Andragogy: Not Pedagogy
What is "andragogy"?
To best understand the term "andragogy," as popularized by Knowles, one should first understand the modern definition of the term "pedagogy" in addition to the terms' linguistic roots.
Pedagogy, in the present, refers to the academic study of the methods and practices of teaching; the art of teaching.
Pedagogy's roots follow as such:
Andragogy:
In Knowles' view, andragogy is the study of the methods and practices used for teaching adults.
(Fried, Zannini, Wheeler, Lee, Cortez, 2005)
Adult education in general became popular in the United States during the 1920's.
(Cooper, 2009)
To best understand the term "andragogy," as popularized by Knowles, one should first understand the modern definition of the term "pedagogy" in addition to the terms' linguistic roots.
Pedagogy, in the present, refers to the academic study of the methods and practices of teaching; the art of teaching.
Pedagogy's roots follow as such:
- Ped- refers to Paed -- which means child.
- -agogy refers to agouge -- which means to lead.
- Thus, by it's linguistic roots, pedagogy refers to the leadership of children.
Andragogy:
- Andr-- which means male, or man, is generalized by Knowles to refer to adults.
- -agogy, of course, is a shared root; it means the same thing in both words.
- Thus, andragogy refers to the leadership of adults.
In Knowles' view, andragogy is the study of the methods and practices used for teaching adults.
(Fried, Zannini, Wheeler, Lee, Cortez, 2005)
Adult education in general became popular in the United States during the 1920's.
(Cooper, 2009)