The Principles of Andragogy: Theory, Examples, and Implementation

The process of education persists long after an individual completed their formal education. In this moment, the learner is no longer being a young person, but rather an adult ready to enter the workforce and enter the workforce. Thus, the teaching methods that worked well to educate the person in elementary school, high school, or even in college may no longer be effective.

What is the best way to help the teacher effectively teach adults?

That's where andragogy comes in.

Andragogy, which is the art of teaching adults, is a different approach to teaching of pedagogy, which is the conventional method for teaching children. The principle behind andragogy is the idea that adults are better motivated and conscious than children are and therefore they must develop in ways that are centered on their daily lives instead of their academic capabilities. As a result, the methods of teaching and learning that are based on andragogy focus upon hands-on learning activities, that encourage students to fully engage and actively participate.

Teachers have been using andragogy to teach for a long time However, it was only recently when we started to comprehend the reasons behind this method being very effective.

Check it out to find out:

•         What Andragogy is
•         The History and Development of Andragogy
•         The Assumptions as well as Principles of Andragogy
•         The criticisms and limitations of the Andragogy
•         How do you apply Andragogy to teaching
•         The resources and methods for instructing Andragogically

What exactly is Andragogy?

Andragogy Also known as Adult Learning Theory, is a theory that states that adults should be involved in the creation, execution, and assessment of their own learning programs. That is, learning materials for adults must support the idea that adults are self-directed and make sound decisions for themselves.

If teachers allow adult learners free rein to explore their environment while they study their subject, they're more likely to retain and implement what they've learned for their own specific job. That's precisely why this teaching concept has been successful in helping adults to learn about various fields of study such as nursing, business, military training, transportation and engineering.

The History and Development of Andragogy

The word "andragogy" was coined in the work of Alexander Kapp, a German educator, in 1833 to define the elements of Plato's educational theory. The term was removed from common terms used in education and was not reappear until 1921 when American educators, Eduard Lindeman and Eugen Rosenstock-Hussey employed it in their report. Lindeman and Rosenstock-Hussey both argued that "adult education requires special instructors, techniques, and philosophy" and they categorized these requirements as an umbrella term -- andragogy.

It was, however, Malcolm S. Knowles, an American educator, who popularized the idea and built the foundation for modern andragogy. In the 1950s, Knowles was the executive director of the Adult Education Association of the United States of America. He later served as an instructor at Boston University (BU) from the year 1960 through 1974. During his tenure at BU that Knowles started to recognize the insufficiencies of formal learning settings and seek a more comprehensive approach towards adult education.

He suggested andragogy as an solution to the shortcomings of teaching. Knowles believed that the principles of pedagogy, which is the art of teaching children, don't translate well to adult education. So, traditional pedagogical learning methods such as content-driven lectures tests, drills and exams as well as rote learning are not appropriate for adults.

Knowles created his andragogical system based on five foundational assumptions or principles (more about this later):

• Adults thrive in self-directed learning environments.
• Adults learn the best by previous experience. This involves making mistakes.
• For adults to develop an aptitude to learn, they have be aware of the effects that the topic they're studying has on their individual lives, careers or social the social life of others.
• Adults learn best by focusing on problems rather than content-based.
• Adults are motivated by internal aspects and not by outside pressures.

Malcolm Knowles wrote popular works on informal adult education and self-direction with his wife Hulda. The work of Malcolm Knowles was the key factor that shifted the focus of adult educators from merely giving people instruction to helping them learn better.

Principles of Andragogy

In his arguments for andragogy Malcolm Knowles proposed six principles for educators looking to adopt andragogical teaching methods. The principles include Self-concept Adult learner experience, Readiness to learn, Orientation towards learning, motivation to learn as well as Active learning.

  Principle 1: Self-Concept  

In his 1975 work, Self-Directed Learning: A guide for Learners and Teachers, Malcolm Knowles described maturation as a phenomenon "in which people take the initiative, with or without the help of others, when it comes to identifying their own learning requirements, developing goals for learning, identifying the human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing the most appropriate learning methods, and evaluating learning outcomes."

Put simply, as people age, they wish to be able to pick what they want to learn and how they would like to learn it and the time when they want to learn it. That's what self-concept means -- an adult becoming more self-reliant and independent when they grow older.

It's not difficult for teachers to assume what students need, but this method is pedagogical not andragogical. In andragogy, teachers give students the ability to make their own choices in learning for themselves, be it by letting them choose how they'll be exposed to new knowledge, or giving them the ability to make their own tests, or creating a learning environment that is collaborative that they can thrive within.

In this case, a educator in middle school who is pedagogical could stand before the class to explain using a graph, the process by which seeds develop, then grow and become trees. The andragogical approach to teaching students about this is encouraging them to collect seeds from any crop or fruit that they like, then plant the seeds in any container they like, tend to the plant every day, and then record their observations throughout the next couple of weeks/months.

Students are more likely engage in their learning experience when they have the option to select the elements of the lesson.

  Principle 2: Experience of Adult Learners  

Adult learners are surrounded by an expanding reservoir of life experiences which are a major factor in their education. This unique experience includes professional education, experience in the workplace as well as life-related events.

Unlike children who have little experience and must rely on other people's experiences in order to acquire knowledge, adults can draw on their own experiences and knowledge to add to discussion groups and grasp the topic more. Even if the ideas a teacher introduces are unfamiliar to adults, they can draw on their own experiences to link the dots between previous knowledge and current knowledge.

As a teacher, it's your responsibility to understand the experiences that your students from the adult age group bring to class. In this way, you'll be able to include them in debriefs, discussion groups, and explanations to help learners feel acknowledged. It can also aid in helping students absorb information more selectively because they'll be able to identify knowledge gaps that their past experience does not fill, as well as solutions to errors they've made in the past.

If you're hosting an leadership training program for adults who are in the workforce. Instead of just describing the ways they can enhance their leadership skills, ask learners who work (or have employed) in an executive position to reflect on and discuss their performance in their workplace. This session can help them determine what that they have done well in their job (and how to improve on their performance) as well as the things they didn't do (and the best way to rectify them). ).

  Principle 3: Readiness to be able to  

      "What's there in this in it for you?"    

That's the question adults often ask themselves when trying to decide what they should be receptive to, and which they ought to ignore. Unlike children who, like sponges, soak up every bit of information they can as they grow, adults are much less selective in what they focus their attention on.

Adults are generally more attracted to learning from you if you can prove that the subject/skill you're teaching will have an impact positively on their personal, work, or social lives. To prepare them to learn, you'll need to explain to them why they need to learn what you want to share with them.

Adults who play various social roles (e.g., spouse, employee, parent, caregiver -- they must adjust their education to the abilities necessary to excel in that job. Therefore, an adult new to the workplace is likely to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in their job. For instance, an adult who has recently became a parent is more enthused about learning how to take care of infants.

To increase your learners ability to learn, ensure the content you're teaching is of immediate application to their own personal or professional life. Develop activities for your courses that resemble real-life scenarios, and also include interactive elements. It ensures that students are capable of applying their newly acquired skills to real-world situations.

  Principle 4: Orientation to learning  

As children grow into adults as they mature, they shift from a focus on subject matter to the concept of problem-based learning. This type of learning is focused on the development of new skills that is applicable in real-world situations. They shift their focus from delay in the application of knowledge to one that emphasizes the immediateness of applying.

In the case of middle school students take algebra at the eighth grade, they aren't expecting to apply their understanding to real-life problems. Actually, they may end up not applying it at all if they eventually work in a profession in which there's no reason to use the skill.

On the flip side, adults prefer to devote their time to learning a concept or skill if they're sure they'll need to know it immediately. Because of this, adults do not focus on the concept as such, but instead on how they'll apply it in their personal and/or professional lives.

  Principle 5: Motivation to learn  

Remember the day you were a young child and you dragged your feet when the bus arrived to pick you up from school. But your parents convinced you to go anyway. And when you got to class, you needed to pay attention to your studies since your teachers and/or parents were expecting high scores from you. Also, you took your class work seriously since you knew that without this, you might not be able to get the job you want.

This example clearly illustrates how the motivation of a child to study is externaleither from their teachers, parents or even the rest of public. The child is required to attend the school, and if fail to do so, they'll be faced with the consequences of their actions.

As children grow into adults, their motivation to learn becomes more an internal motivation. They tend to be less focused on who they are expected to be learning from in school and focus more on their motivations for studying something. So even if the grading system exists in andragogy, it doesn't possess the same motivating factor for adults as it does for children. These internal motivators, which differ for each student are self-actualization, improved quality of life and self-esteem, in addition to others.

When an adult is faced by a challenge, they find a solution to the issue. In order to advance up the career ladder and improve their skills (or learn new ones). Instead of acquiring skills to please other people, adult learners seek their own education. It is the reason educators must try to comprehend the motives of adult learners, to ensure they are able to provide techniques that help them solve their problems effectively and efficiently.

  Principle 6"Active Learning  

Over the years, educators have successfully used traditional lectures in order to convey information to their students. This is for a reason also, they're cheap, are able to teach many students simultaneously, and can be adapted to suit any subject and target audience.

This teaching model suggests that:

• Learners do much more than passively sit and listen to an instructor for an hour
• The emphasis is less on transferring information, and more focus on developing the skills of a learner
• Students engage in lively and interactive classes that comprise writing, reading classes, discussions in the classroom, and exercises
• Learners are encouraged to think critically, synthesize and analyze the concepts
• The learners are encouraged to investigate their personal values and beliefs

Strategies to encourage active learning are reflective exercises including group discussions, discussion groups cases studies, debates as well as playing games. These techniques are especially effective in fields like medicine, engineering, and psychology.

Criticisms and Limitations of Andragogy

Although andragogical methods of teaching have helped many adults to learn more Some educators such as Jennifer A. Sandlin and Susan B. Bastable criticized Malcolm Knowles' assumptions of andragogy. Here are some critics of their work:

Not all adults are self-directed learners

The entire premise of andragogy is that adults are self-directed learners. However, this isn't the case all the time. Many adults need guidance and guidance when learning a new concept or ability. A great example of this is when a sales rep is learning how to use new software. If they aren't given guidance, they might not know how to use the tool.

Adults do not all are able to learn from their experiences in life.

While it's true that life experiences influence the way that an adult learns but andragogy doesn't recognize that not every experience will help an adult comprehend a subject. As an example, the language knowledge of the Chinese native who has spoken Mandarin all of their lives isn't helpful in learning how to speak English.

Additionally, not every person can analyze the events in a way that they'll learn some thing from them. In the case of people with learning disabilities the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial characteristics transform as they age, and this could affect their capacity to apply life experiences to the new information.

Adults can learn new skills for fun

Malcolm Knowles proposed that adults learn new concepts and skills in order to resolve a problem they're facing. But this may not be the case. Adults study for different reasons. The people who choose to study something new or pursue a hobby may not do it in order to resolve a problem, but they may just be doing it because they think it's fun.

Certain adults are pushed to learn by external factors

Knowles proposed that andragogy works best for adult learners because it is based on the student's internal motivators. But, teachers shouldn't think that internal desires wholly drive an adult's desire to study. Personal characteristics such as race, class, sexuality, gender, could affect the way an adult decides to study as well as how they acquire it.

Andragogy fails to recognize the significance of learning in communities

The theory of andragogy states that adults learn skills in relation to the social role they occupy. In some cases, this isn't true. Certain people acquire new abilities to address a need within their local community.

In her essay from 2005 entitled An Analyse of Andragogy through Three Critical perspectives, Jessica Sandline argues that andragogy concentrates too much on the learner's individual needs without considering the larger background of the learner, or the need for people to address unfairness and injustice in their communities. According to Sandlin she believes that an adult could observe a problem within their community and learn the skill(s) they'll need to come up with an answer that benefits everyone.

What is the best way to apply andragogy in the Teaching

If you're looking to include andragogy in your teaching process, here are a few ideas to consider:

Learn about your students' backgrounds

Understanding what's relevant to adult learners can help you tailor your lessons to be more relevant for the needs of your students. It will be easier to explain concepts using common terms and instances or issues that they can relate to while you teach the concepts. This will reduce any distraction of disinterest, frustration or boredom that adult learners may experience when they don't consider your program to be valuable.

In the case of , for instance, if you're instructing English as the second language of Russian natives and you learn that the majority are employed in the field of marketing, then you could provide them with marketing terms and phrases they need to learn to be successful at their job.

Encourage students to participate in their learning process

Since adults like to be actively involved in their education You must be in close contact with them to determine the direction they'd prefer to go with their lessons or courses. The students might want for you to dedicate greater time in explaining the subject or teaching other topics.

In the course of learning, encourage discussions and collaborations between learners (and teachers). After they've completed the course, solicit feedback from your students regarding the lessons and the way the course was delivered.

The more you engage your learners in their education process The more engaged students will be in the class.

Accept self-directed learning

Adults learn best when they're able to direct their own learning. This is why it's important to let students identify their own needs, set the goals they want to achieve, design lessons/courses for them, and then evaluate their own performance.

Use real-life examples in your lessons

According to Knowles' Theory of Andragogy Adults are interested in knowing what their education can do for in their work and personal lives. So when creating your curriculum make sure to include as many real-life examples as possible.

For example, to effectively teach students how to use the latest software, take through an actual scenario that requires them to make use of the program, and explain how and why they'd make use of the tool. In explaining a subject through a problem that your students will confront in their daily lives is more efficient rather than presenting formulas or abstract data and requiring your students to learn it.

Learners can figure out the issues for by themselves

Adults tend to be problem-oriented. Therefore, when designing your content for courses, don't give them all the solutions in one go. Instead, offer your students an issue to tackle before moving on towards the explanation of the solution. This approach puts students in charge of their learning and makes them think.

If possible, encourage students to collaborate with their students to discuss possible solutions to the problems. Once they've identified a few solutions are you able to step in and asking them questions and help them explain their solutions.

This approach can be taken up a notch by giving your students regular homework, exams, or projects or even exams to determine if they're comprehending the subject.

Techniques for Andragogical Instruction

If you are an educator and teaches adults, here are some strategies you could employ to reinforce and ragogically instruct your students:

Roleplay

Roleplay is a teaching technique that allows students to explore realistic situations by interacting with others. Therefore, instead of describing the students what they need to perform in certain situations, ask them to act to play it.

As an example, suppose you're educating new customer service agents how to deal with angry customers. Instead of reciting methods to deescalate and calling it a day instead, ask two students to assume the roles of a representative and a frustrated customer to play various scenarios.

So, all students are able to observe what de-escalation techniques appear like and discuss the interactions.

Storytelling

Stories are a classic method of teaching that can be used in both andragogy and pedagogy. Adult learners can benefit from storytelling. is a great way to bring out their emotions, and also help students retain the lessons more effectively.

As you use real-world examples to buttress your points Tell stories about your personal experience as a professor about the ways your class has assisted others. It is also possible to ask your learners to tell tales from their life experiences, both professional and personal which you could use to drive your points home.

Pro advice: If you're working with an LMS, you can illustrate your stories via animations, pictures, or shades.

Microlearning

The typical attention span for adults is 20 minutes. If your class runs for 60 minutes, you have a good chance most, if not all, pupils will be able to shut out by the 30-minute time limit. This is usually caused by cognitive overload, which you could prevent by breaking down the information.

Instead of presenting all of the information at once Break your lesson down into a series of 20-30 minutes lessons that move logically along when you are teaching the subject. Your students can take a break after each lesson to recharge and prepare for the next lesson.

Pro tip: Make learning easier for your pupils by giving them notes or slides that highlight the main points in each lesson. This will help them review what they learned, and determine where each segment begins and ends.

Learning in the classroom

The great thing about technology that is immersive is that they blur the lines between real and fictitious, so learners become active participants rather than passive observers. Thanks to immersive technologies, instructors can create virtual learning environments that don't have the barriers that may occur in the real world.

For instance, say an auto manufacturing firm has interns in training on how to construct the body of a car. Instead of putting themselves at risk through demonstrating this at an actual car factory, it'd be cheaper and safer to generate an online factory in which learners can be taught how to build cars.

Through VR, users are able to develop their abilities in a an environment that is safe and where their progress can be measured with precision.

Your adult students learn better

Although the methods used for adult educational have evolved from the time Malcolm Knowles came up with the Theory of Andragogy, many of his assumptions and principles remain in use today.

Effectively teaching adults demands that educators put the needs of their students first. They must pay attention to their previous knowledge and life experiences, as well as allow them to determine how they'd prefer to receive new information as well as participate in their personal learning process.

FAQ:

What's the meaning Of Andragogy?

Andragogy is a theory proposed by American educator, Malcolm Knowles, on how educators can facilitate the learning process for adults.

What exactly are the principles that comprise Andragogy?

The six principles of andragogy:

• Self-concept When they reach a certain age, adult learners become independent and self-directed enough that they can make learning decisions for themselves.
• Adult learners can draw upon their wealth of life experiences to comprehend new concepts and develop their skills.
• Readiness to learn: Adults are more likely to learn the things they require to be successful in their personal or professional life.
• Learning orientation Adults tend to learn skills they can use immediately rather than in the future. They tend to focus more on the problem(s) they will solve, rather as the material itself.
• Motivation to learn: Adults are more driven by their own motivations than external pressures.
• Active learning To teach adults efficiently, teachers must motivate them to participate actively in their learning.

What can I do to implement Andragogy in my teaching?

One of the best ways to incorporate andragogy into your teaching methods comprise:

• Learning about your students' backgrounds and using these to help inspire your teaching.
• Students should be encouraged to engage in the learning experience.
• Help students learn self-directedly
• Use real-life examples in your lesson content
• Ask your students to solve problems and let them brainstorm the answers by themselves. You can also have them work to create an explanation.

What is the difference between Pedagogy and Andragogy?

The term "pedagogy" refers to the instruction of children. While andragogy is the art of facilitating the learning process in adults. With pedagogy, teachers lead the lessons because children depend upon them. However, with andragogy, the lessons are student-led with the teacher as a facilitator or guide. This is because adults are usually independent, self-directed, and capable of making learning decisions for themselves.

What are the critics Of Andragogy?

A few of the critiques of andragogy made by teachers are:

• It doesn't work well for people who are struggling to keep themselves motivated or who require more guidance than others.
• A few adults can't draw from their experiences in life to grasp more about new concepts. It could be because they're mentally or physically in a position to do so, or because their past experience isn't relevant to what they're attempting to master.
• Adults learn different things, not for the sake of trying to resolve a challenge, but because they think that learning is enjoyable.
• Some adults are influenced to learn by external factors, such as class, race, gender, and sexual preference.
• In contrast to Knowles' assumption that people learn things to solve their personal/work issues, there are some who learn because they want to solve problems in their communities.