Running head: PEDAGOGY VERSUS ANDRAGOGY 1

Pedagogy versus Andragogy Venn Diagram and Blog Post

Luis Lugo

Grand Canyon University: TEC-544

04/08/2020
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Part 1: Diagram

Pedagogy: Both: Andragogy:

 Instructor is responsible  Defined roles for learners  Learner is self-directed
for all learning and instructors and has control over
learning
 Instructor evaluates  Involve use of learning
progress and learning models focused on target  Self-evaluation is an
audience essential element for
 Learners rely on the learners
instructor’s experience  Have clear goals and
and knowledge learning objectives  Learners’ personal
experience and
 Learners are taught  Positive relationships background knowledge is
prescribed subject matter promote learning and a valued resource
units achievement
 Instruction must have
 External motivation: relevance to learners’
Grades interests and profession
and not defined by subject
 matter units

 Internal motivation: self-

actualization

Part 2: Blog Post

As technology continues to redefine the education industry, the need for

instructional technology coaches in schools is rapidly increasing. Technology coaches support

educators in order to increase teacher efficiency, facilitate classroom technology integration, and

maximize desired student outcomes. However, to be an effective coach, it is important to

understand the similarities and differences between andragogy and pedagogy because they each

provide a very distinct learning experience. Reflecting on the pros and cons of personal

experiences with adult learning can help make connections with the andragogy theory and to

better understand best practices for coaching adult learners.

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My most recent experiences as an adult learner include my undergraduate degree,

credential program, and induction program. The first two experiences aligned with the andragogy

theory by allowing me to use my past experiences and background knowledge as a valuable

resource (Holmes & Abington-Cooper, 2000). Many of the assignments and discussion questions

were strongly driven by students’ unique perspectives and experience. Also, these programs are

comprised of students seeking to attain a career in education. Therefore, the instruction directly

related to their personal and professional interests and had an immediate impact on their

practices (Makhlouf, 2019). These two aspects were big pros. However, one of the cons is that

these programs are not generally self-directed. Many times, the assignments did not directly

align with my areas of growth or directly support the students I was working with at the time. In

some instances, such as these, some pedagogical elements may be used with adults because

pedagogy is guided by prescribed subject matter units (Holmes & Abington-Cooper, 2000).

In contrast, my experience with my teaching induction program was very different. The

coach asked me questions, not to check comprehension but to better understand what I wanted to

gain from induction and what motivated me. My coach allowed me to guide the learning and to

focus on the areas of growth that I was struggling with. This aligned with the andragogy theory

which states that adults prefer learning that helps to find solutions that can be realistically

applied to immediate problems (Makhlouf, 2019). Most importantly, my coach was able to take

concepts I was hesitant towards and make them more approachable by explaining how they

related to my personal goals.

The development of a compare and contrast diagram for andragogy and pedagogy, and

the reflection of the pros and cons of my past experiences as an adult learner help to better

inform my future professional practice as a technology coach. To be an effective coach, the

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coach must be able to form professional relationships and connections with learners and reflect

on instruction from the learner’s perspective (Fisher & Joseph, 2018). Also, they should

understand the appropriate teaching theories for their audience. I now have a clearer

understanding of andragogy and can better differentiate from my traditional use of pedagogy as a

K-12 educator. I will continue to research and expand my skills to be the best coach possible.
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References

Fisher, E. & Joseph, M. (2018). The 6 Fundamentals of Technology Coaching. Ed Tech

Magazine. Retrieved from https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2018/06/6-

fundamentals-technology-coaching

Holmes, G. & Abington-Cooper, M. (2000). Pedagogy vs. Andragogy: A False Dichotomy?

Virginia Tech University Libraries. Retrieved from

https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JOTS/Summer-Fall-2000/holmes.html

Makhlouf, J. (2019). Pedagogy vs. Andragogy: Where Many Get it Wrong In Their Learning

Strategy. ELM Learning. Retrieved from https://elmlearning.com/pedagogy-vs-

andragogy/