Pedagogy and Andragogy in Comparison – Conceptions and Perspectives

Abstract

This article draws attention to the comparison of pedagogy and andragogy. It is based on well-known writers within the field of adult education and learning. The selected literature is considered to give a representative picture of how comparing pedagogy and andragogy is generally approached, serving as my basis for critical consideration. In general, the comparisons are based on the traditional understanding of pedagogy and the understanding of andragogy in line with Knowles’s theory. This does not give a true picture of the circumstances. Pedagogy is much more than traditional pedagogy, and andragogy is much more than Knowles’s andragogy. The conclusion is that a reliable comparison demands a clarification of the terms included. Attention is also drawn to three perspectives on the pedagogy–andragogy relationship, namely, dichotomous, continuum, and relational perspectives. Here, too, a traditional understanding of pedagogy is the basis.