ABSTRACT
Adults learn in a different way from children. They learn best when their learning is related to a clearly perceived need and is based on their previous experience. Learning is usually an iterative process based on experience, re?ection, making sense of what's happened and trying out new techniques. Different health professionals prefer to reading a book or look up a journal article, attending lectures or courses, talking to colleagues or partners, or teach colleagues. David Kolb (1984) produced a very useful descriptive cycle that is widely accepted as a good illustration of how adults learn. Activists are people who involve themselves fully in new experiences, enjoying the 'here and now'. Pragmatists are keen to try out ideas to see if they work in practice. Reflectors like to stand back and think about their experiences before reaching conclusions. Theorists tend to think through problems logically.
