7.4 Pedagogy, Adult Education, and Curriculum
Throughout this section, the focus will be on the similarities and differences between pedagogy and adult education, also known as andragogy. In addition, a framework will be provided for self-engaged learning in order to the develop curriculum. Pedagogy derives from the Greek etymology of ‘paidos,’ meaning child or boy, and ‘agogos,’ meaning leader, so the leading of the child through knowledge. In common terms, pedagogy simply refers to the science of teaching. Andragogy is the art and science of adult education. It was Malcolm Knowles who developed this method in the early 20th century, when adults wanted to expand their knowledge after World War I, and the classic pedagogical model needed revising for adults[10].
Both pedagogy and andragogy require educational leadership. There are, however, differences in what learning looks like. Pedagogical concepts tend to be content-centred, as opposed to learner-centred in andragogical forms. Adult education should be focused on involvement and the experience of adult learners[10]. Below is a matrix outlining the impact of each method on areas in the learning paradigm.
| Pedagogical | Andragogical | |
|---|---|---|
| The Learner |
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| Role of the Learners’ Experiences |
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| Readiness to Learn |
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| Orientation to Learning |
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| Motivation for Learning |
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Learning styles can be compared between these two approaches. Self-engaged learning, from Samaroo, Cooper, and Green, promotes an effective learning environment for engaged individuals of all ages that promote self-efficacy and exploration in a term coined pedandragogy[11]. Pedandragogy calls for the core elements of pedagogy and andragogy to be synthesized so that self-engaged learning by individuals of all ages can be achieved. Combining subject matter and evaluation attempts to create a structure that reinforces the learning and engagement of an individual. This is not to be considered a 50/50 split, but rather a gradation of the best possible outcomes based on the characteristics of the learners involved.
The importance of pedagogy and andragogy relies on its interpretation towards developing curriculum. Curriculum, according to Egan, is the course of learning experiences planned towards goals and learning outcomes in a school setting. It is a phenomenological construct that observes questions of pedagogical and andragogical principles[12]. Egan reflects on his previous assertion that curriculum is not static. It can be dynamic and provide many different views and reforms for change[13]. Ultimately, the curriculum stipulates the course of action for pedagogical or andragogical design and develops learning outcomes for students over the course of their studies. The goal is to develop competent individuals. Furthermore, the curriculum provides various forms of design that accommodate educators and learners toward the desired learning outcomes. The activities below will help you to better understand and test your knowledge of pedagogy, andragogy, and curriculum.