Andragogy

Today in my pinnacle training, we were talking about Andragogy (how adults learn). This made me think about how I have trained my coworkers in the past and how I teach my students. It really made me think about the differences between students and adults.

So many times we enter a Professional Development and may not have the best attitude about being there. I know there have been times when I've had a long day and a PD session is the last place that I want to be. Some have the expectation that snacks and drinks must be served, while others just want to to be short, sweet and too the point.

There are many things that can help me have a good attitude about PD, but there is one thing that is the most important. Adults need to know why they are at the sessions and what they are going to take away from it. Students are dependent on the teacher and the information that the teacher is going to provide, where adults are not dependent or at least not AS dependent. The adults need to be apart of their learning.

So, as I plan to teach adults, I will need to think about the prior knowledge they bring with them and how they learn the best. They aren't as dependent on us as students are. I'll need to give it to them in a quick overview, let them work individually or as small group and assign an authentic task.