ANDRAGOGY
(ADULT LEARNING THEORY)
Rajesh Kumar Sharma
Asst. Professor
Himalayan College of Nursing, SRHU
Dehradun
PRINCIPLES
2
The underpinnings of andragogy (adult learning
theory)
ANDRAGOGY: WHATS IN A WORD?
Andragogy (is) the art and science of helping adults
learnbased on certain crucial assumptions about the
differences between children and adults as learners (Knowles,
1968).
How adult learners are different from children
(according to adult learning theory):
More life experience
More independent
Motivated by perceptions of personal need
Greater need to direct a learning experience
Greater need to apply learning
Knowles, M. S. (1968). Andragogy, not pedagogy. Adult Leadership, 16(10), 350352, 386.
PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING
EDUCATORS AS ADULT LEARNERS
in the 'real world.
According to a study
adults will commit to learning when the goals
and objectives are considered realistic and
important to them.
Application
Adults
like to drive their learning and will resist
activities they believe question their competence.
Adult
learners need to see the connections and
relevancy of the professional development to
their day-to-day activities.
Adapted from source: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/
PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING
EDUCATORS AS ADULT LEARNERS
Adult
learners are practical -- they need direct,
concrete experiences in which they apply the
learning in real work.
Adult
learning impacts ego and therefore
requires respect. Good professional
development provides peer support and
reduces the fear of judgment during learning.
Adapted from source: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/
PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING
Adult
learners have a wide range of
experiences, knowledge, self-direction,
interests, and competencies. Learning activities
should accommodate and respect this diversity.
Transfer
of knowledge for adults is not
automatic and must be facilitated. Coaching and
other kinds of follow-up support help adult
learners transfer learning into daily practice to
ensure sustainability.
Source: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/
PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING
Adults
need feedback on the results of their
efforts. Opportunities should be built into
professional development activities that allow the
learner to practice the learning and receive
structured, timely, helpful feedback.
Adults
need to participate in small-group
activities during the learning to move beyond
understanding to application, analysis, synthesis,
and evaluation. Small-group activities provide an
opportunity to share, reflect, and generalize
learning experiences.
Source: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/
PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING
What motivates Adult Learners?
Adults typically differ from children in their motivations
for learning. Dr. Stephen Lieb in Principles of Adult
Learning discusses the following factors of motivation
for adults:
Desire to maintain social relationships
Need to meet external expectations -Desire to learn how to better serve others
Professional advancement
Escape or stimulation
Cognitive or personal interest
Source:http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2.htm
ANDRAGOGY: APPLICATIONS
How adult learning principles can translate to
instruction:
Teacher = facilitator versus content
deliverer
The adult learner should play a role in
creating and evaluating learning
content
Learning experiences should be
relevant and hands on
Learners (as well as the instructor)
should tap into the experiences of other
learners
Learners need to know
whats in it for me?
SIX ASSUMPTIONS OF ANDRAGOGY
The Learners Need to Know
The Learners Self-concept
The Learners Experience
Readiness to Learn
Orientation to Learning
Motivation to Learn
THE LEARNERS NEED TO KNOW
adults
need to know why they should learn
something.
reason they need to learn something
how it will benefit them
THE LEARNERS SELF-CONCEPT
adults
resent and resist situations in which
they feel others are imposing their wills on
them
previous schooling has made them
dependent learners
move adult students away from their old
habits and into new patterns of learning
help learners who are still moving into the
self-directed mode
THE LEARNERS EXPERIENCE
adults
want to use what they know and be
acknowledged for having that knowledge
case studies, reflective activities, and
group projects will facilitate the use of
learners already acquired expertise
adults self-identity (including habits and
biases) are determined from their
experience
READINESS TO LEARN
adults
must experience a need to learn
something in order to solve real-life tasks or
problems
encourage learners readiness to learn by
designing situations where the student
will encounter a need for their knowledge
or skill
interactive role play will help them see
how an understanding of the topic will
benefit them in the future
ORIENTATION TO LEARNING
adults
are life, task or problem-centered in
their orientation to learning
use real-life examples or situations that
adult learners may encounter in their life or
on the job
allowing flexibility in the design of a lesson
will permit student input on issues that need
to be addressed
MOTIVATION TO LEARN
internal
priorities are more important than
external motivators
increased job satisfaction, self-esteem and
quality of life are important
use activities that build students selfesteem or sense of accomplishment
DESIGNING A LESSON PLAN
17
With adult learning theory in mind
ADULT LEARNERS.
Gain attention
Class: Creating a Professional Web Site
What are your
goals?
Relevance is key
ADULT LEARNERS..
State objectives
Using a template, youll be able
to create a Web site showcasing
your experience and work
samples.
Connect objectives to personal goals
This objective will
help you achieve
the goals youve
identified.
ADULT LEARNERS
Stimulate recall of prior learning
Have you seen Web
sites that you think
are designed well?
Badly?
Tap into the wide range of experiences20
ADULT LEARNERS
Present stimuli
Heres how you create a Web site.
Learning this will help you create
one of your own.
21
Present how-to information over theory
ADULT LEARNERS
Guide learning
Through open-ended questions
Through practice
Through applications with relevance
Connect learning to experiences
22
ADULT LEARNERS
Elicit performance
Mirror real-world performance
23
ADULT LEARNERS
Provide feedback
Let learners self-evaluate
What would
you like to
improve?
ADULT LEARNERS
Assess performance
Objectives
Rubrics
Grade
= no surprises
Assessment thats relevant & fair
25
ADULT LEARNERS
Enhance transfer
Individualized resources
26
