Pedagogy vs andragogy: key differences and similarities

When talking about pedagogy vs andragogy, the main aspects to consider are students’ age and how to approach to learning. 

So, depending on whether you are a student or an adult, and whether you are studying with direct support from others or on your own, we will be talking about one or the other. 

In this article, we will not only present the definitions of both in more detail, but we will also show you the main differences and basic similarities between the two.  

What is pedagogy?

Pedagogy is a method of learning used with children that is based on the cognitive and social development of the students. 

It focuses on the work of a teacher using the most appropriate teaching methods with children to ensure the best possible education for them.

Pedagogy focuses on the development of habits of thought and action.

What is andragogy? 

Andragogy is an adult learning method that emphasizes self-realization, experiential, theoretical and practical problem solving. 

Andragogy is also known as Adult Learning Theory and is based on 6 principles: 

1. Self-Concept. As people enter the adult stage, they seek to decide for themselves what they want to learn, how and when. 
2. Experience. Adults’ reservoirs of experience are large and benefit their study processes. 
3. Readiness. Adult learners consider why they want to learn in order to demonstrate greater or lesser readiness. They value the impact that learning will have on their personal, professional or social life.
4. Orientation. In andragogy, learning orientation is based on problem solving to apply solutions in practical situations. 
5. Motivation. In the case of adults, it is internal and is aimed at improving, in one way or another, the skills they already have.
6. Active learning. The adult learner analyzes, synthesizes, evaluates concepts, explores skills and values, reads, writes, debates and experiments. 

Pedagogy vs. Andragogy: key differences  

To detail the key differences between pedagogy and andragogy, we must first identify the factors that create these differences, and they are 

1. Dependency. 
2. Resources.
3. Rationale.
4. Focus.
5. Motivation. 
6. Role of the teacher. 
7. Teacher Experience.

Similarities between pedagogy and andragogy 

The similarities between pedagogy and andragogy focus on several aspects which are listed below.

• Both pedagogies focus on the educational environment. 
• Learning is personalized as much as possible.
• The goal of both approaches is for the learner to achieve optimal learning outcomes through the generation of knowledge. 
• Both seek to capture transformative learning through the creation of learner-friendly environments. 
• Both, partial and final assessments, focus on the learner’s outcomes and achievements.
• At the end of the learning process, the results achieved by the students are measured and evaluated and go beyond the mere completion of the various tasks.
• The willingness to learn comes from both the ability to see the purpose and the practical application.
• In different ways, but both types of learners need human motivation based on social learning theory. 
• The ability to learn is directly related to the commitment and motivation to learn. A priori, in andragogy, motivation fully defines the adult learner who is consciously motivated by an internal source to learn. In the case of the child, although motivation usually comes mainly from external sources, it can also have an internal motive and that is the child’s own interest in learning.  

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To learn more about how our technology can help you with your project, just ask for a free demo where we will show you how we adapt to create customized solutions.