Three Ways to Bring Voice and Choice to Adult Learning

January 5, 2026 | Post by : Timothy

Three Ways to Bring Voice and Choice to Adult Learning

Research from Edward Deci and Richard Ryan shows that autonomy is one of the three core drivers of human motivation. When adults have a sense of choice and control in their learning, their engagement and follow-through increase dramatically. Earlier this year, TREC invited me to live this learning out loud with TREC Teacher Leader Cohort 5, a group of twelve committed educators representing the many different schools and districts that make up the Tucson region.

During our time together we explored what makes professional learning for teachers meaningful, with our conversations returning to one simple truth: professional learning works when teachers have a voice in how it happens.

When professional learning feels meaningful, it is typically because participants have some control over their experience. Adult learners thrive when they have choices, not just in what they learn, but also in how they learn and how they show what they have learned. Carol Ann Tomlinson’s framework of Content, Process, and Product offers a simple yet powerful way to bring autonomy into professional learning.

Content: What We Learn

Content is about the knowledge, skills, or understandings that learners are expected to gain. For adults, having a voice in what they study helps connect professional learning to their lived experience. That is, the goal remains shared, but the route toward it can reflect the diversity of participants’ roles, priorities, and contexts.

In practice, offering content choice might mean allowing participants to:

Choose case studies or examples that align most closely with their work setting.
Select which specific strategy, tool, or concept to explore more deeply during a session.
Access materials in multiple formats, such as reading a short article, listening to a podcast, or watching a short video.
Identify personal learning goals within a broader topic so that each person’s work feels both individual and connected to the group’s objectives.

When adults see their professional world represented in what they learn, relevance and engagement naturally increase.

Process: How We Learn

Process is about how learning happens. Adults bring varied experiences, comfort levels, and preferences to professional development — and honoring these differences matters. Providing choice in process allows each participant to find their most effective way of engaging with ideas and colleagues.

Options for process choice might include:

Working individually for reflection, partnering with a colleague for discussion, or collaborating in a small group to apply new concepts.
Processing information through a preferred method such as conversation, journaling, visual mapping, or role play.
Moving through material at a self-determined pace, either through self-guided modules or interactive group learning.
Rotating through learning stations where participants can choose which experiences feel most useful to their current work.

When the process matches the learner’s style, professional learning feels less like compliance and more like exploration.

Product: How We Show What We Learned

Product refers to how adults demonstrate understanding and application. Offering flexibility here allows participants to translate their learning into tools and actions that directly benefit their work. Instead of requiring everyone to complete the same task, variety in products can help participants take ownership and see immediate value.

Ways to build choice into the product might include:

Designing a plan, communication, or visual tool for their team that reflects the session’s focus.
Facilitating a short segment for colleagues to share a new idea or strategy.
Creating a brief video, infographic, or digital resource that can be shared with their school community.
Writing a reflection, summary, or action plan that connects professional learning to daily practice.

When adults choose how to show what they learned, their work often becomes more authentic and more likely to be used beyond the session itself.

Why It Matters

Offering autonomy is not about letting go of structure. It is about building trust and honoring professionalism where the following is prioritized:

Respect recognizes the expertise adults bring to every session.
Relevance keeps learning grounded in the real world of classrooms and schools.
Engagement inspires ownership, creativity, and follow-through.

In short, when planning professional development, aim to include at least one meaningful choice in each area: content, process, and product. Even small choices communicate respect and trust, and they can turn PD into real learning.

About the Author

I founded TGS Educational Consulting in March of 2020 because I wanted to spend my days doing what I love:

Learning as much as I can
Helping others learn and grow
Building the just, equitable learning environment that I want for my own children and for every child and youth.

I earned my Masters in Education and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Loyola University Chicago, and I live in Tucson, Arizona. In total, I’ve been an educator for over 20 years.

Right now, most of my work focuses on school mental health and elevating educators’ understanding of neurodiversity, particularly around ADHD, anxiety, and improving and elevating how schools and districts approach Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS).

When I’m not helping my clients increase the good they do, you can find me reading, spending time with my partner, playing with my three kids, or hiking outside. I’m also a fan of going for long walks with my dog Orzo.

You can reach me on the web at www.tgseducationalconsulting.com, on social media @tgseducationalconsulting, and at tim@tgseducationalconsulting.com.

Dr. Tim Grivois

Executive Director

TGS Educational Consulting