Create Next Level Training Using Adult Learning Concepts: The What and Why

The demands our society has placed on law enforcement agencies and their officers are greater today than ever before. Subsequently, agencies are actively looking for innovative and improved training methods to prepare their officers to meet these challenges. One effective method to accomplish this task is the implementation of adult learning concepts and principles into an agency’s training program. Adult learning concepts and principles are designed to focus on the adult learner, which makes the training more engaging, relevant, and effective. This results in improved retention of content taught in training, which equates to improved and more efficient officer performances in the field.

The adult learning method introduces the experiences, knowledge, and motivations of the adult student into the learning experience. Trainers and instructors who understand these concepts and principles create programs that resonate with officers which increase participation and comprehension.

What are Adult Learning Concepts and Principles?

Learning itself is defined as the process of acquiring a new understanding, knowledge, behavior, skill, value, attitude, or preference to a particular subject or topic. Educators have identified six primary laws of learning, which are the laws of:

1.     Readiness

2.     Exercise

3.     Effect

4.     Primacy

5.     Recency

6.     Intensity

Dr. Malcolm Knowles developed the theory of adult learning and coined the term Andragogy, which is the art and science of teaching adults; the facilitation of learning for adults, during which the instructor focuses primarily on the students and their learning experiences.

The theory and practice of adult learning is based on six characteristics which are: a need to know, a sense of self-concept and self-direction, use of life experiences as a learning resource, having readiness to learn, having an orientation to learn, and to be motivated to learn.

Using these laws of learning and characteristics of adult learners Dr. Knowles was able to develop five principles for creating a successful adult learning training program.

Successful adult training programs will demonstrate an immediate usefulness, have relevance to the student’s life and/or career, be presented in a welcoming training environment, include instructor engagement with the students, and have a respectful atmosphere that is safe for adults to share personal experiences.

Instructors with an understanding of these concepts can design programs that cater to the unique needs of law enforcement while meeting the demands of the administration and the community.

Why Implement Adult Learning into your Training Programs?

Have you ever taught a class or made a presentation to a group of officers that you just knew was going to be amazing?  The topic was current, you knew the material top to bottom, and the need for this training was very evident. BUT, while teaching the class, you got that strange feeling that something was very wrong.  The class just sat there, no questions, no positive feedback, just a group of officers obviously watching the clock on the wall or on their phones.

Why did this happen?  Why weren’t the students participating in the training?  One possible, maybe even probable answer is too much input, and not enough student engagement.  Adults generally do not like to be lectured to.  They have legitimate questions which need to be answered such as Why do I need to know this? How will this course make me or my team better?  Those questions deserve answers that are much more than yes, no, or it depends. 

Instructors and trainers often get so wrapped up in their subject matter and creating their presentations, they forget about why they’re doing the training, the students.  Lengthy lectures and death by power point are sure class killers.

Adult learning is a group event.  Collaborative learning is a very effective presentation strategy when teaching adults. This can be done in many ways, such as group discussions, peer-based teaching, or team activities such as role-plays, demonstrations, and case study analyses. This technique enhances knowledge retention and strengthens relationships among students and co-workers.

What’s on the Horizon?

We as trainers can expect society’s demands on law enforcement to continue to increase. This in turn will necessitate constant updating and revising of our training programs. Implementing adult learning strategies into current and future training programs will better prepare our officers for the challenges of the future.

Instructors can create innovative and effective training programs that resonate with their officers by understanding the unique needs of adult learners and incorporating real-world scenarios, fostering collaboration, and implementing technology. As professional trainers and instructors we must acknowledge using adult-learning strategies to enhance law enforcement training is not a fad; it is a necessity.

As law enforcement continues to face new challenges, investing in effective training is essential. By prioritizing adult-learning strategies, agencies can ensure their officers are well-equipped to serve and protect their communities.

If you are attending the 2026 ILEETA Conference in St. Louis and want to learn more about the implementation of adult learning into police training, I’ll be presenting the four-hour course “Enhancing Reality-Based Training with Adult Learning Concepts”.