Richard Kraneis Blog

Andragogy, Pedagogy, and Cleaning Bluegill for a Fish Fry

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]}:

1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept and Motivation to learn).
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities (Experience).
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life (Readiness to learn).
4. 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 .

 

Advanced Excel Training - Wauconda, IL USA

Special thanks to Dana and her company in Wauconda, IL USA.  They recently wanted an advanced Excel course and I taught the class, on a Saturday.

At the start of  class, one user asked, "How can you teach all of us when our skills are so different?"

That's a great question, one that I've heard before.  For large companies, the answer is feasible.  They can afford to screen participants, create Intro and Intermediate classes, and place a screened  participant into the right class for their skill  level.  But most large companies don't do  this.  It costs too much money (or so they think) to do effective screening.

Small and medium size companies have a harder time.  They can't afford to screen users for their talent level.  Neither can they segment classes by skill levels - that means running small class sizes with users of different skill levels.

"How can you teach all of  us when our skills are so different?"

The answer?  One trainer can't teach simple and complex topics at the same time to all students in a class.  But very good trainers can engage all participants in a class to help them learn new skills in the class.  It's important that everyone in the class feel good about their learning and leave the class with new skills or strengthened old skills that will bring productivity to their jobs.

Thanks to Dana in Wauconda, IL USA for the advanced Excel training on a Saturday for her company.  They felt it was a success.  That's what matters most.