The Adult Learning Theory

Malcolm Shepherd Knowles (1913 – 1997) was an American educator well known
for the use of the term Andragogy as synonymous to adult education. According to
Malcolm Knowles, andragogy is the art and science of adult learning, thus
andragogy refers to any form of adult learning. (Kearsley, 2010).

The term andragogy can be supposedly equivalent to the term

pedagogy. Andragogy in Greek means man-leading in comparison to pedagogy,
which in Greek means child-leading. However, it should be noted that the term
pedagogy has been used since the Ancient Greek times, while Alexander Kapp, a
German educator, first used the term andragogy in 1833.

Adult Learning

Adult learners have a different approach to learning. By the time you reach
adulthood, you’re most likely responsible for your own success and you’re perfectly
capable of making your own decisions once you have the information you need.

Adults learn best when learning is focused on adult students, not on the teacher. This
is called andragogy, the process of helping adults learn.

The Differences

Malcolm Knowles, a pioneer in the study of adult learning, observed that adults learn
best when:

• They understand why something is important to know or do.

• They have the freedom to learn in their own way.
• Learning is experiential.
• The time is right for them to learn.
• The process is positive and encouraging.
Continuing Education

Continuing education is a broad term. In the most general sense, any time you return
to a classroom of any kind to learn something new, you are continuing your
education. As you can imagine, this encompasses everything from graduate
degrees to listening to personal development CDs in your car.

Common types of continuing education:

• Earning a GED, the equivalent of a high school diploma

• Post-secondary degrees such as a bachelor’s, or graduate degrees such as a
master’s or doctorate
• Professional certification
• On-the-job training
• English as a second language
• Personal development

Where It All Happens

The methods involved in achieving continuing education are just as diverse. Your
school can be a traditional classroom or a conference center near a beach. You might
start before dawn or study after a day of work. Programs can take months, even
years, to complete, or last just a few hours. Your job can depend on completion, and
sometimes, your happiness.

Continuous learning, no matter how old you are, has clear benefits, from finding and
keeping the job of your dreams to remaining fully engaged in life in your later years.
It’s never too late.

Should You Go Back to School?

So what is it you want to learn or achieve? Have you been meaning to go back to
school to earn your GED? Your bachelor’s degree? Is your professional certificate
in danger of expiring? Do you feel the urge to grow personally, learn a new hobby,
or advance in your company?

Keeping in mind how adult learning differs from your childhood schooling, ask
yourself some questions:
 • Why am I thinking about school lately?
• What exactly do I want to achieve?
• Can I afford it?
• Can I afford not to?
• Is this the right time in my life?
• Do I have the discipline and the freedom right now to study?
• Can I find the right school, the one that will help me learn the way I learn
best?
• How much encouragement will I need and can I get it?

It’s a lot to think about, but remember, if you really want something, you’re likely
capable of making it happen. And there are a lot of people available to help you.