Pedagogy versus Andragogy
The information in this section is intended to give you a brief but informational look into Androgogy vs. Pedagogy.
Pedagogy is the art and science behind helping children learn, and Andragogy is the art and science of helping adults learn.
When designing a course, you must understand the difference between the two and design your course and materials to engage and motivate adult learners.
The following matrix compares Pedagogy and Andragogy.
Pedagogy vs. Andragogy
| |
Pedagogy |
Andragogy |
| The Learner |
- The learner is dependent on the instructor for all learning.
- The teacher assumes full responsibility for what is taught and how it is learned.
- The teacher evaluates the learning.
|
- The learner is self-directed
- The learner is responsible for their own learning
- Self-evaluation is a characteristic of this approach.
|
| Role of the Learner’s Experience |
- The learner comes to the activity with little experience that could be tapped into as a resource for learning.
- The experience of the instructor is most influential.
|
- The learner brings a greater volume and quality of experience.
- Adults are a rich resource for one another.
- Different experiences assure diversity in groups of adults.
- The experience becomes the source of self-identity.
|
| Readiness to Learn |
- Students are told what they have to learn in order to advance to the next level of mastery.
|
- Any change is likely to trigger a readiness to learn
- They need to know more in order to perform more effectively in some aspect of their life.
- Ability to assess gaps between where one is now and where one needs to be.
|
| Orientation to Learning |
- Learning is a process of acquiring prescribed subject matter
- Content units are sequenced according to the logic of the subject matter
|
- Learners want to perform a task, solve a problem, and live more satisfyingly.
- Learning must have relevance to real-life tasks.
- Learning is organized around life/work situations rather than subject matter experts.
|
| Motivation for Learning |
- Primarily motivated by external pressures, completion for grades, and the consequences of failure.
|
- Internal motivators: self–esteem, recognition, a better quality of life, self-confidence, and self-actualization.
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