The Learning If the adult learner is treated in a childlike way, then, unless he is
 prepared to set aside his experience-his being accustomed to
Process making decisions for himself-there could well be problems for the
 person who tries to become his teacher. Especially if that person is
 younger, and in certain respects less experienced, than the one he
 is "teaching".
 So much of our thinking about education and training is based on
 our experience of when we received most of it-when we were
 young. So often the failures of adult education projects can be
 ascribed to the way in which the methods of promoting learning are
 those more suitable for young children in school. The methods do
 not match the maturity and experience and sense of responsibility
 of the learners.
 Therefore, it might be useful if we reflect for a while on the key
 differences between the child and the adult learner. When we have
 done that, we can go on to consider which educational methods best
 suit the situation of the adult farmer when, in our extension
 methods, we put him in the situation of being a learner.
 There are three fundamental ways in which adult learners differ
 from children. They differ in terms of their:
 SELF-CONCEPT
 EXPERIENCE
 ORIENTATION TO LEARNING
 Let us look at these three characteristics in turn:

 Self-concept
 We can say that a person passes into adulthood when he becomes
 psychologically independent-when he becomes self-directing. The
 self-concept of a child-the way he sees himself-is of being a
 dependent being. He is dependent on his parents first and other
 adults later, for protection, food and for receiving the "rules" by
 which we live in any particular society. But as children move
 towards adulthood, they become increasingly aware of being ca-
 pable of making decisions for themselves-whether riding a motor-
 cycle, building a home or planning what crops to plant.
 And adults experience the need for others to see them as capable of
 self-direction. We resent being put into situations that violate our
 self-concept of maturity-such as being treated with a lack of
 respect, being talked down to, being treated like children.


Chapter 4