Check out this article from the New York Times that explores learning and the aging brain and how this translates into best strategies for adult education.
Deputy science editor Barbara Strauch posits that our brains become more distracted as we age (surely we can all attest to this!) and asks if this aging brain can still benefit from education. The answer is a resounding yes as she argues that scientists have found that brain development continues into middle age and that adult brains can find big picture solutions better than younger brains.
I found the second half of the article most useful; it suggests that the best teaching strategies for adult learners involves mixing up routines and coming into contact with new points of view to challenge assumptions instead of just rote fact learning.
How do you see this playing out in adult basic education classes? Click here for the full article.
