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Andragogy is defined from the Greek words "anere", for adult and "agogus", the art and science of helping students learn and is widely used by adult educators to describe the theory of adult learning. This term offers an alternative to pedagogy which is mainly focused on the techniques for teaching children. The andragogic model asks that five issues be considered and addressed the learning process:
Letting learners know why something is important to learn
Showing learners how to direct themselves through information
Relating the topic to the learner's experiences People will not learn until ready and motivated to learn
A need to have a life centered, task centered, or problem centered orientation
(Glossary Terms, 2005,http://www.neiu.edu/~dbehrlic/hrd408/glossary.htm, 20th October 2005)
Andragogy (adult focused learning) has only recently been distinguished from traditional pedagogy which is orientated mainly for children for three main reasons. Malcolm Knowles (1973, as cited in Kidd, p.36) states that the three reasons for this distinction and are that firstly adult education has been viewed as a luxury and secondary activity in our culture in the past, where as today adult education is rapidly becoming a central concern and need in our culture. Secondly adult education has undergrown enormous growth and therefore it is reaching out to more people and more organisations have recognised it as a primary activity. Finally up top this point adult education has been relativity ineffective at completing its mission in education adults.
For at least two decades studies have tried to understand the motive that prompt adults to under go further education as either full time or part time students. Robert Love (1973, as cited in Kidd, p.32) argues that these reasons are often complex but on a whole there are two factor which tend to be present before an adult undertakes an enrolment in an institution of study. These are firstly the student/adult has an awareness of education as a positive value in solving problems and secondly at the same time they have a belief that education is some how equated with happiness and success.It is from these attitudes about that certain assumptions are made about education by the adult learner. For example Knowles (2001, as cited in Jarvis, p.51) stares that the pedagogical learner is already dependant and therefore the teacher only has to direct what, when and how a subject is to be learned and tested. Secondly the experience of leaning to an adult is seen of a little worth and therefore they expect teaching methods to be instructive. Thirdly adult learners learn what society expects them to learn and therefore an adult curriculum has to be standardised. Finally adults expect a curriculum to be organised and therefore subject matter is grouped.
When it comes to a particular “teaching style�? for adults it is easiest to describe the models on a basis of values. Stephenson (2001, p.166) claims that there are six models of pedagogic rational. These are the deficiency model where the teacher is there to put something right that went wrong earlier. The competence model where the teacher is there to teach specific knowledge and skills. The socialization model where the teacher is there to help the learner fit into society. Counselling model where the teacher helps learner get through a key issue or crisis. The guided discovery model where the teacher helps learner discover things within themselves and finally there is the fostering autonomy where the teacher help learners to become self sufficient.While there are many models the one mostly used in conventional education where it be in a virtual classroom or not is the competence model which relays skills and knowledge onto the learner.
Jarvis, P. (2001). The Sociology of Adult and Continuing Education. Sydney: Croom Helm, pp 50-52. ISBN 0-7099-1438-5
Kidd, J. R. (1973). How Adults Learn. New York: Association Press, pp 32-36. ISBN 0-8096-1875-3
Stephenson, J. (2002). Teaching and Learning Online: Pedagogies for New Technologies. London: Biddles Ltd, pp 166-167. ISBN 0-7494-3511-9
Glossary: Glosary of Terms. (2005) Retrived October 20, 2005, from http://www.neiu.edu/~dbehrlic/hrd408/glossary.htm#p
