Cercone, K. (2008). Characteristics of adult learners with implications for online learning design, AACE Journal, 16(2), 137-159. Characteristics of Adult Learners with Implications for Online Learning Design

The online educational environment is increasingly being used by adults and should be designed based on the needs of adult learners. This article discusses andragogy, an important adult learning theory, and reviews three other adult learning theories: self-directed learning, experiential learning, and transformational learning. During this discussion, the theories are examined for the ways in which they may be applied to the design of online learning environments. In addition, the characteristics of adult learners are examined, and an analysis of how these characteristics influence the design of an online learning environment is presented. Recommendations follow regarding how to design an online classroom environment while considering the application of adult learning theories. The adult learner and the manner in which he or she learns best have been questioned and researched since the 1920s, when adult education became a professional field of practice (Merriam, 2001). Today, several theories and models attempt to explain adult learning. One of the most well known theories is Malcolm S. Knowles ’ learning theory of andragogy, the art and science of helping adults learn. Andragogy is a learning theory that is designed to address the particular needs of adults, and it is based on the idea that there are significant differences in learning characteristics between children and adults (Knowles, 1980)