Andragogy

Andragogy is a theory of education proposed by the American educator Malcolm Knowles (April 24, 1913 -- November 27, 1997).

Related Topics:
Education - American - Malcolm Knowles - April 24 - 1913 - November 27 - 1997

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Knowles held that androgogy (from the Greek words meaning "man-leading") should be distinguished from the more commonly taught pedagogy (Greek: "child-leading").

Related Topics:
Greek - Pedagogy

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Knowles' theory can be stated as four simple postulates http://tip.psychology.org/knowles.html:

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• Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.
• Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities.
• Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life.
• Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.

Knowles' work (most notably the book Self-Directed Learning: A Guide for Learners and Teachers, published in 1975) has been controversial. To some, his proposed system states the obvious. To others, he has merely proposed an adaptation of existing child-learning theories.

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