ANDRAGOGY: THE SCIENCE AND ART OF ADULT EDUCATION

AND

THE IMPLICATIONS FOR ON-LINE LEARNING

What is andragogy?

Though the roots of the word andragogy (andr – meaning ‘man’, i.e. adult and agogos meaning 'leading', i.e. educating)precede the modern era, the widely accepted definition of andragogy is a contemporary advent. Malcolm Shepherd Knowles has won wide acclaim for his work in adult education theory (Smith, 1999).

Andragogy, as presented by Knowles, is “the art and science of helping adults learn.” Knowles’ definition and contribution to the field is foundational and as such it has been anchoring, transformative and formative. (Conner, 2004)

Knowles’ Contribution to Education Theory:

Knowles’ andragogy as an anchoring mechanism:

The formulation of a distinct branch of education (i.e. adult learning vs. children/adolescence learning)reoriented the academic and professional realms of education and training.

Human Resource Development (HRD) and post secondary education have recognized Knowles contributions and as such many institutions have switched to an educational framework which is more learner focused instead of content focused. Knowles’ identification of the unique needs, wants, and abilities of adult learners anchored the principals of andragogy into the dialectic occurring between educators, academics, and professional trainers.

Much of Knowles’ theories are highly relevant to the experiences of adult world wide web users. Never in history have so many individuals had access to the breadth and depth of instructional materials and educational resources available on the internet. The unique abilities of adult learners are truly showcased in on-line learning. Self-directed individuals  now have a virtually unlimited range of topics and resources to choose from. 

Knowles’ andragogy as a transformative mechanism:

Knowles’ transformed the way in which the adult education is approached and executed. Prior to his contributions “adult learners were almost universally taught with the methods of pedagogy, the education of children. Knowles was viewed as the person most responsible for achieving wide acceptance by adult educators of such concepts as the following: 1) adults will pursue learning that they believe they need; 2) instructors of adults should approach their role as facilitators, catalysts, and guides; 3) adults should have control over their own approach to learning in an adult-oriented, cooperative, non-authoritarian setting and climate; 4) learner involvement approaches to learning should be followed; 5) the adult should be viewed as a responsible, independent individual responsive to interdependent learning opportunities; and 6) in addition to shared control and relevance, adult education should be based on authenticity of participants, instructors, procedures, and goals.”  (answers.com, 2009)

Knowles’ andragogy as a formative mechanism:

Though andragogy was initially articulated as a theory for adult learning, its influence in the realm of pedagogy is undeniable. Pedagogy, a once content centered approach, has blossomed into a colorful array of perspectives and techniques. The popular shift from content centered education to learner centered education is, in part, a testament to the influence Knowles’ theories have had on the broader scope of education. In short, Knowles’ andragogy has not only influenced the business, collegiate, and life-lone learning realms, but has also contributed to the K-12 discussion.

Historical Perception of Andragogy vs. Pedagogy

Contemporary Shift in Pedagogy

What are the contemporary implications of andragogy?

While some diehard traditionalists attempt to pigeonhole pedagogy in terms of a framework which is inherently content centered, others such as Dr. Shirley Waterhouse recognize that contemporary discussions of teaching and learning have moved beyond the labels of andragogy as independent from pedagogy. In her book, The Power of eLearning, Waterhouse has noted that popular usage of the word pedagogy has not stayed confined to child/adolescent learning. To the contrary pedagogy now “denotes teaching individuals of any age” (Waterhouse, 2005).

Andragogy: The On-line implications

The technological advancements of the 21^st century has been the matrix for the expansive array of on-line learning resources. Though the wealth of information available on-line was originally geared towards the life-long learner the past few years have seen a shift in the number of accredited secondary, baccalaureate, and graduate level on-line programs. While distance learning is by no means dependent on the internet, it is highly facilitated by it.

Adults wishing to complete postponed high school careers can now get their high school diplomas on-line. Individuals wishing to get a B.A. or B.S. are no longer required to attended campus centered course. Institutions such as University of Phoenix, American Intercontinental University, Walden University, Kaplan University, Western Governors University, Stetson University,  and Capella University offer degree programs on-line. In addition many colleges and universities throughout the world are now offering on-line courses in addition to their traditional face-to-face (on campus) classes.

Though the collegiate realm has jumped on the supper speedy information highway, the life-long learner has not been neglected; to the contrary, the rate of growth for informal information pages, blogs, tutorials, and discussion boards is innumerable. Companies such as Lynda.com offer highly detailed, user friendly tutorials for a wide array of subjects. Similarly, WebMD offers extensive information on health related topics.

Open source cites such as Wikipedia and YouTube offer any and everybody the chance to contribute to a general body of knowledge and perspectives. In addition, on-line version of news media and academic journals offers critical perspectives on every subject imaginable. So beloved is on-line instruction that state governments have even agreed to validate on-line traffic schools, First-Aid/CPR/IED courses, and Food Handler Certification courses.

At its core, andragogy presupposes that adult learners have a need and want to learn that which they seek and that it is the want to learn which will propel or motivate their learning. The world-wide-web has become a structure which makes the ancient library at Alexandria look like a kindergarten bookshelf. All individuals regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, or nationality can access any content they wish to explore granted they have a computer with internet access.

MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching) is a premiere example of web-based adult instruction.  It is a learner-centered searchable collection of peer reviewed and selected higher education online learning materials.  It also contains faculty development support services for online courses.  One can contribute learning materials, create a profile and personal collection of resources, share online exertise, receive peer recognition, and explore various learning communities by discipline. 

          References

Conner,  M.L. (2004). Andragogy and Pedagogy. Retrieved May 8, 2009, from Ageless Learner Web site: http://agelesslearner.com/intros/andragogy.html 

Malcom Knowles Biography from Answers.com. Retrieved May 8, 2009, from About.com Web site: http://www.answers.com/topic/malcolm-knowles 

MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching). Retrieved May 12, 2009, from

MERLOT.org Web site: http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm

Smith, M.K. (1996; 1999). Andragogy. Retrieved May 10, 2009, from Infed.org Web site: 

http://www.infed.org/lifelonglearning/b-andra.htm

Waterhouse, S. (2005). The Power of eLearning. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.