Optimizing Learning Through a Combination of Adult Learning and Out-of-School Learning

As a middle school math teacher, I know learning doesn’t just happen between the walls of my classroom or within the boundaries of a lesson plan. It happens in hallway conversations, during group projects, and when students make connections to their world outside of school. Most of the time, I want my students to apply the same natural curiosity and passion that they give to their own interests at home to my class content. Why, then, shouldn’t we discover ways to use components from the higher motivated practices like adult learning and out-of-school learning to enhance our teaching? These approaches offer some powerful insights we can use to make our classrooms more engaging, supportive, and impactful.

Adult learning is all about helping learners take ownership of their education. Malcolm Knowles (1978) emphasized that adults thrive when learning connects directly to their needs, respects their self-concept, and taps into their previous experiences. While my middle schoolers aren’t adults, they’re navigating their growing independence, and they crave learning that feels relevant to their lives.

One of the most useful ideas from adult learning is self-direction. Adults are motivated by their need to know, especially when they see how a skill will be beneficial to their work or life. For middle schoolers, this is why we connect math concepts to real-world scenarios—like calculating sale prices, understanding sports stats, or building something in Minecraft. When students see how math applies outside of school, their engagement and readiness to learn skyrocket.

Jack Mezirow’s (1981) concept of transformative learning also has classroom applications. Mezirow believed adults learn best when they’re encouraged to reflect on and challenge their assumptions. With middle schoolers, this might look like discussing why we approach a problem one way versus another or asking students to explain their reasoning to peers. It’s about helping them take ownership of their thinking, not just arriving at the “right” answer.

On the flip side, out-of-school learning focuses on informal and hands-on experiences—like after-school programs, sports, and apprenticeships. Lauren Resnick (1987) contrasts this with the abstract focus of classroom learning, calling for more situation-specific learning and practical intelligence in education. In other words, learning that feels immediate, useful, and collaborative.

For example, the concept of distributed cognition recognizes that learning doesn’t just happen in one person’s head, but is shared. This can be seen during a group project in math class where students solve problems together, relying on each other’s strengths instead of the teacher. This mirrors how people work in real-world settings and reflects what Resnick calls shared cognition.

Another takeaway is the importance of active learning. Out-of-school settings thrive on engaging, hands-on tasks like building robots, cooking, or solving real-world problems. In math class, this might look like having students using tools like calculators or protractors in creative tasks such as designing and budgeting for a school event. These activities bridge the gap between abstract symbol manipulation and real-world application.

So, how do we bring together the best of both worlds where students take advantage of adult learning’s focus on reflection and ownership, and out-of-school learning’s emphasis on context and collaboration? Whether it’s budgeting for a trip or analyzing basketball stats, math comes alive when it’s connected to students’ lives and made relevant. This ignites their intrinsic motivation and builds their confidence by showing them math is everywhere.

Additionally, by using group work students can solve a challenging equation or design a project together in a way that mirrors the collaborative problem-solving they’ll need in life. If we can get students to think about their thinking, they’ll grow accustomed to reflecting on their learning and develop deeper understandings because of it. The goal is to empower our learners to think critically, collaborate effectively, and see themselves as capable problem-solvers.

As a math teacher, I have a unique opportunity to create these connections for my students. By blending ideas from adult learning and out-of-school learning, I can help my kids see math not just as a subject in school, but as a tool they can use to understand and shape the world around them.

References:

Knowles, M. S. (1978). Andragogy: Adult learning theory in perspective. Community College Review, 5(3), 9-20.

Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2013). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Mezirow, J. (1981). A critical theory of adult learning and education. Adult Education, 32(1), 3–24.Resnick, L. B. (1987). Learning in school and out. Educational Researcher, 16(9), 13–20.

Vadeboncoeur, J. A. (2006). Chapter 7: Engaging young people: Learning in informal contexts. Research in Education, 30(1), 239–278.

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