The Physical Environment

In designing a course for adult learners the comfort of the learning environment and the learning climate that the course leader develops are significant factors in creating a supportive learning environment. Basically, adults learn better if they feel good in their surroundings (even if they may not be perfect), are comfortable with the learning and facilitation processes and can see that their learning needs are being met.

Some of these physical and psychological factors include:

Comfortable venue, sufficient lighting and space, suitable for activities (eg computer access), food and drink (if possible).
Often physical the conditions are not perfect, and to improve them may be out of the control of the course organiser. However, participants are usually flexible and will adapt, but feel more comfortable if they start with a shared understanding of the problems that need to be worked with.

Adults learn better if they feel at ease in their surroundings. Things to consider include:

A comfortable venue
Sufficient lighting and space
Suitable arrangement of furniture, equipment and other resources
Food and drink (if possible)

Psychological factors

Adults at a workshop like to know that their learning needs are going to being met to the greatest possible extent. Things to consider:

An overview of the objectives and sequence of the programme should be given, and length/times of breaks negotiated where possible. Adults like to know what is going on, what to expect, and when the coffee/lunch breaks are. Therefore, presenting an overview of the workshop, with times, helps to orientate everyone and add to their comfort.

Feelings of involvement and ownership will be enhanced if these times can be negotiated. Often adults like to shorten lunch breaks and finish early, for example. However the facilitator leader needs to balance this with allowing the participants time to get to know each other and network during breaks.
Always respect each participant as intelligent and experienced adults and encourage, support and value all responses. Adults can be very vulnerable as learners and do not cope well with failure. A mix of learning activities that include sharing past experiences and focussed dialogue can help build the trust and openness that are prerequisites to engagement and new learning.

 
Be a co-learner with participants Facilitators can become a co-learner if they can tap into the wealth of (relevant) knowledge that a group of experienced educators can offer. The participants (and the facilitator) will feel satisfied and rewarded if the workshop takes them on a journey from their current understandings into new territories of knowledge and skills that meets their needs and interests.
Stimulate intellectual freedom and encourage experimentation and creativity where participants feel challenged just beyond their present levels of ability. A learning environment in which the participants feel safe, intellectually stimulated and able to take intellectual, creative and emotional risks depends on the facilitation style of the workshop leader combined with his/her choices of learning strategies.