Andragogy Approaches

 

What is Andragogy?

Andragogy when simply put, is adult education theory. It is the method and practice of teaching adult learners. Many times institutions and educators do not focus on best practices when it comes to educating adults. I think many times it is taken for granted that adults already know how to learn and do not need as much guidance as child learners. This is not always the case since there must be clear learning objectives for adults working towards a learning goal. Andragogy is important because it can benefit the instructional framework by focusing on the characteristics of adult learners and their needs. This leads to more effective and targeted adult learning programs. This is especially crucial when it is concerning educator training and professional development. There must be a focus on how to best teach teachers who are adult learners. The more that adult educators are familiar with this knowledge base, the more effective their practice can be, and the more responsive their practice can be to the needs of adult learners (America Institute for Research, 2011). There must be a connection between effective professional development and teacher and student success. 

A Closer Look into Andragogy 

A theory developed by Malcolm Knowles is based on a self-directed, independent learning method for adults. Because adults learn by doing, effective instruction focuses on tasks that adults can perform, rather than on memorization of content. Because adults are problem-solvers and learn best when the subject is of immediate use, effective instruction involves the learner in solving real-life problems (American Institute for Research, 2011). There are five assumptions that are made from the characteristics of andragogy and they are the following: 

* Self-Concept: Adults thrive in independent learning and training scenarios.

* Experience: Adults learn experientially, meaning they learn from first-hand observations and interactions. 

* Readiness to Learn: Adults are attracted to learning most when they know clear objectives. 

* Orientation to Learning: Adults learn best when the topic is of immediate value.

* Motivation to Learn: Adults are motivated by internal factors rather than external pressures

Andragogy in Educational Technology

    Teachers require adult education that is fitting to our digital age. Andragogy plays a vital role in the training of educators in the field of educational technology. They must have adequate training in this area where there are explicitly given objectives in order to master their developing skills. High-quality professional development (PD) is central to any education improvement effort, particularly those that seek to integrate technology in support of classroom instruction ( Martin, Strother, Beglau, Bates, Reitzes, and McMillan Culp, 2010).  A lot of times teachers do not gain the efficient skills of being an adult learner due to a lack of support and respect for andragogy.   They need to be self-sufficient in various online learning environments. In today’s learning environment, adult learners conduct learning episodes on the Internet meaning they are now expected to approach self-directed science-based learning endeavors with knowledge of digital tools (digital literacy), knowledge of the science content (science literacy), and critical thinking skills to evaluate online resources (information literacy) (Bliss, 2019).

References

Bliss, A. C. (2019). Adult Science-Based Learning: The Intersection of Digital, Science, and Information Literacies. Adult Learning, 30(3), 128–137. https://doi.org/10.1177/1045159519829042

Corley, M. (2011).  Adult Learning Theories. American Institute for Research. CALPRO Fact Sheet No. 5 adapted to TEAL Fact Sheet 11. https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/11_%20TEAL_Adult_Learning_Theory.pdf 

Martin, W., Strother, S., Beglau, M., Bates, L., Reitzes, T., and McMillan Culp, K. (2010) Connecting Instructional Technology Professional Development to Teacher and Student Outcomes. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 43, (1), 55-76.

YouTube. (2020). Adult Learning Theory | Knowles' 6 Assumptions of Adult Learners. YouTube. Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://youtu.be/SArAggTULLU.