Andragogy is a set of core adult learning principles that apply to all adult learning situations.
Chapters 2-5 present core principles of adult learning: Andragogy. It traces the development of the
theory and focuses on the core unique characteristics of adults as learners.
Chapter 3: Theories of Learning
When you hear “theory” what does it mean? Is it an abstract concept or an essential foundation?
What do
I want to ask questions
they need?
I just listen
Theories carry assumptions about human behavior, the purpose of education, and desirable values. A
theory explains what a phenomenon is and how it works. Every action rests on a set of assumptions,
generalizations- or a theory, an idea, a perspective.
“A good theory should provide explanations of phenomena as well as guidelines for action.”
In our case as tutors and learners, it becomes important to adopt an effective lens. Are learners really
blobs that sit and absorb information? Or are they complex creatures, requiring that we, as educators,
understand that learning is impacted by multiple experiences and conditions? Theory fills this gap in and
I argue that without an appropriate theory, or lens, the art of teaching is like a car with no wheels.
Currently, the most refined theory is the concept of Andragogy.
Out of theories past, Andragogy had to develop from somewhere. Psychologists have played a large role
in developing theories for learning. Some of the foremost pioneers of andragogy began with 2 big
groups of theories: behaviorist (connectivist) vs. cognitive (gestalt) that has bloomed into an even larger
umbrella called holistic vs elemental. Under this umbrella theorists had more room to grow. These
clusters of theory, refined over time, shape todays current theory of learning- Andragogy.
1966-The work of Hilgard and Bower is the most comprehensive in their attempts to provide a sense of
organization to over 30 separate learning theories. They identified 2 classes of theories: behaviorism vs.
cognitive.
Behaviorism- Include Pavlov’s theory of conditioning. Concerned only with what is physically observable.
Cognitive- Include Tolman, An act of behavior has distinctive properties on its own, but rejected
introspection and rejected response to stimuli. Purposive behaviorism.
Critics of behaviorism noted that it excludes the mechanism of self-observation.
1970-Reese and Overton introduced mechanistic/elemental vs. organismic/holistic. Fundamentally
clearing the fog of confusion. They said most theories you find grow from a basic set of principles. A big
idea that sprouts into various theories.
Elemental- No control over the environment, static,
I hit you
your arm goes up
I say speak properly
your innate “speaking motors” wake up
and you speak properly; If I create the right condition ALWAYS will you produce the desired response.
Holistic- Interactive and engaging
I hit you
your arm goes up
I hit you
you adapt and hit me back