Andragogy: Adult Learning Theory in Perspective

Knowles, Malcolm S.

doi:10.1177/009155217800500302

“…Adult learning theory was formalized by Knowles (1978) and was developed into a method and practice of teaching adult learners called andragogy. Knowles' writing is based on the historical work of Eduard Lindeman (1926) who believed learning was a life-long goal and should be understood at the adult level in order to foster desire to learn on a continual basis throughout all stages of life.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Adult Learning Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…He states, "If learning is to be revivified, quickened so as to become once more an adventure, we shall have need of new concepts, new motives, new methods; we shall need to experiment with the qualitative aspects of education" (p. 5). Knowles (1978) picked up his research where Lindeman left off and began to focus on how adults were successful with life-long learning habits and what connections could be made about learning theories. Knowles based his theory of adult learning on Lindeman's (1926) main concepts: a) adults are motivated to learn as they experience needs that learning will satisfy; b) learning is self-centered through life situations; c) experience is the richest resource; d) adults have a deep need to be selfdirecting; and e) adult learners need individualized learning.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Adult Learning Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Professional Learning and Adult Learning Theory: A Connection

Kelly¹

2017

NWJTE

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__________________________________________________________________________ This study documents and interprets teachers' experience in a two-year professional development provincial initiative called Changing Results for Young Readers in western Canada. The interviews of a group of teachers in a rural school district were examined in order to understand how the participants' learning experiences were connected to adult learning theory. Themes emerged in teachers' changes of assumptions, expectations, values and beliefs about their identity as a teacher. These findings have implications for understanding how professional development opportunities can be structured and facilitated to support the complex role of a teacher. Keywords: Adult Learning, Professional Learning, Teacher Development ____________________________________________________________________________ IntroductionProfessional development for teachers in British Columbia (and within Canada) has traditionally revolved around a facilitated session by an expert in a specific field. With continual research (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012;Mitchell & Sackney, 2011), the educational community is beginning to realize a change of focus is needed in order to fully utilize our greatest assets within our schools -our teachers. Changing Results for Young Readers is a provincial initiative that relies on a framework of continual professional development for teachers to meet the needs of their early readers who are struggling with the formation of their reading processing system (Pinnell & Fountas, 2009). The teachers participate in collaborative inquiry and choose a research question they will focus on throughout a year-long process, or perhaps longer. The professional learning involves knowledge for practice, knowledge in practice, knowledge of practice and knowledge of self (Cochran-Smith & Lyle, 2001).The framework of Changing Results for Young Readers (CR4YR) is developed after a professional learning community (PLC) model which has gained popularity recently and has impact on teaching practice (Vescio, Ross & Adams, 2008). Much has been written about PLCs (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012;Hord, Roussin & Sommers, 2010;Mitchell & Sackney, 2009a and their effectiveness (Vescio et al, 2008). However, there has been little research conducted on the connection between PLCs and the type of learning teachers are experiencing through their participation in this model of professional learning. I focus on term transformative learning, which is connected to adult learning theory (Mezirow, 2000), in order to provide a framework for a specific kind of learning educators may experience in a professional learning Professional Learning and Adult Learning Theory: A Connection community. In this study, I examine research findings on teachers' learning in professional learning communities to answer the following questions:• In what ways do teachers experience transformative learning as a result of participation in a PLC? • What aspects of PLCs enhanced the likelihood of transformative chang...

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“…Adult learning theory was formalized by Knowles (1978) and was developed into a method and practice of teaching adult learners called andragogy. Knowles' writing is based on the historical work of Eduard Lindeman (1926) who believed learning was a life-long goal and should be understood at the adult level in order to foster desire to learn on a continual basis throughout all stages of life.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Adult Learning Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…He states, "If learning is to be revivified, quickened so as to become once more an adventure, we shall have need of new concepts, new motives, new methods; we shall need to experiment with the qualitative aspects of education" (p. 5). Knowles (1978) picked up his research where Lindeman left off and began to focus on how adults were successful with life-long learning habits and what connections could be made about learning theories. Knowles based his theory of adult learning on Lindeman's (1926) main concepts: a) adults are motivated to learn as they experience needs that learning will satisfy; b) learning is self-centered through life situations; c) experience is the richest resource; d) adults have a deep need to be selfdirecting; and e) adult learners need individualized learning.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Adult Learning Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Professional Learning and Adult Learning Theory: A Connection

Kelly¹

2017

NWJTE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

__________________________________________________________________________ This study documents and interprets teachers' experience in a two-year professional development provincial initiative called Changing Results for Young Readers in western Canada. The interviews of a group of teachers in a rural school district were examined in order to understand how the participants' learning experiences were connected to adult learning theory. Themes emerged in teachers' changes of assumptions, expectations, values and beliefs about their identity as a teacher. These findings have implications for understanding how professional development opportunities can be structured and facilitated to support the complex role of a teacher. Keywords: Adult Learning, Professional Learning, Teacher Development ____________________________________________________________________________ IntroductionProfessional development for teachers in British Columbia (and within Canada) has traditionally revolved around a facilitated session by an expert in a specific field. With continual research (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012;Mitchell & Sackney, 2011), the educational community is beginning to realize a change of focus is needed in order to fully utilize our greatest assets within our schools -our teachers. Changing Results for Young Readers is a provincial initiative that relies on a framework of continual professional development for teachers to meet the needs of their early readers who are struggling with the formation of their reading processing system (Pinnell & Fountas, 2009). The teachers participate in collaborative inquiry and choose a research question they will focus on throughout a year-long process, or perhaps longer. The professional learning involves knowledge for practice, knowledge in practice, knowledge of practice and knowledge of self (Cochran-Smith & Lyle, 2001).The framework of Changing Results for Young Readers (CR4YR) is developed after a professional learning community (PLC) model which has gained popularity recently and has impact on teaching practice (Vescio, Ross & Adams, 2008). Much has been written about PLCs (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012;Hord, Roussin & Sommers, 2010;Mitchell & Sackney, 2009a and their effectiveness (Vescio et al, 2008). However, there has been little research conducted on the connection between PLCs and the type of learning teachers are experiencing through their participation in this model of professional learning. I focus on term transformative learning, which is connected to adult learning theory (Mezirow, 2000), in order to provide a framework for a specific kind of learning educators may experience in a professional learning Professional Learning and Adult Learning Theory: A Connection community. In this study, I examine research findings on teachers' learning in professional learning communities to answer the following questions:• In what ways do teachers experience transformative learning as a result of participation in a PLC? • What aspects of PLCs enhanced the likelihood of transformative chang...

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“…Unlike traditional education, experiential learning utilizes experience to impart knowledge. Research shows that traditional students 2 and non-traditional students 3 alike learn best not by listening but through an environment that provides the opportunity for experience 2,3 . This supports Dewey's "learning by doing" theory 4 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Service Projects on the Perceived Skills of Engineering Technology Students

Appiah-Kubi

¹

,

Brion

²

2019

IJSLE

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Client based service projects offer many advantages to instructors, students and host communities. However, instructors must carefully choose the projects in order to achieve the benefits that come with this pedagogical tool. The purpose of this research was to investigate the perception of engineering technology students on how different service projects influence performance and perceived skills. A modified perceived skill model was used to measure the perceived effect of the team based service projects on: motivation to learn, contribution to research knowledge, skills and personal benefit, and project as a learning device. The projects were either client based or non-client based. In addition, they were categorized as either engineering, non-engineering, or some engineering projects. The non-engineering were the projects with no engineering content, whereas those with some form of engineering content were classified as some engineering. From the results, it appears that all the project types and categories were highly perceived by the students as contributing to their perceived skills. They were also highly perceived as great learning tools. Additionally, the projects with engineering content (client based and non-client based) provided a significantly higher perceived motivation to learn. However, there was no significant difference in the exam performance.

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Andragogy: Adult Learning Theory in Perspective

Cited by 184 publications

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Professional Learning and Adult Learning Theory: A Connection

Professional Learning and Adult Learning Theory: A Connection

Professional Learning and Adult Learning Theory: A Connection

Effects of Service Projects on the Perceived Skills of Engineering Technology Students

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