You’ve probably heard the word “pedagogy,” but what does it actually mean in your everyday life? Although it sounds like a fancy term, pedagogy isn’t just for academics or training programs intended for teachers. It’s actually used every time someone builds a course, plans a learning journey, or thinks about how to keep their learners engaged. So, yes, pedagogy is widely used in eLearning. Below, we’ll break it down in simple terms so you can create meaningful eLearning experiences. Let’s see why understanding these ideas can improve your course design strategy.
Pedagogy Vs. Andragogy In eLearning: Differences And Importance
What’s Pedagogy?
Pedagogy is simply the science of teaching. It’s how we approach the process of helping someone learn. The word itself comes from the ancient Greek “paidagogos,” which originally referred to a person who led children to school and looked after them during their studies. Over time, the term evolved to describe the methods and principles used to educate learners. Today, it’s a central concept in education and learning design.
Pedagogy includes the goals of the instruction, such as what you want learners to achieve, the methods you use to teach—like videos, articles, and games—and the way you understand your learners. In short, pedagogy is what guides every decision you make as an educator, instructor, or Instructional Designer. The best part is that pedagogy can be tailored to your audience, objectives, tools, and even your platform. Whether you’re creating a course from scratch or restructuring your content to improve engagement, pedagogy helps you make choices that actually support learning.
What’s Andragogy?
Now that we’ve covered what pedagogy is, let’s talk about andragogy, a very similar theory. Basically, it’s a learning theory about adults that was popularized by Malcolm Knowles. While pedagogy is traditionally about how children learn (“pais” means “child” in ancient Greek), andragogy is all about how adults learn best. After all, the word derives from a combination of the Greek words “andr,” which means “adult male,” and “agogos,” meaning “leader of.”
But why are there two separate theories for child and adult learners? Adults come into learning with a whole lot of life experience and don’t just want to be instructed. They want learning that respects what they already know, connects to real-life situations, and gives them some control over how they learn. That’s where andragogy comes in. These are the five key principles of adult learning, according to Knowles:
- Autonomy. Adults like to direct their own learning.
- Experience. They have prior knowledge, which impacts how they absorb new information.
- Relevance. If the learning concept is not applicable to their lives or work, they’ll likely ignore it.
- Readiness. Adults are more motivated to learn when they see a clear purpose or need.
- Internal motivation. Unlike kids, external rewards, like grades, aren’t always what motivates adult learners. Instead, personal growth or career advancement seems to drive them.
Why Do They Matter?
Knowing about pedagogy and andragogy in eLearning, as well as the difference between them, matters. When you understand both theories, your learning design and teaching approach get better because you stop treating every learner the same.
Pedagogy, at its core, focuses on teaching children or those who have no prior knowledge of a topic. It’s more structured, instructor-led, and assumes the learner needs guidance every step of the way. For example, onboarding new employees. They have zero knowledge of your systems or processes, so they’ll probably need more instructions, regular check-ins, and simple concepts.
On the other hand, let’s say you’re designing an eLearning course that’s intended as training for experienced employees. There, you should apply andragogy. This is because adults don’t want content they already know. Instead, they prefer real-world examples and applying knowledge immediately. Most online learners are adults, as they’re employees who are upskilling, professionals taking certifications, or people discovering new interests. That’s why understanding andragogy helps you build courses that truly stick with them.
By understanding both approaches, you can adjust your methods based on your audience or even combine the two theories. For instance, a single course might start with a pedagogical approach for basic concepts and gradually adopt andragogical principles as learners gain more knowledge. The result? Your learners get what they need at the right time, in the right way. Let’s dive more into why knowing about pedagogies makes all the difference in eLearning.
Why You Should Know About Pedagogies In eLearning
Better Learner Engagement
No one wants to design a boring course. Whatever modules you’re designing, whether it’s a course, training program, or an online class, your ultimate goal is to keep your learners engaged. Since pedagogy is the foundation for how people learn, applying it can completely change how your content impacts learners. When you apply the right pedagogy, your eLearning can become more interactive, relevant, and even fun. For example, you can use a constructivist approach, which means your learners aren’t passive but explore, review, and get knowledge through real-world scenarios.
Improved Knowledge Retention
If you’ve ever wondered why you remember some online courses better than others, it’s mostly thanks to pedagogy. When Instructional Designers and teachers understand the “why” behind different teaching methods and actually apply some pedagogical principles, they can offer eLearning experiences that don’t just deliver information but actually help people remember it. For instance, if you create an eLearning course based on behaviorism, including repetition, immediate feedback, and rewards, learners can absorb and recall information more easily.
Successful Results
Understanding pedagogies in eLearning is essential if you want your learners to not only engage with the content but succeed with it. So, what does this mean? Well, knowing the right pedagogy allows you to align the content, its design, and how you teach it with your learners’ needs. For example, if you’re teaching a complex concept, using a pedagogy where learners engage in active problem solving will help them understand it much better than just presenting information. Not to mention that when you match the right teaching strategy with your learner’s age, background, and prior knowledge, the results are far better. There are so many different pedagogies out there, and knowing when to use each one can seriously impact how your learners achieve their goals.
Higher Learner Motivation
When you apply the right pedagogy to your course design, your eLearning resonates with what motivates your learners. Motivation is key to engagement, and when learners are engaged, they’re more likely to complete your course and understand and apply what they’ve learned. For example, if you use liberationism, which allows learners to become educators themselves and explain the material as they understand it to their peers, they will feel more connected to it. They will be motivated because they expand their knowledge in new ways and collaborate with their classmates and teachers to explore concepts.
Conclusion
Don’t let these learning theories overwhelm you. Think of them as tools, each offering a different way to connect with learners. You don’t need to master every theory, but you should just explore them one by one and see what suits your teaching and design style more. Next time you create a course, try identifying the pedagogy behind it or experiment with applying one. You might be surprised by how it changes the way your learners engage. So, don’t hesitate and see how these theories can make your eLearning experience more impactful.
