Chapt 1 Andragogy And Self Directed Learning

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Krishna K. Bista PSE 6670: Chapter 1 Assignment Dr. McNellis January 28, 2009 Q.1. Explain Knowle’s concept of andragogy, and discuss the criticisms of this concept. Malcolm Knowles, a leading scholar of adult education, brought the concept of ‘andragogy’ in the United States in 1968. Knowles’ notion of andragogy as a specific theoretical and practical approach was based on “a humanistic conception of self-directed and autonomous learners and teachers as facilitators of learning” (Reischmann, 2003). However, the term ‘andragogy’ was used for the first time by a German high school teacher Alexander Kapp in 1833 (Reischmann, 2003). In the Americanized version of andragogy, Knowles used the term to differentiate adult learning from pedagogy, pre-adult learning. Knowles has defined andragogy as “the art of science of helping adult learn” (quoted in Merriam, 2001) and this concept was based on two major points. First, the learner is as self-directed and autonomous, and the second is the role of teacher is as a facilitator of learning rather than presenter of content (Merriam, 2001). Sharan Merriam (2001) has pointed out five essential assumptions of the learner in andragogy as someone who has (1) an independent self-concept, (2) has life experience as resource of learning, (3) has needs and goals, (4) is interested in immediate application of knowledge, and (5) is motivated to learn by internal factors. Knowles highlighted the classroom climate in which adults “feel accepted, respected and supported” (quoted in Merriam, 2001) for in-depth learning and teaching. He also believed that that kind of learning zone strengthens the relation between the learner and the educator. There are a number of criticisms about scope, validity and application of ‘andragogy’ in academic circle. The first critique argues that whether andragogy could be taken as a ‘theory’ of adult learning. Dutch scholar van Gent (1996) criticized that the concept of

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andragogy of Knowles in to a general-descriptive approach (quoted in Reischmann, 2003). The second criticism of Knowles’ andragogy is the basic characteristics of adult learners because adults are internationally or externally motivated or may not be both. Some of them may be highly independent learners whereas others may be dependent on teachers or resources. Merriam (2001) mentioned the fact that Knowles himself revised his thinking position of andragogy and pedagogy in the 1980s. For Knowles, a learner is an autonomous goal oriented person. There is no consensus among critics that the culture, history and social institutions have influenced adults in learning. Finally, there is a debate on the teachinglearning situation that Knowles discussed. Critics argued that learners should focus in all aspects of learning in adult educational settings. Andragogy has become an academic discipline in the field of adult education in occidental and oriental settings in the last decades. As a pillar of adult learning theory, andragogy has been widely studied by students, professors and researchers in academic institutions. Pastuovic (1995) has found andragogy to be “the technical application of psychological and sociological knowledge” in adult education (quoted in Merriam, 2001). In recent years, andragogy has been a popular concept in European countries as well as in American universities in the ‘professionalization’ of adult education.

References: Reischmann, J. (2003). Why Andragogy? Germany: Bamberg University Press. (Also access to web, http://www.andragogy.net) Merriam, S. (2001). Andragogy and self-directed learning: pillars of adult learning theory,In The New Update on Adult Learning Theory, Ed. Sharan, M. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, pp.3-14.

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Q. 2. Discuss the Self-Directed Learning (SDL) concept. How can teachers use this concept to structure their classrooms? Self-directed learning (SDL) simply refers to an approach in adult education in which the learners are considered as responsible owners and managers of their own learning process. Malcolm Knowles (1913-1997), an American adult educator, contributed a lot in the field of self-directed learning. Merriam (2001) has mentioned three central goals of SDL. The first goal of selfdirected learning is to develop the learner’s capacity as self-directed. Another goal is to foster transformational learning i.e. critical reflections of the learner as his or her historical, cultural and biographical needs, wants and interests. The final goal is the “promotion of emancipatory learning and social action” (p.9). The earlier models of SDL were linear in pattern, dealing with needs, usages of resources and evaluation of outcomes in learning whereas the in the later models were focused on the learning process, the contents, the learners and the environmental factors. There are several benefits of SDL as it allows the learners to be more effective by employing various strategies to achieve goals, by searching information in multiple texts, and by representing ideas in different forms. Teachers can implement the concept of self-directed learning in many ways. One of the important tasks that the teachers can do is to raise students’ awareness of their roles in learning. Lyman (1997) has used questions to help learners become aware of what good readers do and how to become one. To cite one of his examples: “Did you read better today than yesterday? Could you keep the ideas in your book straight in your mind? Were there words you did not know? How did you figure them out?” (Quoted in Abdullah, 2001) As learners get their personal freedom in learning in the SDL approach and that allows them to participate in decision-making, teachers can develop a perfect thematic framework in their academic exercises. Even if the students make mistakes in the SDL approach, the activities

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will help their interests sustain, avoid frustration and remove the barriers in learning. Abdullah (2001) pointed out that teachers can encourage their learners to establish the habit of self-monitoring by asking them to keep journal entries. Teachers also require to model learning activities using questions, predications, clarifications and summarizations. Naturally children like to have more freedom as they grow, SDL will be meaningful learning zone for them once they become adults. Since self-directed learning is a basic aspect in adult education, the teachers and educators are required to foster a best learning environment for learners with diverse learning needs and cultural backgrounds. If the teachers begin with the needs and desires of the learners, they will self-encouraged and selfdirected in learning.

References: Merriam, S. (2001). Andragogy and self-directed learning: pillars of adult learning theory, In The New Update on Adult Learning Theory, Ed. Sharan, M. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, pp.3-14. Knowles, M. S. (1975). Self-directed learning: A guide for learners and teachers. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall/Cambridge. Abdullah, M. (2001). Self-directed learning. Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication Digest. [EJ169] Retrieved on Jan 26, 2009 from www.indiana.edu/~reading/ieo/digests/d169.html