Running head: ISSUES IN NURSING EDUCATION
Issues in Nursing Education
Tammy Fisher
N580
Module 2-Professional Development
Aspen University
Nina Beaman, PhD, MSN, MS, BA
September 2014
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ISSUES IN NURSING EDUCATION
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Andragogy the Adult Learning Theory
The teaching and learning process is a cooperative and personal transaction between student
and educator that includes dignity, respect, and the willingness to learn (Billings & Halstead,
2012). Each of the learning theories focuses on differing human needs and processes for
learning and change. This paper will discuss the use of the Adult Learning Theory, known as
Andragogy.
Malcolm Knowles introduced the idea of adult learning and Andragogy in the 1970’s because
he noted that teaching adults is different than teaching children and that adult learners are not
interested in compulsory learning, they instead are focused on relevant and useful information
that will assist them to meet their predetermined goals (Utley, 2012). Each human being has
their own intelligence profile and mode of learning, with adults being more self-directed and
problem centered (Billings & Halstead, 2012). Andragogy is the Adult Learning Theory
whereas its opposite is Pedagogy or the education of children. Education of adults is different
than children because adults have had life experiences and social situations that impact learning.
Adults also have preferences in their educational style and like to work with others in the
learning process. Adults generally like to learn something that will immediately impact their
future such as career and employment needs.
Andragogy has six concepts that address the learning needs of adults as opposed to those of
children that have been used for centuries. Knowles recognized six assumptions about adult
learning that were self-directedness, need to know, using experience in learning, readiness to
learn, orientation to learning, and internal motivation (Chen, 2010). Education has changed in
the past 90 years and the changes have occurred because more adults are changing careers and
learning new information and this causes needed change in the classroom and in ways to teach
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adults and alter the learning processes. Because adult learners are more independent and selfdirected, the initial ways of teaching children were found to fail for adults. In 2006 Forrest and
Peterson noted that the andragogical approach to learning is essential for adults to learn and
prepare for their working environment with using their practical knowledge gained from life
experiences (Chen, 2010). Knowles was strongly impacted by Maslow’s theory on needs and
esteem, belonging, and self-actualization are needs of adult learners and that adults learn and
then become self-directed (Chinnasamy, 2013).
There has been increased movement towards the aspect of post-secondary online learning,
due to the decreased cost and the availability of courses that can be completed at home by the use
of computer. Adult learners figure prominently in the enrollment numbers for online learning.
The concept of Andragogy is especially important to online adult learners who appreciate the
self-management of learning by computerized courses, the practicality of learning the items that
interest them, and the empowerment of education (Chametzky, 2014).
As an aspiring educator in the nursing field, I am intrigued about how the adults and the
children learn differently. Adults have life experiences to draw from and at the same time have
the responsibilities of adults in the care of children, employment, and a household to maintain
while attending classes. When in nursing school, it was apparent to me that the adult students
were gravitating into groups of their own age while few of the younger students enjoyed the
company of the mature learners. When put into groups that were of mixed ages, there was not
discord, but the mature learners had different outlooks on completion of assignments and group
work. Adult learners were more centered and the main goal was to get the project done correctly
and quickly and move onto the next goal. Younger learners seemed to lack the drive and time
management attributes of the mature learners. There is no doubt that Knowles was correct in
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noting that adult and children students are not the same and should not be taught in the same
way. Educators who realize the differences between young learners and adult learners will be
able to remove barriers and enable them to learn easier and at a more manageable rate. Through
this exercise, I learned more about the needs and desires of differing ages of learners and ways to
manage those differences in order to promote success of each age group.
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References
Billings, D. M. & Halstead, J. A. (2012). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (4th ed.). St.
Louis: Saunders.
Chametzky, B. (2014). Andragogy and engagement in online learning: Tenets and solutions.
Creative Education, 5(10), 813-821A. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1541891257?accountid=34574
Chan, S. (2010). Applications of andragogy in multi-disciplined teaching and learning. Journal
of Adult Education, 39(2), 25-35. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/871911642?accountid=34574
Chinnasamy, J. (2013). Mentoring and adult learning: Andragogy in action. International
Journal of Management Research and Reviews, 3(5), 2835-2844. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1417475654?accountid=34574
Utley, R. (2012). Theory and research for academic nurse educators: Application to
practice. Boston: Jones & Bartlett.