Module 5 Take- aways
- https://www.library.ucdavis.edu/database/merlot-ii-multimedia-educational-resources-learning-online-teaching/
- https://elearningindustry.com/9-tips-apply-adult-learning-theory-to-elearning
- https://www.newfoundations.com/GALLERY/Freire.html
The comparison of the assumptions of pedagogy and andragogy following Knowles (Jarvis 1985: 51) – Full Text
| Pedagogy | Andragogy | |
| The learner | Dependent. Teacher directs what, when, how a subject is learned and tests that it has been learned | Moves towards independence. Self-directing. Teacher encourages and nurtures this movement |
| The learner’s experience | Of little worth. Hence teaching methods are didactic | A rich resource for learning. Hence teaching methods include discussion, problem-solving etc. |
| Readiness to learn | People learn what society expects them to. So that the curriculum is standardized. | People learn what they need to know, so that learning programmes organised around life application. |
| Orientation to learning | Acquisition of subject matter. Curriculum organized by subjects. | Learning experiences should be based around experiences, since people are performance centred in their learning |
So this week we had to understand and analyze the term andragogy vis a vis the term which is mostly associated with teaching – pedagogy. The word andragogy is combination of two Greek words referring to the methodology of leading or educating adults (Pratt, 1988, p.160) whereas pedagogy is related to the education of small kids.
Malcolm S. Knowles coined the term initially, since he highly believed that children and adults would be able to learn in different ways (Smith, 2002) as we’ve also discussed during last week’s post. I always noticed that adults gather and acquire knowledge in a different way, but never knew these studies actually existed. Moreover, since I’ve never had proper education of teaching and learning, this kind of information is pretty new and is making me question the techniques used in class.
Following this we had to analyse also Freire’s theories which resulted in finding that Jarvis (1985) in Smith (1996; 1999, 2010) sees pedagogy as the education provided from someone ‘above’ whereas andragogy is the ‘education of equals’. Similarly, Paulo Freire argues that informal education should be a conversation which involves respect and people assisting each other. According to him, education should not be emphasized so much that it becomes similar to ‘banking’, where the learner is dumped with a lot of information from the educator only, but the learner should be responsible for the acquiring of knowledge himself (Smith, 1997, 2002).
Freire also mentions that educators should go through what he calls as ‘the Easter’ process which comes with a changed consciousness. He stated that the educators need to understand that they have the influence to transform reality and ‘must constantly re-examine themselves and must never regard themselves as “proprietors of revolutionary wisdom” that they give to the people’ but (Ferry, 1996, p. 31).
While researching further on the subject to reply to my colleagues, I had also encountered an interesting paragraph as followed: Freire states, “Learning is a process where knowledge is presented to us, then shaped through understanding, discussion and reflection.”
It does not actually define from where the knowledge is coming from, it just states that it will change who we are. This is also something that I mention to my students during the lessons….I’m here to learn new things from you as well…I don’t know everything, as there might be someone who is informed in something better than me, so I’m a student/educator at the same time.
“The teacher must learn about (and from) the student so that knowledge can be constructed in ways that are meaningful to the student. The teachers must become learners and the learners must become teachers.”
Another Takeaway – PLC – Professional Learning Communities
Ogygia's Battles 