What is andragogy? [Article provided by European Academy of Education – QAHE Accredited Institution]

What is andragogy?

The term andragogy is not used very often, and it is no wonder that most people are not familiar with it. More familiar terms include pedagogy/pedagogue or didactics. So, what is the difference?

Pedagogy is a scientific discipline that deals with theories and practical aspects of education and upbringing of young people. It examines issues related to effective transfer of knowledge, skills, and values within formal and informal education, as well as ways to support the development of personality and social behavior of individuals. The aim of pedagogy is to develop theoretical and practical models of education that can be used to achieve effective and meaningful education for all.

Didactics is a part of pedagogy and focuses on the practical aspects of education. It is a scientific discipline that deals with theories and methods of effective knowledge and skill transfer within formal education. Didactics focuses on issues such as curriculum design, selection of teaching materials and methods, evaluation and assessment of the educational process, and how to support student development. The aim of didactics is to develop theoretical and practical models of education that can be used to achieve effective and efficient education.

Now we come to the term andragogy. It is a scientific discipline that deals with theories and practical aspects of adult education. Andragogy differs from other areas of education, such as pedagogy, in that it focuses on the specific needs and characteristics of adult learners. These needs include, for example, the need to take responsibility for one’s own education, the need for education that is relevant to practical life, and the need for education that enables adults to develop their knowledge and skills. The aim of andragogy is to develop theoretical and practical models of education that can be used to achieve effective and meaningful education for adults.

The difference between pedagogy and andragogy is essentially subtle. Both terms represent scientific disciplines dealing with education but focus on different target groups. Pedagogy focuses on the education and upbringing of children and young people, while andragogy focuses on adult education. These two areas also differ in their approaches to education and the methods they use.

Adult education usually takes place in the evening, through distance learning, typically on weekends or after working hours. However, online learning has been developing very dynamically recently, allowing the adult population to educate themselves from the comfort of their homes thanks to the internet, saving a significant amount of their time, which can be devoted to family or hobbies. From verified online educational institutions in the Czech Republic, we mention, for example, the European Academy of education (www.europeanacademy.cz), which is a unique opportunity for online study from the study program to university programs in economics, business, management, and law at the BBA, MBA, LL.M. levels, and others.

Author: Pavel Bartoš, LL.M., DBA