I doubt if anyone on the Internet has used the words andragogy, pedagogy, and bluegill in the same sentence. So I guess there’s a first time for everything.
Andragogy is the educational theory for teaching adults.
Pedagogy is the theory for teaching kids.
Cleaning bluegill has absolutely nothing to do with these two educational theories. Or does it?
Before you lose interest in this article (hope not) and educational theories, please go to YouTube.com to see a great video on how to clean bluegill for a fish fry. Just please remember to return to this blog (J) for the rest of the article.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcZy5c2FhNo
So, did you learn anything from the video? I did. I actually learned the clear difference between andragogy and pedagogy. I also learned more about cleaning bluegill.
If you’d like a short summary of andragogy and pedagogy visiting Wikipedia is always a good idea.
For andragogy go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andragogy . Below is a direct quote from Wikipedia.
“Knowles held that andragogy (from the Greek words meaning "adult-leading") should be distinguished from the more commonly used pedagogy (Greek: "child-leading").
Knowles' theory can be stated as four simple postulates[1] [2]:
- Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept and Motivation to learn).
- Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities (Experience).
- Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life (Readiness to learn).
- Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation to learning). “
For pedagogy, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedagogy .
I have no magical explanations of this educational theory. All I can tell you is that these theories revolve around teaching children and perhaps teenagers.
The bluegill video qualifies as adult training based solidly in andragogy.
Using Knowles theory shown earlier, the bluegill filleting video easily qualifies on 3 out of 4 counts as being solidly andragogical (is there such a word).
1) Feedback mechanism. The adults or teenagers seeing this video are definitely involved in the training process. YouTube actually has a feedback mechanism for grading/evaluating the video.
2) Experience based learning. The trainer (name unknown) is obviously an experienced person at filleting bluegill.
3) The video has immediate relevance. If you have ever tried cleaning a “mess’ of bluegill for a fish fry, you’d know the relevancy of the bluegill video.
4) Adult learning is problem centered, not content centered. This video certainly is problem centered.
A few years ago I once taught a young Boy Scout how to fillet fish. My approach was a bit pedagogical, but also andragogical. I taught the young man how to respect the knife, verify it was sharp, use a well lit cutting surface. Also taught him how to clean up properly. As for my technique, it was a bit show and tell.
The YouTube video was unusually instructive. (If you have cleaned bluegill you know that.)
I learned that even small bluegill could be cleaned with an electric knife. I had never read that, didn’t think it was possible, but learned that based on the video.
I also learned to clean bluegill right handed. Before seeing the video I would clean one side of the bluegill with my right hand and other side with my left hand. Basically I used an ambidextrous technique to clean my fish. But after seeing the video, I’ll just use the right handed technique shown by the trainer.
So was this horribly boring? Hope not.
Over the last few years I have been in job interviews for being a training manager where people asked me about my educational theories in teaching adults how to use computers. But that’s before I knew the fancy words andragogy and pedagogy.
So take it from a guy who has trained over 10,000 people in-person how to use computers and has trained thousands more on the Internet how to use Excel:
Adults want training that is relevant to their job or to their life. And when adults do participate in training, they want to evaluate it and influence that training. A bit of honesty and humor wouldn’t hurt either.
When in doubt, just watch a bluegill filleting training demo to see how adult training is different than pedagogical training of children.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcZy5c2FhNo
If you have a difficult training project for the adults in your corporation or non-profit, send an email to rkraneis@techspectrum.com .