Adult Poles want to learn. This statement applies to more than half of our citizens. However, there are conditions – the less formalized the learning is, the more willing we are to undertake it. What are ways to learn in such a way that we never think of it as learning at all?

Read on, and you will find out:

• Do adult Poles learn, and what are their attitudes toward educational activity?
• How do they learn, although not necessarily in the traditional way?

Learning? Yes, but the less formalized, the better

The report ‚‚Determinants of Learning in Adulthood’’ based on the ‚‚Learning of Adult Poles’’ survey conducted at the Institute of Educational Research, shows that more than half of the adult citizens of our country want to learn and take various steps to develop their skills and knowledge. Most often, these steps are non-formal. Non-formal education includes institutionalized educational activities that result in the acquisition of a certificate, ‚‚but they do not improve the level of education’’. 

A survey of 2,600 people aged 25-64 showed that the less formal the nature of learning, the more willing adults are to attend.

Adults prefer non-formal education and informal learning (outside institutions) more often because they offer more flexibility – the ability to reconcile self-development activities with work or family obligations, individual choice of pace, and learning rhythm. Such learning formats are also more likely to meet concretized expectations – their scope and topics are divided into smaller skill sets, so they allow specialization in a selected area – comments Dr Wojciech Gola, a key expert in the project ‚‚Microcredentials – piloting a new solution to support lifelong learning’’.

We learn without even knowing it

According to the idea of lifelong learning, we acquire knowledge and skills from birth until death – whether in schools or universities, courses, training, subsequent jobs, or in situations not related to education as commonly understood. We learn, in fact, every day as we undertake new activities, try to expand our store of information on a given topic, and so on. Learning is both what we gain from reading a book and assembling a piece of furniture ourselves. 

Perhaps after years spent at school desks, adult Poles prefer to undertake less formalized educational activities. We know from the IBE report that the less formal, the better. That is why we have prepared for our readers a list of 10 activities that are seemingly not associated with learning but with pleasure or hobbies, sometimes even entertainment. However, we know from elsewhere that doing related activities is conducive to making our brains develop and for us to gain new skills or expand the ones we already have. 

1. Adult coloring books

Adult coloring books are very popular as a method of stress relief. Concentrating on covering small items with colors helps to take your mind off everyday problems and calm you down. However, that is not all. An activity we associate with childish play brings many benefits to our brain – it promotes keeping it in good shape. It also develops our creativity, which is necessary in many professions.

2. Sharing newly acquired information

Telling two or three people about what we have just learned increases the chances that we will remember the information we have acquired in the long term. For example, when we read an interesting newspaper article and remember the data it contains, it is worth sharing with work friends or family members. Repeating the conclusions of the reading several times will ensure that we do not forget them. 

3. Watching movies and TV series without voiceover

Learning a language can be much more fun than memorizing long vocabulary lists.  Watching films and series in a particular language with subtitles is a method that teachers have been recommending for years. Simultaneous listening and reading better activates the brain and allows you to remember phrases, proper pronunciation, and meaning faster. 

4. Watching instructional videos on YouTube or social media

There are many instructional videos on YouTube and social media whose authors teach us how to paint, assemble furniture, sew, cook, or negotiate, among other things. It is crucial to focus not only on watching the materials but also to try to perform the activities described and then practice them. In this way, you can acquire many practical skills at no cost and in an enjoyable way. 

5. Touring the city without a phone

Not all of us have an innate sense of direction. Navigating even in unfamiliar places has become much easier since we can use Google Maps. Unfortunately, this also promotes the fact that our brains get lazy. We do not learn the topography of cities or other areas. We explore them with our noses in our phones. That is why it is a good idea to turn off your phone once in a while while hiking and try to find your way around the space without the support of technical solutions. Thanks to this, we remember a lot more details. We get to know a place and discover curiosities, such as beautiful buildings or parks, which we would not otherwise encounter on our travels. 

6. Board games

We associate board games with pleasant entertainment with friends. It is true, but this type of activity is also very developing. It is a fantastic exercise in logical thinking; many games force us to analyze facts, draw conclusions, and look for the most advantageous solutions.

7. Reading

It seems clear that reading books helps to develop, but in the busyness of daily activities, we forget that this activity is critically important for our brain. Whether we are bookworms or not, it is worth realizing that regular reading reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

It also reduces stress. For those who associate reading with the school reading list, we remind you that you can also read newspapers, articles on the Internet, comic books, and many other inspiring things. Reading can be enjoyable and will certainly always be beneficial to our brains. 

8. Word and number puzzles

Crosswords, sudoku, and puzzles – if we solve them regularly, have a positive effect on our brains. They promote the development of logical thinking and memory. Through crosswords, we learn new words and remember their meaning more easily. Number puzzles help maintain and strengthen analytical and mathematical skills even at a very advanced age.

9. Stacking puzzles

Putting together puzzles is one of the best exercises for concentration. At a time when we are under attack by all sorts of stimuli from everywhere, it is increasingly difficult for us to focus our attention on one thing for a long time. Meanwhile, jigsaw puzzles consisting of many pieces require concentration and focus on details. Such a workout for our mind will be helpful, for example, at work. 

10. Creative activities

Creative activities such as painting, sculpting, pottery, etc., promote the development of manual skills and stimulate our imagination. They are also a great way to reduce stress – practising various art forms is one way to work with patients during psychotherapy (art therapy). 

SOURCES:

• ‚‚Determinants of Learning in Adulthood – Report on the Study of Adult Learning in Poland’’, https://kwalifikacje.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/Uwarunkowania-uczenia-sie-w-doroslosci-5.07.pdf.
• ‚‚Why do adults learn non-formally?”, https://kwalifikacje.edu.pl/dlaczego-dorosli-ucza-sie-pozaformalnie/.