LEARNING PROCESS BASED ON INTERESTS

Abstract

The authors of the paper analyze the dimensions and characteristics of the learning process of adults based on interests. The research problem of this study is situated in the field of adult didac­tics. A number of relevant researches define interests of adults as beliefs and cognitive disposi­tions, as well as a psychological state of adults. This, specific psychological state is characterized by the focused attention, increased cognitive and affective functionality and readiness for efforts and endurance in the learning process.

Within the studied literature, relationships between interests and learning have been focused on three types of interest: individual, social, and interests related to the content and theme (the subject of learning). Individual interests generally apply to the individual predispositions of atten­tion to specific stimuli, events, and objects. Situational interests relate to specific aspects of the environment, and the social and emotional learning climate (they include the response of adults to the organization of educational work, activities in the learning process, or presentation of particu­lar contents). Interests related to the subject, or the content, or the learning field, are developed when adults are interested in particular contents, both on the basis of individual needs, and on the basis of the situational needs.

Particularly important is the fact that numerous studies have confirmed that the interests in the process of adult learning affect their attention, concentration, and the willingness to learn, which is characterized by a positive emotional attitude towards contents which they would like to learn.

In addition, interested adults clearly understand difficult questions: they often do not even notice the difficulties that occur in the adults with indifferent attitude towards the subject. Better understanding, as well as a lively, positive conscious reaction, which follows interest, makes the new contents strongly absorbed by the consciousness, and thanks to that situation, they are better remembered.

The interest is also a very important motive, which encourages adults to engage in formal education, and actively participate in various forms of informal and non-formal education. In many cases, this is the main motive.

Interest is important for adult didactics for another additional reason. A task of education and the adult education is awareness raising and developing their intellectual, social, or cultural inter­ests. Types and diversities of interests shape the culture of every individual adult and, indirectly, the culture of the entire society.

The paper presents a number of different interests in the process of adult learning. These are the following: age (physical shape and life energy), sex, occupation, level of education, intelli­gence. In addition to these general determinants, the paper also analyzes specific determinants, such as: qualitative evaluation of work of adults, mission and clarity of objectives in the learning process.

In the second part of the paper, the author presents possible roles of adult education in stimu­lating activities (both extrinsic and intrinsic) of adult learning.