Knowles imagined that adults needed a different approach to learning than what is delivered in more traditionalist settings.  Adults require knowledge that is immediately implementable, rather knowledge that is memorized and stored for use another time.  While there is more to andragogy than that, it is a beginning at understanding an assumed essential difference between children and adults -- perhaps it is a time perspective -- I don't know.  What I find fascinating is that approach to learning is not new.  Freire (1970) espoused essentially similar dynamics when he took up against what he called the banking model of education opting instead for an emancipatory pedagogy.  In his time, that referred to a means for a group of people to free themselves from marginalization and inequitable power relationships through a personal expression of consciousness.  He imagined that a "critical liberating dialogue" (p. 52) must be maintained in order to develop "acts of cognition", not just "transferals of information"(p. 67).  Intentional learning.  That all sounds so intuitively right to many educators, but as you read Freire, you find the seeds he planted which Knowles must have harvested, as perhaps did Mezirow with transformational learning, and many others as well.  So the difference in approach that you question -- to my mind -- and which is implicit in Knowles, is a useful approach in many settings for many learners, not just adults.   For children?  Yes, in some circumstances, and in some subjects. I remember a dialogue I had with a faculty member who took the position that you can't teach math with a liberating dialogue.  I defer to him for the moment, but wonder that perhaps we just haven't figured out to teach math in that way.

Hi Debra,

I use a 1 + 1 + 1 approach in my work with university undergraduates which recognises the dual need of face to face contact but also some flexibility around their study and the need for them to access learning asynchronously. The three elements each week are a 1 hour online lecture, a 1 hour workshop and a more intensive small group 1 hour tutorial. I report on these elements in 

Larkin, K. (2014). Restructuring a pre-service teacher mathematics education course to develop Mathematics Content Knowledge (MCK) and Mathematics Pedagogical Content Knowledge (MPCK). Paper presented at STEM 2014: STEM Education and our Planet: Making Connections Across Contexts, Vancouver, (July 12 - 15). Acknowledged as Best Paper Award at this conference.

Regards, Kevin

Hi Debra,

In higher education learning facilitators use, among other strategies, authentic learning and assessment activities as adult learners are understood to relate what they study to their daily lives. Hence, problem-based teaching and learning approaches are preferred.

Two primary understandings of ‘andragogy’ exist:

1. The science of understanding (= theory) and supporting (= practice) lifelong and life-wide education of adults.

2. In the tradition of Malcolm Knowles, a specific theoretical and practical approach, based on a humanistic conception of self-directed and autonomous learners and teachers as facilitators of learning.

Knowles' theory can be stated with six assumptions related to motivation of adult learning:

--Need to know: Adults need to know the reason for learning something.

--Foundation: Experience (including error) provides the basis for learning activities.

--Self-concept: Adults need to be responsible for their decisions on education; involvement in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.

--Readiness: Adults are most interested in learning subjects having immediate relevance to their work and/or personal lives.

--Orientation: Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.

--Motivation: Adults respond better to internal versus external motivators.

Knowles’ 4 Principles Of Andragogy

In 1984, Knowles suggested 4 principles that are applied to adult learning:

1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.

2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for the learning activities.

3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance and impact to their job or personal life.

4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andragogy

http://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theory-andragogy-of-malcolm-knowles

www.insightjournal.net/.../Andragogy%20and%20Pedagogy%20as%20F...

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Adult education should be based on needs assessment. Before training needs assessment is so necessary. Adult participation in education is very important. Attention to the physical, mental and social situation of adults can improve teaching strategies.

It's refreshing to see the reference to andragogy in relation to higher education. Pedagogy has now become commonly used for all teaching, regardless of the age and needs of students.

A key starting point is to value the diversity of students in higher education. That is, understand the learners, their prior experiences, knowledge and needs. Often 'assumed' knowledge' and 'prerequisites' can be problematic. Successful andragogical approaches are respectful of the adult learners. Whiel this is true of pedagogy, understanding adult learners requires understandings of and valuing this diversity.

Sure adults take keen interest to learning when they know what they are learning will add value to their immediate environment and also future.  The learning of adults is depended on felt need. Once they identify the need to acquire knowledge to help them achieve their goals they pay attention very well than when they were young.  In addintion, adults are willing to learn when they are accorded love, respect and feel free to communicate and ask questions on a subject matter.  Adults wants to participate in an enabling environment.

Adults are ready to participate when they feel appreciated.  Problem posing for adults is good because they reflect, think and act.  In this case, adults wants to be appreciated that they know something too even though they want to learn.  This is so because adults have experiences and they bring these experiences to the class room or learn place.  In this way, they learn more as they participate in the learning process at hand.

Problem posing education is appreciated by adults than banking education which mainly is used to children.

Hi Debra.

Cuba, like many other societies has an ageing population, largely due to the improved life expectancy since the revolution, now 76 years for women and 75 for men.It was estimated that more tah 16% of currently cubans are over 70 and this will increase to 25% by the year 2035. Only 1% live in homes, 9% on their own and 90% still live with family.

Several factors influenced the decision to found a 3rd Age university. The issues and needs arising from an ageing population are world wide but insufficient attention and resources are going into this area. Even the UN is perceived as not making it a high enough priority. In Cuba there were already a number of initiatives, a movement for retired and pensioned people largely co-ordinated by the directors of the retired sections of Trades Unions working together within the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba (CTC); initiatives such as cultural and sports activities and significant social integration through organised voluntary projects in different institutions including schools and former workplaces where the maturity of expertise is considered invaluable. and has filled many skills gaps. There are also “Circulos de Abuelos” (Grandparents' Circles) in most communities. The Seniors University Program, for example, created in 2000, provides an opportunity for personal development, updating and upgrading knowledge, plus social involvement. Havana University Professor and President of the Seniors University,Teresa Orosa.

You can learn more about this with the Email: [email protected]

 Informative paper with extensive references

ONLINE EDUCATION, ACTIVE LEARNING, AND ANDRAGOGY:

An approach for Student Engagement

by: Gail D. CARUTH 

ABSTRACT

"Online learning opportunities have become essential for today’s colleges and universities. Online technology can support active learning approaches to learning. The purpose of the paper was to investigate why active learning in online classes has a positive effect on student engagement. A review of the literature revealed that research studies have been conducted to investigate the benefits of active learning. There exists extensive evidence to support the notion that active learning enhances learning of course content in comparison to more conventional learning approaches. Effective active learning activities and assignments enhance the likelihood that a deeper understanding of the subject matter will emerge. Technology also works harmoniously with andragogy. Technology offers multiple choices for adult learners to be self-directed and in control of learning, connect new learning with past experiences, and link new learning to real-world problems. A deeper understanding of why active learning approaches to learning in online classes have a positive effect on student engagement will help educators with the design of online classes. In addition, an understanding of andragogical principle of learning and how they connect to active learning approaches will assist in engaging students in the learning process. Students academically engaged in the learning process are more likely to graduate from college."

http://dergipark.ulakbim.gov.tr/glokalde/article/download/5000135253/5000124112

Indeed active learning increase deeper understanding of the subject at hand.  Adults learn better by doing.  This ensures that they are alert and participate in the learning process.  Adults know what they want from the learning which is initiated by them and take keen interest to ensure that the succeed as they would not want to be associated with failure.

Therefore, if online classes can also enhance the learning process for adults because they will have to choose time in which to dedicate their time to learning, and since adults what to learn what is related to their immediate environment they can use  online class as this could be convenient to them.