Pedagogy or Andragogy: What’s the Difference?
“None but the truly humble become good teachers of adults.”
~ R.Gessner
Modern dictionary definitions of pedagogy highlight the art of teaching or training (The
Free Dictionary, 2011). Malcolm Knowles (2005) further characterizes pedagogy as the
“art or science of teaching children” (p. 61) based on the Greek origin of the word. The
term pedagogy derives from the Greek word paid, meaning “child,” and agougous,
meaning “leader of.” Very literally then, pedagog means “leader of children.” The
pedagogical model allocates full responsibility to the teacher for what subject will be
learned, how it will be learned, and ultimately whether the concept has been learned by
the student. Based on assumptions of learning and teaching evolved in European
monastic and cathedral schools between the seventh and twelfth centuries, pedagogy is
the educational model from which most U.S. schools, including higher education, derive.
Basic Premises of Pedagogy
- Learners only need to know what the instructor teaches. The basic purpose for
learning the material is to pass the course. Learners do not need to understand
how what they are learning will apply to their lives outside the classroom.
- The instructor’s perception of the learner is that of a dependent entity. Therefore,
the learner begins to see himself as a dependent entity.
- The learner’s previous knowledge is of little consequence as a resource for
learning. The essential components of the learning process are the teacher, the
textbook, and supplemental educational materials.
