Instructional Design and Technology:

Instructional Design Learning Theories - IDT100x:

 Andragogy (Malcolm Knowles)

Knowles’ theory of andragogy is an attempt to develop a theory specifically for adult learning. Knowles emphasises that adults are self-directed and expect to take responsibility for decisions. Adult learning programs must accommodate this fundamental aspect.

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Andragogy makes the following assumptions about the design of learning: 
1) Adults need to know why they need to learn something 
2) Adults need to learn experientially, 
3) Adults approach learning as problem-solving, and 
4) Adults learn best when the topic is of immediate value.

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In practical terms, andragogy means that instruction for adults needs to focus more on the process and less on the content being taught. Strategies such as case studies, role playing, simulations, and self-evaluation are most useful. Instructors adopt a role of facilitator or resource rather than lecturer or grader.

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Resources:

InstructionalDesign.org
https://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/andragogy/

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Related Website
For Malcolm Knowles and his work, see:
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-knowl.htm

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Learning Theories -  Andragogy 

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What will you learn this week?

By the end of Week 5, you will be able to:

• discuss andragogy,

• identify and describe examples of andragogy, 

• develop examples of andragogy, and

• discuss MicroLearning project requirements from project overview.

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 Discussion 5: Adult Learning in Context 

Reflect on past learning experiences you had as an adult - one experience that was formal and one experience that was informal.  Pick one of the two experiences and reflect on what made the experience memorable and the learning successful or unsuccessful.

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1. Discuss key aspects of adult learning theory to your learning experience to describe why it was successful or unsuccessful.  

2. Identify one of the Principles of Andragogy and describe how this principle could influence your views on designing future learning experiences?

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 Response 

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Point 1a. Formal learning experience: 

Background

The formal learning experience happened during an online meeting, while I was taking part in the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment​ course as part of my professional development.

The exercise was for our class of 12 students, which was held in a computer lab, to collaborate through an on-line video conference call with our subject matter expert. 
We were to introduce ourselves and make a short 2 min. presentation, and later discuss presentations and the process and techniques of conducting an on-line session to the group.

The presentation was to be strictly controlled by the moderator(Formal learning), but instead we learned more from the issues which highlighted what not to do in an online meeting!(Informal)

What was to be a carefully staged, teacher/moderator led experience, turned into a chaotic improvised interaction which allowed the participants/students to take control through resolving the localised computer and software issues dominating the experience. 

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Following is a list of process points we needed to follow as part of the presentation and on-line discussion. The comments are what actually happened at each point:

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A. Online group meeting/presentation - 

The process:

1. Log-in to network 
Comments:
- not all participants were able to log-in to network

2. Open Adobe Connect
Comments:
- software was not set up correctly on all computers
- some of the hardware didn't work(Microphones and cameras)

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3. Join on-line meeting
Comments:
- some of the participants needed to share computers
- time delays experienced in improvising technical solutions
- participants then found the best two computers to work from as a group
 

4. Moderator and participant introduction 
Comments:
- moderator was not in clear control of meeting due to disruptions

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5. Start 2 min presentations x 9
Comments:
- only half of the presentations were delivered as we ran out of time

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6. Discuss and contribute to presentations
Comments:
- good discussion regarding topics presented and style of presentations

- good discussions on how to present information
- some frustration due to not work on individual computers

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7. Conclude with closing comments and action points
Comments:
- much apologising re: technical issues
- action point were made to highlight what to do for our next online meeting.

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8. Share meeting points
Comments:
- detailed points of presentations were shared with a focus on how not conduct an online presentation
- list of recorded issues experienced by the group were discussed and mitigated for presentation the following week (which ran more efficiently).

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Resources for better online meetings

7 Powerful Tips for Highly Productive Online Meetings
https://www.business.com/articles/7-powerful-tips-for-highly-productive-online-meetings/

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9 Steps to Leading a Successful Online Meeting
https://www.mindmeister.com/blog/guide-leading-online-meeting/

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Point 1b. Informal learning experience: 

 

Photographic exercise

As part of a visual arts course we were given one hour to photographically record our immediate architectural environment. Some preliminary examples and information was given in regards to architectural photography and place the exercise within a historical context.
The technical parameters were to use a standard digital camera equipped with a 50mm lens and concentrate on recording one of the following: angles, curves, texture and colour.

This was the only guidance for the exercise as we disappeared for the hour, to work in pairs or individually, and returned to present our chosen best 3 images to discuss and get feedback from the rest of the class.

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This was a memorable experience as we were allowed the freedom to both explore our environments and the photographic possibilities that we might recognise. 

The objectives were to provide an experimental self guided experience that culminated in producing imagery that demonstrated each students photographic skills and aesthetic approach to the task.

A further objective was to bring the group together in class and present their findings and discuss their interpretation of the brief, as well as gain direction for the larger project being set, through reflection.

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There was no photographic technical support throughout the exercise or aesthetic advise given on the composition or the parameters outlined in the brief.

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On reflection the exercise contains most of the fundamental principles of Andragogy:

1. Students were in control of how they conducted their visual survey

2. Student past photographic and aesthetic experience was placed at the centre of the exercise

3. Students had immediate feedback from their work and found a general concurrences

4. Students had to decide how they would approach their image capture process

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This was a successful solution for the students to gain technical confidence, aesthetic direction in a safe environment and produce the first set of photographs towards the larger project. It also provided the trainer with evidence of previous knowledge and technical skills demonstrated by each of the students.

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Reference: 
The Adult Learning Theory - Andragogy - of Malcolm Knowles
By Christopher Pappas
https://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theory-andragogy-of-malcolm-knowles

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Point 2. Identify one of the Principles of Andragogy 

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Principle - "Relevance & impact to learner's lives"

The key aspect of adult learning I have focused on when designing courses, has been "Relevance & impact to learner's lives". Firstly identifying the student cohort to design course structures and relevant content. This is important at the group and individual level, which determines an approach.  

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Establishing strong relevance links between past experience and their future activities, whether professional career, vocation or interest, is crucial to the interest and motivation you will generate in the learner. Learning is both an emotional, logical and practical response from learners that will identify the relevance of new information and associate it to their experience and perceived future needs. 

“it’s necessary for learners to attach a new piece of information to an old one, or it just won’t stick. The brain stores information in the form of neural pathways, or networks. If a student acquires new information that’s unrelated to anything already stored in his brain, it’s hard for the new information to get into those networks because it has no scaffolding to cling to. Effective teaching helps students recognise patterns and put new information in context with the old–a crucial part of passing new working memories into the brain’s long-term storage areas.”

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How To Make Learning Relevant To Your Students (And Why It’s Crucial To Their Success)

Neurologist and Educator Judy Willis.

https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/how-to-make-learning-relevant/

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Relevance could be the key motivator for an adults perception that information is of interest and

important to their future activities. It will also continue to be one of the key motivators for my learning

and teaching design.

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 Portfolio Activity 4: Andragogy Learning Theory 

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Please click on the info-graphic below to enlarge or download:

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Reference:

The Adult Learning Theory - Andragogy - of Malcolm Knowles

https://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theory-andragogy-of-malcolm-knowles

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Readings

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Review eLearning Industry’s overview article The Adult Learning Theory Andragogy and this Andragogy info-graphic review.  As discussed in the article, Knowles developed five universal assumptions about adult learners to help instructors design appropriate instruction. 
Those five assumptions* are:

1. Adult learners are self-directed and can learn more independently than children.

2. Adult learners bring vast prior knowledge and experiences upon which they can build new learning.

3. With maturity comes readiness to learn; adult learners are more “ready” to learn skills and information that directly relate to their current roles in life/career.

4. Adult learners are more ready to learn things that are immediately useful in their roles (as opposed to younger learners, who are willing to learn a wide array of topics with the understanding that “this will be useful later”).  Thus, adults flourish more in problem-based learning situations than subject-specific learning experiences.

5. With maturity comes internal motivation; adult learners are more intrinsically motivated and do not require as many external rewards (including grades, awards, etc).  Adults are intrinsically motivated to learn, because they see the benefit in knowing more, are interesting in being able to solve problems, and understand how skills are applicable to their lives/careers.  

* (Pappas, C. (2017, July 20). The Adult Learning Theory - Andragogy - of Malcolm Knowles.)

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