An introduction to ‘Andragogy’ – the concept of adult education

Andragogy is a concept that has been explained over the years in no few words. Malcolm Knowles popularized the concept in the 80’s while many companies tried to apply this in theory to their training programs in the early 90’s. Although andragogy sounds like a new concept, it was first used in Germany in 1833.

What is Andragogy?

Andragogy is quite simply put, the theory and practice of adult education. It is a field where adults are educated by the self-driven desire in them to acquire, theorize and practice the then acquired knowledge in a practical environment. Andragogy, unlike traditional forms of education was not started as a mission or a vision, but by reflection, critique and historical analysis.

How is it different from Pedagogy?

Pedagogy is the art and science of instructional education designed and structured to serve its original purpose of academics. In a pedagogical environment, students are completely dependent on the instructors. The standardized curriculum under pedagogy does nothing to motivate students; the actual motivators being the society, peers and grades.

Andragogy is education that is self-directed and sometimes customized. It allows for a free flow of information from the sender to the receiver as the receiver here is present in the classroom by free will as opposed to pedagogy.

What are the contributions of Malcolm Knowles to andragogy?

In 1984, Malcolm Knowles suggested four principles that are associated and in recent times applied to adult education:

1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.

2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for the learning activities.

3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance and impact to their job or personal life.

4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented. 

These principles serve as guidelines to all companies that take part in andragogy. The 21^st century has brought about a change in the mindsets of the decision makers. They now understand that employees not only have to perform their job roles, but also need to constantly learn new things in order to grow, the end result being a healthier and a more sustainable work environment.

Andragogy allows for near total freedom in learner determination of objectives. When the learner chooses what to learn based on his/her objectives, the path to achieve the said objectives becomes all the more clearer. According to Knowles, the concept of andragogy, in any given space, can be successful only if the adult in question shows an actual desire to learn. The adult’s need to learn is directly proportional to the effort (and in most cases, end-result) put in by the adult (learner) and the instructor.

Another age old debate that Knowles addresses is that of ‘experience’. Is experience an asset or a liability? Knowles does not provide a definitive answer but instead emphasizes on the importance of kinesthetic s in adult education. He feels that adult learners are more prone to a hands-on approach and show better results compared to the learners who adopt traditional classroom techniques. Is the concept of andragogy new? Maybe not. Is it necessary? Absolutely.