Proven Strategy to Keep Adult Learners On-Task

Do you have adult learners in your classes or seminars that have difficulty staying on task?
 
Neuroscientists tell us that the act of reflecting on your learning and seeing progress towards a goal releases dopamine in the brain. Dopamine* is the neurotransmitter linked to sustained attention and perseverance.
 
Help your learners stay on task by using the Progress Bar strategy. At the beginning of the class, provide participants with a progress bar handout. Ask them to write in their learning objectives for the course, and then reflect on their current knowledge or skill related to that objective. Next, direct them to shade in a percentage,0% representing no knowledge and 100% representing expert knowledge.  Midway through the class, ask them to reflect again and shade in their progress. As you near the end of the day, ask them to do one final reflection.
 
As an added bonus, progress bars provide you with information about how confident your learners feel and who may need additional instruction.
 
*Dopamine is also considered one of the “feel good” chemicals.

For a Progress Bar Handout click here.