ANDROGOGY

A BRIEF REVIEW OF MALCOLM KNOWLES THEORY

AS PRESENTED BY ADOBE EDUCATION
EXCHANGE
Working with adult learners, there are 6 key assumptions about adult
learners
1. Need to know
Adults need to know WHY to learn something
AEE recommends that this should be addressed early/first in
learning experience
2. Self-directing
Adults have control in their personal lives and therefore expect
it/respond best with control in their learning as well
Adults may disengage in an environment that lacks personal
control
3. Life time of experience
The experiences of adult learners should be viewed as a resource
More connections made from prior learning to new learning
create deeper, more meaningful learning
Recommended to ask adult participants about their applicable
experiences
4. Relevancy oriented
Adults need to be able to immediately apply learning

5. Problem centered
Adults learn in the real world
When adults encounter a problem, they learn in order to solve
that problem
6. Intrinsic/extrinsic motivators
Adults are motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators
Professional advancement and personal enrichment should both
be met