Andragogy and Higher Education in Late Capitalism

Abstract

Over the past half-century, the word “andragogy” has migrated from the fringe vocabulary to the standard lexicon of adult education. It has identified common psychological traits in “non-traditional” students and distinguished its methods from “pedagogy,” the teaching of children. This chapter will explore andragogy's apparent strengths and arguable weaknesses in terms of its socio-economic assumptions and the social class interests it may wittingly or unwittingly serve. It will conclude with a critique.