Andragogy

Andragogy is the theory and practice of teaching adults, most associated with Malcolm Knowles, who contrasted it with pedagogy (the teaching of children). It rests on assumptions that adult learners are self-directed, bring substantial life and work experience, are motivated by relevance to their goals and problems, and want to apply learning immediately. Andragogy therefore favours practical, problem-centred, experience-based learning where adults have a say in what and how they study. These principles strongly influence corporate training and eLearning design, encouraging real-world scenarios, autonomy and respect for learners' existing knowledge rather than one-way lecturing.