Introducing Principles of Adult Education
The Institutes’s Enterprise Education Team applies the following tenets of adult learning theory to their work with risk management and insurance (RMI) professionals:
RMI professionals need to know why they’re learning something, and better yet, how it relates to the work they do.
They thrive when instruction is pragmatic, significant and relevant to their position.
For instance, an RMI instructor may begin their session with something like, “Today, we'll explore the latest advancements in property risk assessment tools. By the end of this session, you'll be able to understand the new features of these tools, how they provide more accurate risk evaluations, and the way they can streamline your daily operations in property insurance." Instructors may even double down on the real-world applicability of their instruction: “As property insurance professionals, your goal is to accurately assess risks to provide the best coverage for your clients. These advanced tools are not just theoretical concepts; they're practical solutions that you can use to enhance your risk assessments, reduce claim times, and offer better policy options."
After, RMI instructors should regularly reiterate relevancy, sometimes framed as takeaways, throughout the remainder of their session. This could be done through case studies (e.g., an overview of a fire incident and how the risk assessment tools could have helped identify potential risks more effectively) and interactive demonstrations (e.g., learners are given opportunities to work with the new tools with the instructor explaining how each can be applied to their specific roles and responsibilities), by summarizing key points (e.g., reiterating how new tools can make risk assessment more precise and efficient), and with direct calls to action (e.g., encouraging RMI professionals to identify one aspect of their risk assessment process that can be improved with these new tools).
RMI professionals bring their own knowledge and experience to instruction.
They’re regularly contextualizing what they already know with what they’re being taught, building new knowledge on top of prior knowledge.
Savvy instructors effectively leverage this behavior by activating RMI professionals’ prior knowledge (or suspected knowledge) through activities like pretests, quizzes, self-reflection exercises (e.g., “Write the first three words that come to mind when you hear the word reinsurance.”), and rhetorical strategies (e.g., anchoring content within learners’ shared experiences). In doing so—by bringing adult learners’ prior knowledge to the forefront—instructors help learners make more meaningful connections between old content and new content, thereby strengthening their understanding of the latter.
RMI professionals crave the ability to apply what they’ve learned.
Absent that opportunity, they want instructors to use examples or modeling techniques that demonstrate its application.
For example, an instructor could set up a role-playing scenario where RMI professionals are asked to apply a newly learned risk assessment framework to a hypothetical construction project. This would allow learners to practice the application of knowledge in a controlled, risk-free environment.
If time, space, or regulatory restrictions create limitations, the instructor could instead demonstrate the application of theoretical concepts, like a recent high-profile liability case in the construction industry. In this approach, the instructor could break down the incident, the risk assessment that failed, and the resulting implications, thereby offering a concrete example of the application of the concepts being taught.
Ideally, RMI instructors aspire to guide learners through instruction that adheres to the Kirkpatrick Evaluative Model (see Figure 1), though contracted occupational educators may not have access to data to confirm Levels 3 or 4.
Figure 1.
Note. From Train the Trainer, by the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, 2021, p. 6.13.
RMI professionals are goal-oriented.
Their education is purposeful, a means to a personal or professional end, usually gainful employment, career advancement, and/or social mobility.
Particularly successful RMI instructors
ensure their learning objectives are actionable and career-relevant (i.e., focused on building needed skills for specific positions; e.g., "By the end of this course, you will be able to independently conduct comprehensive risk assessments using the XYZ methodology, interpret the results to identify potential vulnerabilities, and propose effective mitigation strategies.")
keep learning focused, ensuring that each chunk of instruction directly contributes to building the skills identified in the learning objectives. For instance, one chunk might focus on mastering a specific risk analysis software that is widely used in the industry, making the learning immediately applicable and valuable.
regularly contextualize their instruction within workplace scenarios. For example, an instructor could use a real-world case study or provide a simulation exercise the learners could work through. The learners would then apply their learning to complex problems and make decisions, just as they would have to in their desired job roles.
By ensuring that instruction is actionable and directly tied to career advancement, keeping the learning focused and enriched with industry insights, and continuously contextualizing the instruction within actual workplace scenarios, instructors can enhance the relevance and effectiveness of the education for goal-oriented RMI professionals. This approach not only encourages the immediate application of skills learned but also strategically positions professionals to achieve their personal and professional objectives.
RMI professionals are problem-focused.
They know and have experienced common problems in the risk management and insurance industry and are looking for realistic, easy-to-implement solutions. Problem-centered instruction reinforces practicality and ensures adult learners are getting what they need.
To that end, a successful RMI instructor would forgo introducing theoretical models of risk management and instead begin by addressing a common problem, perhaps something like the need for modern and efficient risk assessment tools in the insurance industry. The instructor could then demonstrate how a new, state-of-the-art risk assessment tool can streamline the risk assessment process, reduce errors, and save costs. This would help reinforce the practicality of the instruction, ensuring that the training is directly relevant to the RMI professionals’ daily work.
To further anchor problem-focused instruction, a particularly savvy instructor might openly discuss the challenges they faced when first implementing the tool and how they overcame these issues. This authentic sharing builds trust and positions the instructor as an ally who understands the real-world challenges of RMI professionals.
Instructors who recognize RMI professionals’ challenges leave theory at the door and deliver their authentic selves. In focusing on solutions to common problems, they position themselves as allies and fellow industry practitioners who know what it takes for busy professionals to get the job done.
RMI professionals want to learn performance-aimed skills, things that they can showcase in their positions and promote on LinkedIn.
Instructors do well reinforcing that pragmatism throughout their sessions, and some go so far as to pair up their learning objectives with job responsibilities and employee performance measures identified on third-party sites like Indeed.
For example, an RMI instructor could tailor their learning objectives to match industry demands like advanced claims management techniques, ensuring that the skills taught (e.g. AI-power analytics for fraud detection, process automation tools to speed up claim processing) are those sought after by employers. The instructor could then reinforce how mastering identified skills will not only improve efficiency and accuracy in claims management but also enhance the professionals' marketability and value in the job market.
RMI professionals learn best when content is framed in a story.
An organized narrative is familiar and encourages learners to bring prior knowledge and experiences to make meaningful connections. In doing so, the instruction becomes more than just facts and figures about the industry; it transforms into a relatable and compelling journey that encourages engagement and reflection. Consequently, this storytelling approach to RMI education bridges the gap between understanding and application (see Bloom’s Taxonomy below). It allows RMI professionals to see the practical application of concepts in scenarios that mirror their daily tasks and challenges. They can see themselves in the instruction, making the learning experience more relevant and more impactful.
An example of successful, story-based instruction might be an instructor who creates a narrative around a claims agent working with their client on a complex claim. In the story, the client has just encountered a significant loss and is under immense stress, and unfortunately, the claims agent has exacerbated their client’s frustration due to a lack of empathy and understanding. The instructor then pauses the story to discuss with the learners how the agent’s actions could lead to negative outcomes, both for the client relationship and the firm's reputation.
Once learners have had the opportunity to bring their own experiences and knowledge into the discussion, the instructor steers the narrative towards a turning point, where the agent realizes their mistakes, and the story pivots to practice. The story now focuses on the specific strategies and skills that the agent needs to learn and how they can apply them to improve their interactions with future clients.
By the end of the instruction, the RMI professionals have not only learned specific skills in client communication and claim handling but have also seen these skills brought to life through the instructor’s story. The learners leave the session with a vivid, narrative-driven understanding of how these skills can positively transform client relationships and contribute to their professional success.
This method helps in organizing information into smaller, more digestible segments, making it easier for learners to process, understand, and retain material.
An excellent example of this practice can be found in Aubrey Cook’s “The eLearning and Instructional Design Roadmap.” When remembering and recalling phone numbers, we naturally chunk them into area code, city code, and individual code (three sets of numbers) instead of trying to remember all nine.
Figure 2
Note. From The eLearning and Instructional Design Roadmap, by Aubrey Cook, 2023, p. 17.
Learner engagement is contingent on an instructor’s ability to strike the right balance between too much information and too little substance. The quantity of information must be sufficient to be meaningful, yet not so extensive that it becomes overwhelming. In this delicate balancing act, RMI instructors play a crucial role; they must be adept at distilling complex concepts into their essence, presenting them in a way that is both comprehensive and comprehensible.
RMI professionals prefer instruction be broken down into manageable chunks of content.
RMI professionals' learning outcomes improve as instructors incorporate higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy into their instruction
Bloom's Taxonomy (below) categorizes types of learning objectives and activities in a hierarchy, from simplest (e.g., remember) to most complex (e.g., create). RMI instructors who work their way up Bloom’s promote deeper understanding and critical thinking among learners, ultimately providing learners with more practical and pragmatic educational benefits (e.g., improved job performance, career advancement opportunities, higher earning potential).
RMI professionals appreciate the opportunity for self-reflection.
Integrating periodic, reflective breaks between chunks of instruction is critical. They give learners the opportunity to process information and link new knowledge to what they already know and understand about the industry. Reflective breaks also encourage critical thinking, allowing RMI professionals to consider the practical implications of the instruction and how they apply to real-world scenarios in the RMI sector. These moments of reflection are not mere pauses; they are instrumental in transforming passive learning into an active, engaging process.
References
Cook, A. (2023). The elearning and instructional design roadmap. Oddly Sharp.
Society of Insurance Trainers and Educators. (2012). Train the trainer. The Institutes.