Andragogy: A Shift in Teaching and Learning in University Classes

Abstract

This review paper describes andragogy as a teaching methodology. Historically, formal education was seen as freedom-fighting and as a teaching-and-learning process. Pedagogy, a teacher-centered approach, was widely used because it was originally designed for young, dependent minds. However, this structure is not ideal for older learners. This paper aims to inform teachers about the basic principles of andragogy and methods for teaching adult students. To prepare this paper, we used a document analysis study design. We collected existing sources and critically reviewed them to derive themes. We used a thematic and descriptive approach to analyze the collected information. The major themes are a shift from pedagogy to andragogy; pedagogy and andragogy as teaching methods; adult learners and learning in the context of Nepal; and learners' expectations. The major findings are that most university teachers use traditional teaching methods; adult learners expect more from teachers than simply being told knowledge; they expect freedom, problem-solving methods, practical use of what they learn, and the use of their rich experiences in learning and teaching. From these findings, it is suggested that andragogy should be used to teach university-level students; teachers must be aware of adult learners' expectations to make teaching more effective. Similarly, it is suggested that adult learners have a rich reservoir of experience, so teachers should make appropriate use of their experiences