Page 66 - PR5_Toolkit_EN

Romanian adult learners are quite able to learn independently, which in most cases, they have learnt
to do intuitively and by testing different approaches. This applies especially to those who have a
certain level of education, which indicates a certain correlation between the time spent in formal

education and quantity of interaction with teachers or trainers and the quality of their
metacognitive skills they have developed independently. Work experience and interaction with the
work environment is another factor that influences the adult awareness of their own abilities to
learn autonomously and to improve their metacognitive skills throughout their lives.

Romanian adult learners consider the access to resources and a positive learning feedback they
received in formal education as the most important factors contributing to their ability to learn
independently and improve their skills to learn on their own.

Most Romanian adult learners who were involved in the implementation of the project, feel equally
comfortable with autonomous learning. Still, many of them expressed preference for learning
contexts where they have access to some guidance and feedback which may come from an adult
trainer, physical or online, or from more experienced peers / teammates / superiors. This indicated
that, at medium skilled adult learners prefer a more structured approach to learning, with guidance
and feedback from an adult trainer.

Romanian adult education providers who participated in the project have reported an intuitively
supportive approach to their adult learners in their autonomous learning efforts. They also
highlighted that most adult learners whom they work with ask for learning recommendations and
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for learning resources, which confirms the findings regarding the significant needs of Romanian
adult learners we can contribute to their personal and professional development. Furthermore,
most Romanian adult trainers also declared that they pay special attention to create a learning
atmosphere that encourages curiosity and independent exploration.