Lets reviews the differences between andragogy (the study of adult learning) and pedagogy (the study of how children learn) and how these differences apply to our learning environment. Tough questions have been asked about the learning styles of our students, our teaching methods and our own learning styles. The following table is adapted from a list provided by the American Society for Training and Development (www.ASTD.org) about key differences between andragogy and pedagogy. Consider how these differences may apply to YOUR training environment.
Andragogy | Pedagogy |
| Learners are called “participants” or “learners.” | Learners are called “students.” |
| People delivering instruction are called “facilitators” or “trainers.” | People delivering instruction are called “instructors” or “teachers.” |
| Independent learning style. | Learning style dependent on the instructor. |
| Objectives are flexible. Learning is adapted to real-life problems contributed by the learners. | Objectives are predetermined and inflexible. Learning is centered on technical content provided by the Instructor. |
| It is assumed that the learners have experience to contribute. | It is assumed that the learners are inexperienced and/or uninformed. |
| Active training methods, such as exercises and role plays, are used. | Passive training methods, such as lecture and demonstration, predominate. |
| Learners influence timing and pace in a learner-centered approach. | The Instructor controls timing and pace. |
| Participant involvement is vital to success. | Students can achieve success even without major contribution to the class. |
| Participants are seen as primary resources for ideas and examples. | The Instructor is seen as the primary resource to provide ideas and examples. |
One important "by-product" of using andragogical techniques is that we are building adult learners. Not only are our learners achieving the course objectives, they are learning where to find information, research techniques, how to communicate it, and how to apply it and retain it. This is a critical tool in the future success of our "customer."
The old adage "give a man a fish and he"ll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a life time' applies to applying andragogical principles. Many learners that have developed their adult learning techniques easily develop into life long learners that can develop their own objectives, conduct their own research, and develop their critical thinking skills. Therefore, they become self-educators.
