Benchmarking and Goal Setting
Introduction
Learning has never been as important as it is in today’s chaotic society. Technology is changing more rapidly than ever before and according to the US Department of Labor, statistics from the current population survey unemployment rates are higher than they have been since 1984. (United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2009).
Goal setting and benchmarking support the principles of adult learning; aid the adult learner in being more competitive in today’s job market; and help prepare adults to achieve their goals. I will look at adult learner characteristics, why learning is important, goal setting and benchmarking and how they tie into adult learning.
Adult Learners
Let’s start with adult learners in general. While there are many different theories, practices, and principles to adult learning, there are some general characteristics that will help to lay the foundation of how adults learn. Malcolm Knowles, a key contributor in laying the foundation in the field of adult learning, identified the following characteristics of adult learners:
• Adults are autonomous and self-directed.
• Adults have accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge that may include work-related activities, family responsibilities, and previous education. They need to connect learning to this knowledge/experience base.
• Adults are goal-oriented their readiness to learn is tied to their need to learn or reach a goal. Upon enrolling in a course, they usually know what goal they want to attain. They, therefore, appreciate an educational program that is organized and has clearly defined elements.
• Adults are relevancy-oriented. They must see a reason for learning something. Learning has to be applicable to their work or other responsibilities to be of value to them.
• Adults are practical and task focused, focusing on the aspects of a lesson most useful to them in their work.
• As do all learners, adults need to be shown
Learning has never been as important as it is in today’s chaotic society. Technology is changing more rapidly than ever before and according to the US Department of Labor, statistics from the current population survey unemployment rates are higher than they have been since 1984. (United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2009).
Goal setting and benchmarking support the principles of adult learning; aid the adult learner in being more competitive in today’s job market; and help prepare adults to achieve their goals. I will look at adult learner characteristics, why learning is important, goal setting and benchmarking and how they tie into adult learning.
Adult Learners
Let’s start with adult learners in general. While there are many different theories, practices, and principles to adult learning, there are some general characteristics that will help to lay the foundation of how adults learn. Malcolm Knowles, a key contributor in laying the foundation in the field of adult learning, identified the following characteristics of adult learners:
• Adults are autonomous and self-directed.
• Adults have accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge that may include work-related activities, family responsibilities, and previous education. They need to connect learning to this knowledge/experience base.
• Adults are goal-oriented their readiness to learn is tied to their need to learn or reach a goal. Upon enrolling in a course, they usually know what goal they want to attain. They, therefore, appreciate an educational program that is organized and has clearly defined elements.
• Adults are relevancy-oriented. They must see a reason for learning something. Learning has to be applicable to their work or other responsibilities to be of value to them.
• Adults are practical and task focused, focusing on the aspects of a lesson most useful to them in their work.
• As do all learners, adults need to be shown