| Principles of adult learning | Empirical foundations |
| Learning should be self-directed | There is growing evidence suggesting that when adult learners are encouraged to be responsible for their own learning the information is learnt more easily and quickly |
| Learning should fill an immediate need | Adults tend to learn better when the information is related to a perceived need |
| The learning should be experiential and highly participatory | Most adults are task-oriented, which means they learn best when it relates to their experience |
| Learning environments should be respectful and encouraging | Mutual respect and trust encourage people to share their views more openly |