Pedagogy Vs Andragogy: The Art of Teaching Adult Learners
Have you ever made the mistake of treating an adult too much like a child? It’s an easy mistake to make, and we’ve probably all been there at least once, especially with the young adults we often encounter in their freshman years of college. But regardless of why, they tend not to like the experience.
Alternatively, have you ever had a much older student in a class full of young adults? They might feel a bit awkward being surrounded by people so young, but they often end up changing as the course goes on. Maybe they breeze through certain types of assignments where all of your other students seem to stall in confusion, or perhaps they end up taking on some form of leadership role, guiding their fellow students through activities with ease.
It can be easy to forget sometimes, but teaching children, young adults, and experienced adults often works very differently. The human brain changes dramatically as we age, and the best methodology for teaching also changes.
That is where Andragogy comes in.
The Science of Teaching
We’re all familiar with Pedagogy. It’s talked about regularly throughout the realm of education, and is typically defined as . It’s presented as the default, particularly in programs focusing on education and is perfectly designed for K12 teaching.
But what about higher education? If we’re teaching adults, young and old, how does that science change?
In contrast, Andragogy is defined as , and encompasses an entirely different method of teaching. It assumes a level of agency and self-direction that children often lack. Adults don't want their teachers to hold their hands, and they don't need to be convinced that learning is worth it. They wouldn't be taking the class otherwise.
And with these differences, we as teachers encounter different challenges and expectations that learning pedagogy didn’t prepare us for.
It should be noted, in the defense of everyone who defines pedagogy as teaching for everyone, that many principles of teaching apply to every learner, regardless of age. For many years, pedagogy was the only word we had for the science of teaching and learning, regardless of who was being studied.
But as the science expands, it became obvious that the differences were numerous enough, and indeed dramatic enough, for different terminology to be necessary (). So please keep that in mind, both throughout this blog and when reviewing scientific literature on the subject of pedagogy.
And finally, while these definitions refer to relatively binary categories, like adult and child, it’s important to note that people develop at different rates, and the best methodology is decided less by a hard cut-off age and more by how experienced and mentally developed an individual is.
As such, you may find teenagers who benefit most from an andragogical approach, or you may encounter an adult who leans more heavily on pedagogical methods.
So What's The Difference?
Now that we’ve addressed the simplest difference between pedagogy and andragogy, let’s actually dive into the methods themselves. What actually makes them different, in action:
Pedagogy
Pedagogy as a teaching methodology typically assumes that learners are starting from scratch and need a level of hand-holding to ensure student success.
- Learners are highly dependent, relying on a significant level of guidance from their teacher.
- Teachers are hands-on, involved in every stage of learning and providing structure to the learning activity.
- Motivation is extrinsic, often leaning on a desire for a good grade above all else, if not external approval or tangible rewards.
- Relies on lower levels of cognitive demand, such as remember, understand, and apply, when using Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Andragogy
Andragogy as a teaching methodology typically assumes that learners have notable experience learning, and can be trusted to guide themselves.
- Learners are independent, thriving when given agency and allowed to be self-directed.
- Teachers are hands-off, facilitating learning and acting as a subject matter expert more so than as a teacher.
- Motivation is intrinsic, with self-esteem and confidence being fed by the act of learning itself.
- Benefits from higher levels of cognitive demand, such as Analyze, Evaluate, and Create.
When to Switch
As mentioned earlier, despite these definitions leaning on the binary categories of children and adults, some of you may note that many college students, particularly freshmen and sophomores in their first degrees, often benefit from a pedagogical approach, as opposed to an andragogical approach, at least at first. The science of learning is a spectrum, and it’s difficult to predict where a student falls when you first meet them.
But in higher education, it is often our job to encourage the transition to more independent learning and higher cognitive processes. We often find ourselves at the hazy boundary between the two learning styles, which is why knowing the differences between them is so critical.
The challenge comes with the fact that every student is different, and some may need a bit more of a push to transition to more andragogical learning.
While years in higher education is not the only way of determining where a student lies within this spectrum, it’s not a bad starting point. Students fresh out of high school have often only experienced pedagogical learning, and may balk at college expectations. Meanwhile, students in a graduate level program can probably be assumed to have some andragogical learning experience.
Familiarity with the subject matter can also be a big factor. Everyone is a novice at something, and some people take to new subject matters easily, while others may need more guidance. This is especially true if the majority of their previous education involved subject matters with drastically different learning expectations.
Additionally, there is always the possibility that the program’s subject matter requires a more rapid development in learning styles. Certain industries simply won’t tolerate hand-holding, while others might be fundamentally built on independence and self-expression.
Ever Hear About Heutagogy?
As with any science studying a phenomena as ubiquitous as learning, putting people into specific categories is often a lesson in futility. There are always outliers that don’t quite fall into either box, or are so specific that they get a box within a box. Heutagogy is one such category.
Where andragogy is built around self-directed learning, heutagogy takes it one step further, to self-determined learning (). Learners not only decide what they want to learn, but how and when and why as well. There are rarely teachers, though subject matter experts are often thoroughly appreciated.
This style of learning is often embodied by people who value lifelong learning, or who find teaching themselves to be the most effective method of learning. It is the height of independent education.
While this style of learning is not exactly built for the higher education environment, it should not be squashed entirely if encountered. Students with this style of learning should be cherished, and given room to breathe.
Conclusion
The science of learning is a spectrum, and our place within it is highly flexible. Higher Education is meant to expand our reach, unlocking parts of the spectrum we have never explored before, and it’s the teachers job to guide students in the right direction. As such, it's critical for us to understand the farther reaches of this spectrum, if we are to guide our students effectively. But oh, isn’t it a wonderful place to be?
Reference
Loeng S. (2023). Pedagogy and Andragogy in Comparison – Conceptions and Perspectives. Studies in Adult Education and Learning, 29(2), 39-52.
Panta R. (2025). Heutagogy: A Comprehensive Review of Self-Determined Learning in Contemporary Education. Cureus, 17(8):e89731.
Meet the Author
Ray Seiden, M.S., is our Faculty Success Designer and is responsible for designing, developing, and delivering professional development training modules aimed at enhancing faculty teaching excellence. They use their experience in Instructional Design and Graphic Design, alongside their passion for accessibility and andragogy, to create user friendly training materials and robust support programs for faculty.
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