Designing for Adult Learners: Applying Andragogy in Practice

Designing for Adult Learners: Applying Andragogy in Practice

Presented by: Shay Chinambu, Shinell McCalla, Shelly Sonnilal and Lilianna Smith

Overview

This course is designed for adult learners, graduate students, educators, trainers, and instructional designers who are responsible for creating impactful learning experiences for adult audiences. Whether you're teaching adults in a classroom, training employees, or creating community programs, this course gives you the core knowledge and practical tools to design effective and engaging learning experiences.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this lesson/course, learners will be able to:

• Knowledge:

• Understanding:

• Skills:

Introduction

Think about your own learning journey, how your experiences, responsibilities, and goals shape the way you learn. By understanding what makes adult learning unique and applying andragogical principles, you can take control of your education and make it truly work for you.

Defining Adult Learners

Time-Conscious & Balancing Multiple Roles:

Self-Directed:

Goal-Oriented:

Problem-Centered:

Experience-Based:

Relevance-Focused:

Internally Motivated:

Real-World Implications

Infographic Poster

Defining Andragogy

What is Andragogy?

Who coined Andragogy?

Why does it matter?

Andragogy vs Pedagogy

Mini-Activity: Reflect + Discuss

Think about a learning experience you had as an adult.

What made it effective or ineffective?

How did it respect (or ignore) your needs, motivations, and experience?

Core Principles of Andragogy

Need to Know:

Self-Concept:

Home work

Experience:

Readiness to Learn:

Orientation to Learn:

Motivation:

Mini-Activity: Match-Up

Applying Andragogy Principles to Adult Learning

SELF-CONCEPT

EXPERIENCE

NEED TO KNOW

MOTIVATION

READINESS TO LEARN

ORIENTATION TO LEARN

In Class Activity

Homework:

• In groups of three, learners select a topic (or choose from a provided list) and create an audience profile that integrates all six andragogical principles.
• Group work before the recap: As a group, learners will submit a one to two page reflection explaining how the six andragogical principles were incorporated into their audience profile. The reflection can be submitted as a written reflection, audio, presentation, or short video.

Group in class Activity: In groups of four, learners are given a case study in which they will identify which andragogical principles are being used and justify their answers. As a group, learners will submit a reflection of their findings. (or this can be an observing assessment)

Recap-Learning Outcomes:

This is the end of this lesson/course, learners are able to:

• Knowledge:

• Understanding:

• Skills:

Recap- Key Course Concepts

Characteristics of Adult Learners:

Engage best when learning is immediately applicable.

Relevance-Focused

Goal-Oriented

Self-Directed

Experience-Based

Prefer control over what, how, and when they learn.

Learn with clear objectives like career or personal growth.

Use prior life and work experience to connect with new learning

Driven by personal fulfillment and achievement.

Balance multiple roles; need flexible, efficient learning options.

Internally Motivated

Time-Conscious

Problem-Centered

Prefer practical learning that solves real-world challenges..

Defining Androgogy - A Review

Checklist

Characteristics of Adult Learners

Defining Andragogy

Core Principles of Andragogy

Group Activity

+info

Feedback

Thank you for your time and attention.

Your input helps us improve future sessions and better support adult learners like you.

Link

Thank you for taking the course!

• Defining Andragogy
• What is Andragogy? The art and science of adult learning, tailored to adults’ unique needs.
• Who coined it? Malcolm Knowles, father of adult learning theory.
• Andragogy vs Pedagogy: Pedagogy is teacher-directed for children; andragogy is self-directed and experience-based for adults.
• Why does it matter? It helps L&D professionals create engaging, relevant, and effective adult learning experiences.

MOTIVATION .Motivation: What does it mean for L&D: framing learning opportunities in terms of tangible outcomes, such as career growth, increased efficiency, or problem- solving For example: Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership An experienced teacher enrolls in a graduate certificate program because she wants to move into a school leadership role. The program is: Flexible and online, allowing her to study while teaching Focused on practical leadership tools (e.g., budgeting, staff development) Tied to real career advancement, helping her qualify for an assistant principal role

-Andragogy vs Pedagogy While pedagogy centers on teaching children with a teacher-directed approach, andragogy emphasizes adult learners’ self-direction, experience, and goal-oriented motivation.

NEED TO KNOW -Need to Know What does it mean for L&D: designing direct and relevant content, clearly stating learning programs benefits upfront, using real- world examples and case studies, For example: Online Continuing Education Course Before starting, learners are given a preview video explaining how the course will directly help them meet a certification requirement or transition to a new role

• Why does it matter?
• Understanding and applying andragogical principles helps L&D professionals create training that truly engages adults, making learning relevant, practical, and more likely to be applied.

EXPERIENCE Experience: What does it mean for L&D: acknowledging learner’s prior experience, connecting new information to what learners already know, using analogies, real-world examples, and case studies, allowing space for critical thinking and debate For example: Community College Health Sciences Program In a course on patient communication, students—many of whom are already working in healthcare—are asked to share challenging interactions they’ve had with patients. The instructor uses these examples to: Introduce communication models (e.g., motivational interviewing) Relate theories to real-life experiences Encourage critical discussion and peer feedback This approach helps learners see how their past experiences can be refined and reinterpreted through new frameworks, making learning relevant and reflective.

What is Andragogy?Andragogy is the art and science of helping adults learn. It focuses on designing learning experiences that respect adults’ unique needs, motivations, and life experiences.

Problem Centered

Adults are more interested in learning that helps them solve practical, real-world problems rather than absorb abstract theories.

SELF-CONCEPT Self-Concept:What does it mean for L&D: giving learners access to a library of resources, providing personalized learning paths, offering flexible learning formats, encouraging peer-to-peer learning For example: Blended Learning in a University Adult Degree Program A university offers a hybrid bachelor’s degree program designed for working adults. Students can: Choose between in-person, online, or recorded lectures Access a digital library of readings and tutorials Build their own schedule around job and family responsibilities Join peer discussion groups in an online forum

Self-Directed

Adults prefer to take responsibility for their learning. They value autonomy and want to make choices about what, how, and when they learn. .

Internally Motivated

Motivation is often driven by internal factors such as the desire for self-improvement, achievement, or making a meaningful impact.

Experienced Based

They bring rich life and work experience to the learning environment, which influences how they interpret and apply new information.

Time Conscious and Balancing Multiple Roles

Adult learners often juggle responsibilities like work, family, and education. They need flexible, efficient, and accessible learning options.

• Characteristics of Adult Learners:
• Self-Directed – Prefer control over what, how, and when they learn.
• Experience-Based – Use prior life and work experience to connect with new learning.
• Goal-Oriented – Learn with clear objectives like career or personal growth.
• Relevance-Focused – Engage best when learning is immediately applicable.
• Problem-Centered – Prefer practical learning that solves real-world challenges.
• Internally Motivated – Driven by personal fulfillment and achievement.
• Time-Conscious – Balance multiple roles; need flexible, efficient learning options.

READINESS TO LEARN Readiness to Learn: What does it mean for L&D: aligning learning with real needs, offering accessible resources, designing learning experiences that are goal-focused For example: Teacher Professional Development Workshop A school district offers a summer workshop for K–12 teachers on integrating AI tools in the classroom. The program is: Timed just before the school year begins Customized to grade levels and subjects Focused on practical applications—like using ChatGPT for lesson planning or automating feedback Structured around real classroom scenarios teachers will face in the coming months

• -Who coined Andragogy?
• The term Andragogy was popularized by Malcolm Knowles, who is considered the father of adult learning theory

Goal-Oriented

Adults usually participate in learning with specific goals—like career advancement, skill development, or personal growth.

Relevance Focused

They need to see the immediate relevance of the content. If learning isn’t applicable to real life, it’s unlikely to engage them.

• Core Principles of Andragogy
• Need to Know: Adults want to understand why learning is important.
• Self-Concept: They prefer to take responsibility for their learning.
• Experience: Prior knowledge is a key resource.
• Readiness to Learn: Learning readiness is tied to current life roles.
• Orientation to Learn: Adults learn best when solving real-life problems.
• Motivation: Internal factors like growth and career drive learning

ORIENTATION TO LEARN Orientation to Learn: What does it mean for L&D: structuring learning around real-world challenges instead of abstract topics, using a problem-solving approach, making learning instantly applicable. For example: Adult ESL (English as a Second Language) Job Skills Course In an adult ESL program focused on workplace communication, learners don’t just memorize grammar rules. Instead, they: Practice writing a professional email to a supervisor, role-play job interviews, and read workplace safety signs.