

The what’s in it for me formula is:   R + P + V + I = M

R (readiness)  plus P (the likelihood learning will be successful, overcome barriers) plus V (the anticipated value) plus I (impact on life, opportunities, the degree to which you will be more fulfilled)  equals M (the motivation you have)

“We all need to “learn to learn”  and to do that we need to be in the right emotional state. “Most importantly you need to have actively switched on your mind, ”  Lucas says.