Response Sheet
Andragogy as a study of adult learning originated in Europe in 1950's and was then pioneered as a theory and model of adult learning from the 1970's by Malcolm Knowles an American practitioner and theorist of adult education, who defined andragogy as "the art and science of helping adults learn" Knowles' theory of andragogy is an attempt to develop a theory specifically for adult learning. Knowles emphasizes that adults are self-directed and expect to take responsibility for decisions.
According to the theory adults learn better when
1. Adultslearn when they are internally motivated and self-directed towards learning.
Adult learners resist learning when they feel others are imposing information, ideas or actions on them (Fidishun, 2000).
Adults learn when their learning is self-directed and when the motive to learn is generated internally.
2. Adults learn better when they are given opportunity to apply life’s experiences to learning.
Adults like to be given opportunity to use their existing foundation of knowledge and experience gained from life experience, and apply it to their new learning experiences.
3. 3. Adults are goal oriented
Adult students become ready to learn when "they experience a need to learn it in order to cope more satisfyingly with real-life tasks or problems" (Knowles,1980 p 44, as cited in Fidishun, 2000)
4. Adults are relevancy oriented
Adult learners want to know the relevance of what they are learning to what they want to achieve. When this is known to them, they learn better.
5. Adults are practical
Through practical fieldwork experiences, interacting with real clients and their real life situations, students move from classroom and textbook mode to hands-on problem solving where they can recognise first hand how what they are learning applies to life and the work context. This appreciates transformation of learning into real life, which motivates learners.
6. Adult learners learn better when they are respected.
Respect can be
According to the theory adults learn better when
1. Adultslearn when they are internally motivated and self-directed towards learning.
Adult learners resist learning when they feel others are imposing information, ideas or actions on them (Fidishun, 2000).
Adults learn when their learning is self-directed and when the motive to learn is generated internally.
2. Adults learn better when they are given opportunity to apply life’s experiences to learning.
Adults like to be given opportunity to use their existing foundation of knowledge and experience gained from life experience, and apply it to their new learning experiences.
3. 3. Adults are goal oriented
Adult students become ready to learn when "they experience a need to learn it in order to cope more satisfyingly with real-life tasks or problems" (Knowles,1980 p 44, as cited in Fidishun, 2000)
4. Adults are relevancy oriented
Adult learners want to know the relevance of what they are learning to what they want to achieve. When this is known to them, they learn better.
5. Adults are practical
Through practical fieldwork experiences, interacting with real clients and their real life situations, students move from classroom and textbook mode to hands-on problem solving where they can recognise first hand how what they are learning applies to life and the work context. This appreciates transformation of learning into real life, which motivates learners.
6. Adult learners learn better when they are respected.
Respect can be