Determining the Lesson
June Coxson
University of Phoenix

Determining the Learning The Department of Social Services agency provides temporary assistance to individuals and families with social service and economic needs. The goal is to assist participants in moving from dependency to self-sufficiency. This goal is accomplished through the effective administration of a broad range of social welfare programs and services. Through staff development, trainers provide training to staff so they may process and apply the rules and regulations of the agency.
As trainers begin to rely more on technology, training instructors have in some cases assumed a more ancillary role, and serve as a contact for questions and clarifications. The trainer becomes more of a facilitator of knowledge (Beaudoin, 2013). Facilitators, trainers, and learning methods they employ can influence learners, indicating that trainers play a critical role in the facilitation of student learning, learning outcomes, and transfer of learning to the workplace. In the workplace, learning is provided through staff development conducted by trainers. Training can be viewed as is the systematic acquisition of skills, rules, concepts, or attitudes that result in improved performance in another environment (Goldstein & Ford, 2002). The role of trainers is to provide training and staff development typically through informal or formal training programs based on job descriptions, and employee functions. Information and activities provided by trainers emphasize teaching new skills or improving on existing ones. Trainers are charged with the responsibility of properly training employees, employing practices that help in the retaining of information, and facilitating student learning outcomes.
For trainers to be successful in facilitating the learning, and increasing the transfer of learning, it is critical for trainers to be knowledgeable of and incorporate learning theories, adult learning principles and instructional strategies that will achieve a successful outcome. Palis and Quiros (2014) proposed that adult learning theories such as humanistic theories are centered on the learner, and focuses on an individual's potential for self-actualization, self-direction, and internal motivation. With self-directed learning, the student can plan, conduct, and assess their learning. When adult learners participate in their learning, and are motivated to learn, there will be an increase in the application of what was learned. The Staff Developer Program (SDP), is a sub-division of the Department of Social Services' Professional Development Training Academy (PDTA). It is designed to enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of trainers and staff developers. The SDP module consist of a series of courses related to the systematic approach to training and staff development. A missing factor in staff training sessions, and development of curriculum, is the incorporation of information on learning theories, how adults learn, and adult learning principles. Trainers' knowledge and awareness of how to teach adults, is critical to the adult's learning experience and their learning success. The characteristics of adult learning methods are associated with the acquisition and mastery of new knowledge, or practice (Trivette, Dunst, Hamby, & O’Herin, 2009). An Introduction to Learning Theories, Adult Learning and Adult Learning Principles is a new lesson plan to be incorporated into the SDP module. The instructional module training plan is illustrated in Figure 1.

Trainer
June Coxson
Instructional Topic
"Introduction to Learning Theories, Adult Learning and Adult Learning Principles"
Instructional Module
Staff Developer Program (SDP)
Goal of the Instructional Module
The goal of this module is for participants to be more effective in their training and delivery, and to have knowledge of adult learning by providing an overview of the concept of learning theories, adult