Adult Learning
William G. Huitt
Last Revised: June 2004
Overview
• Adult learning as a field dates to first
several decades of educational
psychology
• 1st book published – 1928
• Much of findings based on theory,
research design,and instrumentation
developed for use with children and youth
Andragogy
• Knowles (1968)
– Independent self-concept; can direct own
learning
– Accumulated reservoir of life experiences
(rich resource)
– Learning needs closely related to social roles
– Problem-centered; immediate applicability
– Motivated to learn by internal rather than
external factors
Andragogy
• Critics
– Knowles’ description is what adults should be
like, not how they are
– Some of these characteristics are true for
children and youth
Andragogy
• Knowles’ revised thinking
– Adult curriculum should reside on continuum
teacher-directed
student-centered
– Appropriateness depends on individual and
contextual demands
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Internal goals
External goals
Immediate use
Expertise
Credentialing
Simple skills/concepts
Complex skills/concepts
Good self-direction skills
No self-direction skills
Significant domain know.
Little domain know.
Andragogy
• Definition
– Science – Study of the process of adult
learning
– Discipline – Paradigm and knowledge of adult
learning
– Technology – Practice of adult education
Andragogy
• Andragogy as a science, discipline, and
technology overlaps with pedagogy
Andragogy
• Context is an important factor
– Must be guide to practice if field is to be
useful beyond the generic or general
approach to teaching and learning
Self-Directed Learning
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Self-selected goals
Self-planned route
Self-regulated activity
Philosophy of SDL
– Andragogy should result in better self-functioning
adults (humanistic approach)
– Transformation learning and critical reflection are vital
components
– Emancipatory learning and social action shoud be
built into learning process
Self-Directed Learning
• Stage Self-Directed Learning\
– Developed by Grow
– Considers readiness for and comfort with SDL
• SDL skills already developed
• SDL skills goal of learning experience
• There has been a steady decline of
research and articles on SDL since the
1980’s
Adult Learning
• Major issues
– Is andragogy a separate field of study?
– Is self-direction a characteristic of adult
learners or a goal?