andragogy

American  

[an-druh-goh-jee, -goj-ee] / ˈæn drəˌgoʊ dʒi, -ˌgɒdʒ i /

noun

1. the methods or techniques used to teach adults.

   Many educators believe that the principles of andragogy, as advanced by Malcolm Knowles, have great relevance to adult education; others are not so certain.

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Usage

What does andragogy mean? Andragogy refers to the methods used to teach adults.Although college and university students are often considered adults because they are over age 18 or 21, adults in this context typically refers to those who have already completed their initial course of formal schooling.The word andragogy is usually used in contrast with pedagogy, which is the art or science of teaching in general, especially as it relates to teaching children in school. Andragogy is typically used as academic jargon. In everyday conversation, the term adult education is more common.Example: Andragogy should take adult students’ life experience into account, since it will inform how they learn things.

Other Word Forms

• andragogic adjective
• andragogical adjective
• andragogically adverb

Etymology

Origin of andragogy

First recorded in 1925–30; andr- + (ped)agogy; -agogue, -y ³