Amanda Cahir-O’Donnell & Carole Hogan 
Adult Learning, Learner Motivation and Engagement [PDF ebook] 
(Learning & Development in Organisations series #4)

ADULT LEARNING, LEARNER MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT addresses the topic of adult learning, which is critical to understanding the design of formal L&D activities. The ebook begins with a discussion of the concept of learning outcomes and then reviews different categorisations of learning outcomes, going on to provide a short overview of the evolution of adult learning theory. Reference is made to different categories of learning theory and their implications for the design of formal L&D activities. The authors also introduce the concepts of learning styles and multiple intelligences and explain different theories related to learning style. The ebook then discusses the concepts of training motivation and engagement and highlights misconceptions about adult learning. It concludes with a discussion of the implications of adult learning theory for the design of L&D.