The shift between pedagogy and andragogy occurs silently in the academic careers of students as well as educators. There's no ceremonial graduation into the ranks of adult education. Only a few weeks separate the maturity of university freshman and high school seniors. Can we expect that they've collected enough experiences and developed an adequate understanding to be mature learners?
Adult education implies that learners confront real-life issues. I argue that assuming each students' experience is sufficient would be naïve. Theory and practice of adult education, andragogy, also requires expanded cultural interaction. This dialogue is an example of a real-life confrontation which students often experience by relocating. However, can we address the limited cultural confrontations of home-grown learners in our public universities?
If we're following the tenants of andragogy presented by Malcolm Knowles, then we can easily identify some gaps;
- Need to know - learners find reason in lessons
- Foundation - learners participate in lessons
- Self-concept - learners participate in planning
- Readiness - learners find relevance to personal lives
- Orientation - learners confront problems rather than content
- Motivation - learners find intrinsic motivation
Foundation is the only assumption above which I don't find issue with because educators normally have interactive lessons embedded in their syllabi. However, these are likely out-of-class group assignments due to large class sizes. Educators can also plan to address 'reason.' Again, large and diverse classes reduce the likelihood of hitting the mark of reason with all students. High-paced semesters and lack of research can impede learner's ability to contribute useful content to the lessons. Similarly, traditional quantitative assessments often take priority above intrinsic value. Finally, the majority of university learning objectives are content-oriented. Perhaps focusing learning around problem-solving in composition courses can address the gaps outlined above.
I propose a simple procedure for creating in-class 'contact zones' which will force students to confront issues directly and experience real-life problem-solving. Amnesty International has launched a social media campaign call "Write for Rights." The agenda is to simply write letters to evoke changes in human rights conditions and resolve violations around the globe. You can find examples of success stories here. I believe implementing this program as an exercise for first year composition would ignite an emotional landslide that would potential fill the learning gaps listed above. If we are going to attempt an andragogic approach to composition, we must provide the learners with an opportunity to disturb the status quo. Click HERE to find the classroom model, resources and sign-up to inspire change!
