Breaking the Ice: Using Icebreakers and Re-Energizers with Adult Learners

This article centers on theories of adult learning methods and how they relate to the practice of using icebreakers in the adult classroom. While one's language is geared toward the adult learning world, one's experience has been that these practices also work well in a variety of classroo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Adult learning (Washington, D.C.) D.C.), 2010, Vol.21 (3-4), p.34
Main Authors: Chlup, Dominique T, Collins, Tracy E
Format: Review
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult Basic Education
Adult Educators
Adult Learning
Adult Students
Andragogy
Communication Skills
Educational Environment
Educational Strategies
Familiarity
Goal Orientation
Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal Competence
Learning Processes
Learning Strategies
Learning Theories
Methods
School environment
Student Motivation
Student Participation
Teachers
Teaching
Teaching Methods
Thinking Skills
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Summary:This article centers on theories of adult learning methods and how they relate to the practice of using icebreakers in the adult classroom. While one's language is geared toward the adult learning world, one's experience has been that these practices also work well in a variety of classroom and group settings, both traditional and non-traditional, including professional development sessions, staff and faculty meetings or retreats, and with non-professional groups. This paper aims to support adult educators by developing their theoretical understanding of effectively implementing icebreakers and re-energizers in their classroom. The authors hope this article will fill a gap as there is lack of recent work on this topic in the adult education literature. It is their contention that icebreakers are not one-time events to be used solely on the first day of class. In fact, they use both icebreakers and re-energizers as needed at various times throughout a course. Their use of icebreakers is guided by their understanding of adult learning and teaching principles. This article connects the methods of using icebreakers as instructional strategies to the literature on teaching adults. (Contains 3 tables.)
ISSN:1045-1595
2162-4070