Pedagogy vs. Andragogy

            There are many different education theories in existence. For the purposes of this blog post, we will focus on the work of Malcolm S. Knowles, who developed a theory of adult learning that is appropriate for teaching nurses. Pedagogy is the art and science of teaching children (Knowles, Elwood, & Swanson, 2005). According to Swanson and Holton (2001), the history of education can be traced back to the Stone Age period when parents transferred skills to their children (as cited by Chan, 2010). Education became more organized during the Greek and Roman periods, and pedagogy was implemented in cathedral schools in the 1600’s.

Microsoft Images, 2013

“The pedagogical model assigns to the teacher full responsibility for making 

all the decisions about what will be learned, how it will be learned, when it will be learned, 

and if it has been learned” (Knowles et al., 2005, p. 62)

           Andragogy is the art and science of helping adults to learn (Chan, 2010; Taylor & Kroth, 2009; McGrath, 2009). Unlike pedagogy, andragogy is based on the idea that the lecturer does not possess all the knowledge and that students are encouraged to utilize their own experiences in application to learning (McGrath, 2009). 

Andragogy is the art and science of 

teaching adults to learn

Six assumptions presented by Knowles:

•       Self-Concept: Adult learners are self-directed and independent (Chan 2010). They tend to resist situations in which they feel that others are imposing their wills upon them (Taylor & Kroth, 2009).
•       Role of Experience: The store of an adult’s experience is a resource for learning. Adults tend to learn by drawing from previous experiences (Chan, 2010) and focus more on the process rather than the content (Taylor & Kroth, 2009).
•       Readiness to Learn: Adults want to learn what they believe they need to know. Readiness to learn depends upon an appreciation of the relevancy of the topic (Taylor & Kroth, 2009).
•       Orientation to Learning: Adults learn for immediate application rather than future use. Their learning is problem-centered, task-oriented, and life-focused (Chan, 2010). The object of their learning needs to be applicable to real life (Taylor & Kroth, 2009).
•       Motivation to learn: Adults feel the pressure of external events, but are mostly driven by the desire for self-esteem and goal attainment (Taylor & Kroth, 2009).
•      Need to Know: Adults need to know the value of learning the particular topic (Chan, 2010). As an educator of adults, the first task is to help the learner become aware of the need to know (Taylor & Kroth, 2009).

These assumptions are based on key behavioral, social, and psychological concepts of

adulthood. An essential feature of this model is its flexibility, as it can be used in its entirety or implemented by choosing select parts (Caputi, 2010). In teaching adults, it is important to remember that the student needs to be afforded the opportunity to be self-directed; past experiences need to be valued; and the topic has to be relevant to real life situations.

Resources that may be helpful:

http://bdld.blogspot.com/2011/07/andragogy-vs-pedagogy.html

http://www.trainandeducate.com/docs/ipte_te2.pdf

http://www-distance.syr.edu/andraggy.html

References:

Caputi, L. (2010). Teaching nursing: The art and science (Vol. 1). Glen Ellyn, IL: College of

            DuPage Press.

Chan, S. (2010). Applications of andragogy in multi-disciplined teaching and learning.

Journal of Adult Education, 39(2), 25-35. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov

/fulltext/EJ930244.pdf

Knowles, M. S., Elwood, F. H., & Swanson, R. A. (2005). The adult learner: The definitive

classic in adult education and human resource development. Retrieved from

http://www.scribd.com/doc/59734837/The-Adult-Learner-Malcolm-S-Knowles

McGrath, V. (2009). Reviewing the evidence on how students learn: An examination of

Knowles’ model of andragogy. The Irish Journal of Adult and Community Education,

99-110. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ860562.pdf

Taylor B. & Kroth, M. (2009). Andragogy’s transition into the future: Meta-Analysis

            of andragogy and its search for a measurable instrument. Journal of Adult Education,

38(1).  Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ891073.pdf