"An old dog can’t learn new tricks" – have you ever heard that, or even said it yourself? We are convinced: that’s not true! After all, everyone can learn how to learn, even at an older age.
“I’m too old for that” is probably the most common excuse older employees or course participants use when it comes to professional development – especially when it comes to software training. But don’t worry: this myth about learning in old age was disproven several years ago! In our blog, we have already discussed the topic and found that older people sometimes even have a certain advantage when learning. After all, their prior knowledge is much greater than that of younger people. This allows information to be linked together more easily.
Tip: You can find the full article here: “What little Hans doesn’t learn…” – The myth of learning in old age
What is true: Adults learn differently from children, after all their starting point is different. In most cases, adults learn voluntarily in order to develop personally or meet their professional needs. Adults also like to learn collaboratively and bring a wealth of experience and resources into the learning process. In addition to their prior knowledge and experience, they also have a different approach to knowledge. Accordingly, the motivation for learning also differs:
Adults are motivated by relevance and practical application.
Adults are intrinsically motivated and act problem-oriented.
Adults learn self-directed and at their own pace.
And that’s exactly what you can use to your advantage when learning! Whether you want to learn yourself or are responsible as a training manager for other people’s learning process: Create the necessary freedom in the learning process so that individual learning preferences can be taken into account. The motivation is crucial!
Supporting learning how to learn with the right strategy
My colleague Laura has already written in the blog about how learning strategies differ between children and adults. So I would like to briefly touch on the different learning strategies here:
Depending on your preference, you should therefore follow a cognitive, metacognitive, or resource-based learning strategy. Usually, the learning process consists of aspects of all three strategies.
Especially in adulthood, it is worth consciously combining these strategies. For example, anyone who actively processes new content, reflects on their own learning process, and at the same time makes use of suitable resources significantly increases learning success. Learning thus becomes not only more effective, but also more sustainable.
No matter which one you prefer – to make learning easier for you in adulthood, you should pay attention to a few things in every learning process:
10 tips for learning how to learn in adulthood
These 10 tips will help you support your adult learners in trainings and courses during the learning process:
Find a quiet place without distractions and change it regularly
Create a positive attitude toward the learning process
Study often, but in short units, in the spirit of microlearning
Start with difficult topics and don’t put them off until the end
Write down important points, ideally by hand
Plan conscious breaks before you need them because you are exhausted
Set your own goals and review them regularly yourself
Don’t forget to repeat what you’ve learned in a timely manner
Do self-tests after each learning unit and check your knowledge
Find learning partners and exchange ideas about what you’ve learned
Secret tip: Active Recall instead of lots of repetition!
Most people think that they learn particularly well when they read texts several times and repeat them. However, this involves a significant mistake: You think you know a lot because certain words and passages sound familiar. Often, you only skim the text afterwards. But in an exam situation, you can no longer remember it because the small supports are missing. That is why, according to the Active Recall method, it makes much more sense to actively retrieve what you have learned from your own memory, without learning materials and texts, and summarize the content independently.
The next time you read a text to learn its contents, write questions about the text instead, which you then answer, rather than summarizing the most important information from the text!
Ideally, pass these tips directly on to your learners, whether in an online course or in the training itself. This gives your participants concrete recommendations for action that they can implement independently. Support them while learning, for example by sending regular reminder emails for your online course. Offer participants the opportunity to contact you directly if they have questions. From the outset, ensure a good learning environment in the form of a learning culture in which learning is actually encouraged! All of these are factors that positively influence your participants’ motivation to learn.
Conclusion
Even in adulthood, learning can be specifically improved when learning strategies, motivation, and the learning environment are consciously designed.
Adults already bring a lot of experience, prior knowledge, and clear goals into the learning process. That is precisely where their great strength lies. When learning content has a direct connection to everyday life and can be worked on independently, both motivation and learning success increase.
The tips presented show that small changes in learning behavior can already make a big difference. Short learning units, regular repetition, self-tests, or methods such as Active Recall help to anchor knowledge over the long term.
Anyone who understands learning as an active process and shapes it consciously can develop new skills even in adulthood and continue their education continuously.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
How does learning in adulthood differ concretely from learning in children?
Adults generally learn in a more goal-oriented way and more from their own drive. While children often learn under external direction, adults orient themselves toward concrete problems from their everyday lives or work. In addition, they bring more prior knowledge, which makes it easier to classify and connect new content.
Why can learning in adulthood sometimes be more difficult?
Often it is not the age itself, but external factors such as lack of time, distractions, or a lack of learning routine. Negative experiences from earlier learning phases can also play a role. With the right learning strategy and a suitable environment, however, the learning process can be made much easier.
Which learning methods are particularly effective for adults?
Methods such as microlearning, self-tests, or Active Recall are particularly effective. They help process content actively, repeat it regularly, and anchor it in memory over the long term. What matters is that learning is not only passive, but actively designed.
How can motivation for learning in adulthood be increased?
Motivation arises above all from relevance and practical application. When learning content can be applied directly in everyday life, the willingness to learn increases significantly. In addition, clear goals, small learning steps, and regular feelings of success help you stay engaged in the long term.
Updated on 03/06/2026
