Running Head: Andragogy: How Adults Learn Andragogy: How Adults Learn Satira Holiday Grand Canyon University May 15, 2019 Adult Learners Essay Adult Learners Essay As a classroom teacher, the daily focus is heavily on pedagogy. Teachers devote their time, energy and efforts to preparing the best resources and instruction to deliver to the children. During undergraduate studies, or while pursuing initial teaching licensure, most reputable teacher preparation programs place a major emphasis on pedagogy. Many of those who have never been introduced to the concept of andragogy may believe the pedagogy is simply "how you teach". However, pedagogy is actually how you teach children. Pedagogy is teacher oriented and student-centered. In pedagogy, the teachers or administrators, the adults, decide what the children learn, when they learn it, how they learn it and what the final outcome should be. While done with the student in mind, the power lies heavily with the educator. Being well versed in effective pedagogical practices is powerful as a classroom teacher. However, when preparing to transition out of the classroom and into an administrative or leadership position, it is important to begin to examine things on a grander scale. As a school leader, it is not only important to make sure the scholars receive the best learning experiences but also to make sure the educators are equipped with the tools and resources to create those memorable and impactful learning experiences. In order for leaders to effectively prepare their educators, they must have some level of understanding of Andragogy. Andragogy is the art and science of teaching adults. “…teaching is complex, so much so that it takes several years to learn to teach knowledgeably and skillfully.” (Joyce and Calhoun, 2010). This is why many states have mandated that educators participate in a certain amount of professional development to maintain their Adult Learners Essay credentials. In fact, the state of Pennsylvania requires teachers receive 180 hours of approved professional development within the first six years of receiving their initial teaching license. With so much time spent in professional development, it is important that it is meaningful and effective. In most cases, school leaders, who have the task of creating and delivering professional development, are not many years removed from the classroom and their foundational teachings and experiences have been heavily focused on pedagogy. That leader must recognize that professional development, though it is a form of teaching, it development needs to be approached quite differently than that of a 6th grade math curriculum. The study and application andragogy will help to better plan and deliver what adult learners need when administering professional development. According to Chan, adults prefer to make the decisions on what they learn and these experiences are heavily based on past experiences. Adult learners expect what they're learning to be relevant and applicable immediately and they need to see the value or the purpose for what they are expected to learn (Chan, 2010). In Models of Professional Development, the authors outline many professional development models, several of which is heavily individualized and teacher centered, exactly how adults prefer. For example, the individual inquiry model allows educators to explore professional develop opportunities that they may have identified as meaningful and beneficial to their own personal growth and interests. They are supported by their schools or districts by being offered time and sometimes funding to participate in these opportunities. (Joyce and Calhoun, 2010). As previously stated, adults and children learn differently. Looking Knowles’ Adult learning theory, (Chan, 2010), these differences are even clearer. Principle one is called Adult Learners Essay Self-Concept, adult learners are self-directed, autonomous, and independent. Unlike children, adults are able to make informed decisions about what they what to learn, how they want to learn it, how and when to apply it and whether or not it was affective. Children on the other hand are expected to receive and retain the information that has been predetermined for them to learn as the matriculate through formal schooling. Allowing adults this autonomy when facilitating professional development help foster a healthy work environment, making the teachers feel valued and raising staff morale. Principle two is Role of Experience, similar to the children they once were, adults tend to learn by drawing on their previous experiences. This may look like a mentoring program in which more experienced teachers are paired or grouped with newer teachers allowing all parties to learn and grow by building on each other’s experiences. Mentor programs also help build relationships amongst staff and helps staff feel supported. Principle three is Readiness to Learn, here adults and children differ again. In most cases, when an adult is in a learning environment in the role of the scholar, it is by choice. They have chosen to be there and have come prepared to walk away knowing more than when they arrived. For many children however, learning is not the main reason the come to school. Many children come to school because they have to and whether learning is happening or not, they will still be in school. Principle four is Orientation to Learning, Adults prefer to learn for immediate application while for children the purpose for their learning is more long-term skill building. The fifth principle is Internal Motivation, adults tend to be more internally motivated than children. Children live for reward systems, prizes and accolades. Many adults are content learning a skill or strategy that helps solve a current problem they are facing. Thinking of principles four Adult Learners Essay and five, many teachers prefer to walk out of professional development ready to implement changes in their classrooms or curriculums, have a solution to their problems is motivation enough for learning to occur. The last principle, number six, is Need to Know, both adults and children need to know the value of what they are learning and why they need to learn it. The difference lies in the child’s inability to opt out of a lesson he deems irrelevant. For example a middle school math teacher may choose to opt out of a professional development on incorporating more writing into the ELA curriculum to attend the session on using manipulatives with algebra (Smith, 2010) Applying the principles of andragogy when planning professional development may also help to bring light to some personal biases. The principle of self-concept states teachers are self-directed and principle two builds on that by claiming that adults determine what they want to learn based of past experiences. By aiming to prepare teachers to educate the whole child, those planning professional development should also seek to include some diversity and inclusion sessions. This may allow some teachers to become aware of biases they may not have known they carried and provide them the tools necessary to deliver culturally instruction to all of their scholars; especially those of different cultures and genders than their own. The study and application of the principles of andragogy when planning professional development opportunities for adult learners can help make the professional development more relevant and effective for the participants. It can also help build relationships amongst staff and build staff morale. Lastly it can help shed light on personal biases giving the teachers opportunities to become more informed and better equipped to deliver instruction that is culturally relevant to the scholars. Adult Learners Essay References Chan, S. (2010, November 2). Applications of Andragogy in Multi-Disciplined Teaching and Learning . Journal of Adult Education, 39, 25-35. Joyce, B. & Calhoun, E. (2010). Models of Professional Development. A Celebration of Educators. Thousand Oaks, Ca. Corwin Press. Retrieved from https://viewer.gcu.edu/6DAKFX Smith, M. K. (2010, 1996 1999). Andragogy: What is it and Does it Help Thinking About Adult Learning? Retrieved from Informal Education: http://infed.org/mobi/andragogy-what-is-it-and-does-it-help-thinking-about-adultlearning/
