Post on 13-Dec-2015
Malcolm Knowles
1913-1997
Background
• Born in 1913 in Livingston, Montana• Worked 9 years as
Practioner/Administrator with YMCA• Worked 8 years as Executive Director of
the Adult Education Association• Worked almost 20 years as professor of
Adult Education• Forced to retire in 1979• Died in 1997
Theory
• Andragogy– learning strategies focused on adults
Assumptions & Processes
• Increasing self-directedness
• Learners resource for learning
• Developmental tasks of social roles
• Immediacy of implementation
• Problem Centered
• Mutual self-diagnosis• Mutual Negotiation• Problem units• Experimental
techniques• Mutual measurement
of program• Collaborative
Assumptions
• Need to know why they need to learn something
• Need to learn experimentally
• Approach learning as problem-solving
• Learn best when topic is off immediate value
Principles
• Need to be involved
• Experience
• Immediate relevance
• Problem-centered
Factors for Successful Adult Learning Programs
• Students feel safe and supported• Foster intellectual freedom• Encourage experimentation & creativity• Students treated as peers by instructor• Student opinions honored & appreciated• Self-directed learning• Intellectual challenge• Active involvement• Regular feedback
Motivation
• Social relationships• External expectations• Social welfare• Personal advancement• Escape/stimulation• Cognitive interest
• Barriers
Curriculum Design
• Less interested in survey courses
• Integrate new ideas with what is known
• Conflicts with existing knowledge
• Self-directed/self-designed learning projects
• Books, tv, & programmed instruction more popular
• Self-direction != isolation
Examples
• Carla A. Downing, Ph.D
• Gerry Czarnecki reading from his book Lead with Love
• "Would Malcolm Knowles Use Twitter"