Thoughts on Andragogy and Pedagogy, Part I

Andragogy

Malcolm Knowles proposed “a new label and a new technology” of adult learning based on the European concept of andragogy, which he defined as “the art and science of helping adults learn” (Merrium, 2001).

Knowles identified the following assumptions of the adult learner (Knowles, 1968):

1. Need to Know: Adults need to know the reason for learning.
2. Experience: Adults draw upon their experiences to aid their learning.
3. Self Concept: Adult needs to be responsible for their decisions on education, involvement in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.
4. Readiness: The learning readiness of adults is closely related to the assumption of new social roles.
5. Orientation: As a person learns new knowledge, he or she wants to apply it immediately in problem-solving.
6. Motivation (Later added): As a person matures, he or she receives their motivation to learn from internal factors.

Andragogy vs. Pedagogy

While many have called what Knowles proposed a theory of learning, it is, in fact, a theory of instruction. Basically, Knowles laid out best practices for teaching adults. Of the six andragogical assumptions proposed by Knowles, all of them are essential in varying degrees to teaching children effectively.

Here is my explanation for each assumption:

1. Need to Know: Children need to know the reason for learning. Otherwise, they won’t buy-in, they won’t be engaged, and they won’t attain knowledge.
2. Experience: Children draw upon their experiences to aid their learning. Children come to class with prior knowledge and experience, and many misconceptions (adults too!). Students must be given opportunities to construct their own knowledge, in socially interactive and cooperative settings, where their previous conceptions are constantly challenged (adults too!).
3. Self Concept: Children should feel responsible for their decisions on education, involvement in some of the planning and evaluation of their instruction. This one is a bit different, learning in children is still teacher-led, but it shouldn’t be a complete dictatorship! We can increase buy-in and sustain engagement if we give children opportunities to make decisions regarding their learning along the way- but we must still add constraints in the form of offering choices.
4. Readiness: The learning readiness of some children is closely related to the assumption of new social roles. The “some children” that I refer to are high school-aged students. These children are actually young adults that are finding their place in society, self-identities constantly in flux, especially Juniors and Seniors who are focused on their adult life after high school, and how their academic performance can determine their adult social status. We should be teaching them how to successfully cope with uncertainty and work to solve emergent problems.
5. Orientation: As a person learns new knowledge, he or she wants to apply it immediately in problem-solving. This applies to all learners.
6. Motivation (Later added): As a person matures, he or she receives their motivation to learn from internal factors. This applies to all learners- however, I have more to say about this later.

Consider this: We teach children with the goal that they will become well-rounded adults. When we teach them we must model how adults should learn so that they can become adults that learn.

My experience in both worlds

In my experience with teaching both children and adult professionals, I believe that there is no significant difference between how children and adults learn. The learning theories applied to effectively teaching children and adults should be almost identical.

When teaching children, instructional approaches should be fluid, going through the range of authoritative teacher-led instruction to student-led discovery learning. The teacher's approach must continuously adapt to the ever-changing physical, emotional, social, and cognitive maturity of a diverse group of children. Therefore, I disagree with any notion of universal "best practices" for educating children. There is a range of “good enough” practices that should be employed as a result of the continuous feedback (assessment) loop between the teacher and the students.


Stay tuned for Part II where I examine the differences (and similarities) of maturity and motivation in children and adults, the effect on learning, and links to the current educational system.