For all their cultural experiences, baby boomers are, after all, adult learners, and the principles of adult education apply. Today's classrooms are moving toward student-oriented "discovery" learning situations in which students work in groups to solve problems. This model can be a very successful strategy for teaching adults, especially baby boomers.
In the discovery-oriented classroom, instead of having the teacher stand in front of the class to dispense information and knowledge, the teacher acts as a facilitator. Students bring their varied experiences and knowledge to bear on the subject at hand. Assignments are open-ended to allow baby boomers to find solutions that make sense and fit in with their individual goals for the class. As a facilitator, the teacher may show how newly discovered knowledge applies to current situations. In a classroom of adults with diverse backgrounds, interests and experiences, the differences among students can be enriching for the entire group, including the teacher.
Effective teaching strategies for baby boomers can take into consideration interesting research conducted from 1975 to 1981 by Drs. Russell French, Daryl Gilley and Edwin Cherry. Their studies led to the idea of seven perceptual learning styles; aural (listening) learners, visual learners, kinesthetic (body movement) learners, haptic (touch) learners, olfactory (smell) learners, print learners (readers), and interactive learners, who enjoy discussions with others. The idea that people can identify how they learn is in use in public schools and can be particularly effective for boomers.
Learning style theory shows that there are a set of characteristics for each type of learner. Once each student identifies her learning style, the teacher designs lessons that effectively accommodate each style. For example, according to the Institute for Learning Styles Research, linked below in References, the interactive learner learns best through verbalization, likes to hear himself talk, uses other people as a sounding board and enjoys group discussions. For the interactive learner, designing lesson plans that involve working with a group, participating in a debate and interviewing others can be an effective teaching strategy.
It is helpful for boomers to understand how they learn best. In addition to these learning styles, some people are creative thinkers who always ask "why;" some are reflective thinkers who enjoy relating new information to past experiences, some are practical and seek out the most efficient way to do things, and some are conceptual thinkers who want to know the big picture before accepting new information.