Applying adult learning in extension
Learn how to design and deliver extension activities that genuinely engage adults and lead to meaningful change. In this half-day online workshop, we’ll translate adult learning theory into practical approaches you can use with farmers, advisors, and other stakeholders. You’ll explore how adults learn best, why some well-intended activities fall flat, and how to design learning experiences that respect experience, build motivation, and support real-world application.
Is this course for you?
- You work as an extension practitioner, farm advisor, or researcher and want your activities to lead to stronger engagement and uptake.
- You design workshops, field days, webinars, or training but want to be more confident they align with how adults actually learn.
- You have some familiarity with adult learning principles but want practical guidance on applying them in extension settings.
Why enrol?
- Move beyond theory to practical ways of applying adult learning principles in extension and advisory work.
- Improve the design of your learning activities so they are more engaging, relevant, and impactful.
- Build confidence explaining and justifying your approach to colleagues, funders, and partners.
What you'll achieve
Through this half-day, highly interactive workshop, you’ll explore topics like:
- Understand how adults learn – explain the core principles of adult learning and why they matter in extension contexts.
- Recognise common pitfalls – identify why some extension activities fail to engage adults and how to avoid these traps.
- Design learning that sticks – apply adult learning principles to workshops, field days, webinars, and meetings with farmers and advisors.
- Increase motivation and relevance – design activities that connect with learners’ goals, experience, and real-world challenges.
- Translate theory into practice – use simple design tools and examples to strengthen your own extension activities.
By the end of this course, you’ll have a clear, practical understanding of how to apply adult learning principles to design extension activities that are more engaging, credible, and likely to lead to change.
Who you will learn from
Dr John James is deeply passionate about enabling change and fostering innovation. With a wealth of experience, he specialises in helping organisations enhance the skills and capabilities of their teams in all aspects of extension and adoption. As an Adjunct Associate Professor with The University of Queensland, John brings a practical, hands-on approach to his work, bridging the gap between theory and real-world application. John is a keen supporter of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN), having been a past President, the convenor for two international conferences, and is an APEN Life Member.
Denise Bewsell is passionate about helping people enable change and strengthen how they work with others. With a background in Agricultural Science and a Masters exploring how people respond to information, she combines research insight with real-world experience. As a Principal at Scarlatti, Denise leads the extension programme design area and has worked extensively across agriculture supporting facilitators and researchers. An APEN Life Member and associate editor of its journal, she’s excited to help others build capability through Enablers of Change.
Course details
- Format: Three-hour online workshop.
- Date: TBA
- Time: TBA
- Investment: The price for this course is A$350 ex GST.
Design learning that works for adults, not against them
Take the next step toward more effective extension practice. Enrol to strengthen how you design and deliver learning experiences that respect adult learners, build engagement, and support real-world change.
Register your interest!
FAQs
What is the Applying adult learning in extension workshop about?
This half-day online workshop focuses on how adults learn and how to apply those principles in extension and advisory practice. It goes beyond theory to provide practical guidance for designing workshops, field days, and other learning activities that lead to stronger engagement and impact.
Who is this workshop for?
It’s designed for anyone working in extension, research, or agricultural engagement who designs or delivers learning activities for farmers, advisors, or other stakeholders.
Is it only for people in Australia?
No, this course is open to anyone, no matter their location or nationality. While we expect most participants will be located across Australia, we’re looking forward to people from New Zealand and other countries joining in. We’ve scheduled the live sessions at 11:30 am AEDT to accommodate as many time zones as possible.
Can I register multiple people from my organisation at once?
Yes. Simply list all the participants’ names and email addresses in the appropriate fields of the registration form, and then provide the name and email address of the person making the booking in the final comments field, and the tax invoice will be sent to them.
Are places limited?
Yes. To make the workshop engaging and worthwhile, participant numbers are capped. This ensures plenty of opportunity for discussion and interaction with the trainers.
How is the workshop delivered?
The session is delivered live via Zoom. You’ll take part in interactive discussions and activities, with practical examples you can apply immediately in your work.
Do I need any special software or account?
No special software or account is required. You’ll receive a Zoom link by email before the workshop—just click to join. Please check beforehand that you have the latest version of Zoom installed on your computer.
What is the cost?
The registration fee is A$350 ex GST.
How can I pay?
We prefer payment by bank transfer, as this avoids processing costs. However, for your convenience, you can also pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express) through our secure Stripe payment gateway.
Are there any extra fees?
Only when paying by credit card, as Stripe charges a small processing fee that is automatically added to your total. For Australian cards, this is 1.7% + A$0.30 (inc GST). For international cards, this is 3.5% + A$0.30 (ex GST). These charges are passed on at cost so that we receive the full workshop or course amount. The total payable is displayed clearly before you confirm payment.
Why do you pass on Stripe fees?
As a small business, we prefer to keep our standard prices as low as possible and only recover processing costs from those choosing to pay by card. Paying by bank transfer avoids these fees entirely.
Is my payment secure?
Yes. All card payments are encrypted and processed securely by Stripe, a PCI-compliant global payment provider. We do not store or have access to your credit-card details.
How do I register?
Click the link below to secure your spot.
What if I can’t attend at that date and time?
If the scheduled date for this course doesn’t suit you, simply add your details to this form and we’ll let you know when the course is next offered.
Are refunds available?
We offer refunds up to seven days before the course date; after that point, refunds aren’t available. If something comes up within those final seven days, another person from your organisation is welcome to attend in your place at no additional cost. To arrange this, just email us the full name, role, and contact details of the substitute attendee and we’ll update the registration.
If you have any other questions, feel free to email us: info@enablersofchange.com.au. We’re here to help!