BEST PRACTICES FOR AN ENGAGED LEARNER FROM PEDAGOGY TO ANDRAGOGY MELISSA MAYBURY LUBIN DIRECTOR, VIRGINIA TECH RICHMOND & HAMPTON ROADS CENTERS 2013 CONFERENCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION PEDAGOGY

OBJECTIVES Understand the meaning of andragogy and how it aligns with 21 st Century learning Learn the principles of andragogy Share best practices for embracing these principles for student engagement

LENS OF LEARNING IN THE 21 ST CENTURY Bloom’s Taxonomy Learning Styles Generations Culture Personality Type Technology Globalization Adult Learning And many more…

WHAT IS ANDRAGOGY? Definition Scholars Andragogy & Pedagogy

THE PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING Need to Know Self-Concept of the Learner Role of Experience Readiness to Learn Orientation to Learning Motivation to Learn (Knowles, 1973)

THE NEED TO KNOW Adults need to know why they should learn something before they will engage themselves in learning it Learners discover gaps in their lives—where they are now and where they want to be—prompting self- awareness and the need to know (Knowles, 1990)

SELF-CONCEPT OF THE LEARNER Adults become more independent, increasing their interest in self-directed learning The “needs and experiences of the learner take precedence over the expertise of the instructor” (Pratt, 1993, p. 19) Adults choose mentors, role models and experts to assist their need for self-direction (Brookfield, 1993)

ROLE OF EXPERIENCE Adults rely on their experiences to guide their behavior and create new learning “The resource of highest value in adult education is the learner’s experience” (Lindeman, 1926, p. 9)

READINESS TO LEARN “As an individual matures, his readiness to learn is decreasingly the product of his biological development and academic pressure and is increasingly the product of the developmental tasks required for the performance of his evolving social role” (Knowles, 1973, p. 46) Adults are driven to learn new skills or understand new concepts based on the ever-changing demands of work and life, so timing the learning to correspond with the tasks at hand is at the heart of this principle of adult learning.

ORIENTATION TO LEARNING “The aim should be, not to teach adult students that, e.g., a subject called economics exists and needs to be studied but rather that there are economic factors in his total situations and that he must somehow come to know how to deal with these” (Lindeman, 1926, p. 74). Adults have a problem-centered approach to learning (Knowles, 1973) Adults are motivated to learn something new when confronted with real-life issues (Knowles, 1990)

MOTIVATION TO LEARN Adults are more potently motivated by internal factors (self esteem, quality of life, societal interests) than external ones—higher salaries and better grades (Knowles, 1990)

ACTION LEARNING Choose a principle(s) that resonates within you As a small group, ask: How do you apply this principle in your teaching? How can you embrace this principle to maximize student learning and engagement? Record your answers and share with the larger group

RESOURCES Knowles, M.S. (1973). The adult learner: A neglected species. Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing Company. Knowles, M. S. (1990). The adult learner: A neglected species. (4 th ed.). Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing Company. Lindeman, E.C. (1926). The meaning of adult education. New York: New Republic. Pratt, D.D. (1993). Andragogy after twenty-five years. In. S.B. Merriam (Ed.), New directions for adult and continuing education, Spring (57), (pp. 5-14). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.