Australian Journal of Adult Learning - Volume 52 - Number 1 - The adult learner may really be a neglected species

Oct 15, 2026

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Discusses adult learning as a distinct field, arguing for an andragogical model that separates adult learning processes from the methods and systems typically used for children. It traces the term andragogy to Malcolm Knowles and earlier German references, then applies the concept to contemporary Australian learning contexts. Compares settings inside and outside the classroom, highlighting how workplace-coupled learning, relevance, and transfer into practice differ from children’s more compulsory learning experiences. Examines the dominance of PowerPoint-based workplace instruction and differences in preparation between school teachers and adult educators.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Outside the classroom

The tools we use

Australian Journal of Adult Learning Volume 52, Number 1, April 2012 The adult learner may really be a neglected species Sean O’Toole and Belinda Essex NSW Department of Family and Community Services When we separate the process of learning that is experienced by adults and children from the methods, systems and settings that are used, a clear case can be made for a very distinct, andragogical model. This concept exists separately from the notion that thereis undoubtedly a common pedagogy or ‘art of teaching’ that is shared by the best educators, regardless of whether their audience comprises children or adults. The key to improving the adult learning experience is to acknowledge that adults do have very different needs, expectations and limitations in what they want and need to know, and how they are prepared to experience it. Introduction In his influential book, The adult learner: a neglected species (1973), Malcolm Knowles is credited with popularising the term ‘andragogy’in relation to the way adults learn and the way they are taught. The 184 Sean O’Toole and Belinda Essex first references to andragogy can probably be attributed to a German educator, Alexander Kapp, 150 years before, who referenced Plato. The word originates from the Greek translation which literally means ‘man-leading’. Adults were seen as self-directed and teachers as facilitators ofthe learning experience. At this time ‘andragogy’was seen as distinct from ‘pedagogy’ which related to how children learn and are taught. By 1986 Knowles’ original book had reached its fourth edition and Knowles’ thesis had changed, with andragogy now encompassing and not separate from pedagogy. He concluded that there was a continuum from self-direction to teacher-led instruction and that both adults and children could experience many different learning styles according to need and the situation. We began to hear about ‘the ageless learner’ and life experience as a basis and foundation for all learners. In the contemporary Australian context, adult learning takes place in a variety of settings such as the workplace, vocational training institutions such as TAFE, universities and private colleges. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in any one year, nine out often Australians aged between 15 and 64 are engaged in some form of learning. It can be formal and lead to accredited qualifications within the Australian Qualifications Framework (which conceptually bridges secondary schools, vocational education and higher education), or completely informal and unaccredited. If we test the notion that thereis a single pedagogy for both adults and children, the starting point could be the differences in the settings where learning takes place. Outside the classroom Educating children largely takes place within the confines of the classroom. While there have been a range of contemporary learning aids to complement this setting, such as interactive whiteboards and computer labs, the basic premise of the school room setting remains largely unchanged. Children are exposed to some developmental The adult learner may really be a neglected species 185 options such as buddying, peer mentoring and e-learning, but these still take place within the classroom setting. Some adult learning also takes place in a classroom setting, however, it also embraces the workplace as the setting via mentoring, coaching, shadowing and buddying programs (all loosely grouped as development options). Workplace learning via distance education, communities of practice or e-learning also broadens the adult learning context, taking place beyond the confines of the classroom. Placing the learning within or close to the workplace setting means the learning experience can be coupled with the learner’s work role, heightening the likelihood that the learning transfers into practice and increasing the motivation and meaning which attach to it. Adults tend to want to learn ‘in the mom

FAQs

为什么需要把成人学习与儿童学习分开来看？

文中认为当把成人学习的过程与儿童使用的教学方法、系统和场景分离时，能清楚提出一个独立的、成人学习取向的模型（andragogy）。核心在于承认成人在需求、期望与学习方式的限制上存在显著差异。

andragogy（成人学习理论）这一概念最初与谁相关？

文中指出 Malcolm Knowles 的有影响力著作《The adult learner: a neglected species》（1973）推动了“andragogy”一词的普及，并提到该词更早可能可追溯到德国教育者 Alexander Kapp。

成人学习与儿童学习在学习场景上有哪些主要区别？

文中提到儿童学习多发生在课堂内，而成人学习既可能在课堂，也会通过职场中的指导、辅导、观摩与结伴等方式延伸到课堂之外。将学习置于或贴近工作情境有助于增强学习向实践迁移的可能性，并提高动机与意义。

Oct 15, 2026

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