Davenport and Davenport 1986

Davenport, Joseph, and Judith A. Davenport. 1986. "Andragogical-pedagogical orientations of adult learners." Education Digest.

Briefly defines and compares theories of andragogy (the art and science of helping adults learn) and pedagogy (the art and science of teaching children).

Research (Van Allen 1982) indicates that knowledge of students' andragogical (preference for simulated games) or pedagogical (preference for lecture) orientation helps adult educators determine the best instructional style for a particular group. Based on research data, text suggests possible approaches. For example, adult educators should be familiar with their own educational orientation and how this may affect their teaching. Learning to use instruments that measure educational orientation can help them adapt their teaching styles to the orientation of their group or class (page 59).

Since few groups are of only one orientation and age alone is not a valid criteria to determine the type orientation, a combination of both pedagogical and andragogical approaches may be best. Instructors should be aware of current research in this developing field.

• Bibliography module: Davenport and Davenport 1986
• In overview module: Bibliography (Literacy): D
• In modular book: Bibliography (Literacy), by Doris Gallemore, Trudi C. Hunt, Jeanne Swanson, and Stephen L. Walter
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 18 May 1999

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