Andragogy in Action: How Adults Learn Differently from Children

Most corporate training programs are still designed using traditional educational models—ones developed primarily for teaching children. But here’s the problem: adults don’t learn the same way children do.

Unlike school-aged learners, adults bring prior knowledge, self-direction, and real-world experience into the learning process. To create effective workplace learning experiences, L&D professionals must understand Andragogy, a learning science framework developed by Malcolm Knowles, which focuses on how adults learn best.

This article explores how to apply Andragogy to corporate learning, ensuring that training is engaging, relevant, and applicable in real-world scenarios.

How Andragogy Differs from Pedagogy

Pedagogy, the traditional model of learning, is teacher-centered—students depend on instructors for direction, knowledge, and structure. Andragogy, on the other hand, is learner-centered. It recognizes that adults learn through self-direction, application, and problem-solving rather than passive content consumption.

Key Differences Between Pedagogy and Andragogy

Traditional corporate training often follows a pedagogical model, treating employees as passive learners. But effective workplace learning must shift toward Andragogy, focusing on practical, real-world application.

The Five Core Principles of Andragogy

1. Self-Directed Learning

Key Insight: Adults prefer taking control of their learning. They are more engaged when they set their own learning goals and explore topics at their own pace.

How to Apply It: Give learners the freedom to choose their learning paths through personalized learning experiences, self-paced modules, and open-access learning platforms.

Example: Instead of forcing all employees into a structured leadership program, allow them to select leadership topics relevant to their roles and work through them at their own pace.

2. Experience as a Learning Resource

Key Insight: Adults bring years of experiences that shape their perspectives. Training must incorporate these experiences rather than ignore them.

How to Apply It: Encourage learners to reflect on their experiences, engage in discussions, and analyze real-world case studies.

Example: A sales training program that includes peer discussions where employees share past sales challenges and problem-solve together is far more effective than lecture-based training.

3. Readiness to Learn

Key Insight: Adults are motivated to learn when they see an immediate need for knowledge. They won’t engage with content they see as irrelevant or theoretical.

How to Apply It: Ensure training is contextualized to real workplace challenges. Tie learning directly to business needs and job performance.

Example: Employees are more likely to engage in a time management course when they are struggling with heavy workloads than if the training is a generic requirement.

4. Problem-Centered Learning

Key Insight: Adults want practical tools that help them solve immediate problems rather than just theoretical knowledge.

How to Apply It: Use case studies, simulations, and scenario-based learning instead of lecture-based training.

Example: Instead of teaching customer service principles in a classroom, use interactive customer role-plays where employees handle real customer scenarios and receive feedback.

5. Intrinsic Motivation

Key Insight: While external motivators (like promotions) can be useful, adults are primarily driven by internal motivators—such as career growth, mastery, and purpose.

How to Apply It: Frame learning as an opportunity for personal and professional development rather than a compliance requirement.

Example: A company encourages employees to take AI upskilling courses by connecting learning to future job roles and career advancement opportunities, rather than making it mandatory.

Case Study: Applying Andragogy in a Leadership Development Program

The Challenge:

A global IT company noticed that first-time managers were struggling with leadership skills despite attending formal training programs. Engagement in leadership training was low, and new managers felt the training was irrelevant to their day-to-day challenges.

The Andragogy-Based Solution:

▪️ Self-Directed Learning: Instead of a mandatory course, new managers selected leadership competencies they needed the most help with.

▪️ Experience as a Resource: Participants shared past leadership challenges in peer discussions, learning from one another.

▪️ Readiness to Learn: Training was timed before key leadership transitions, ensuring new managers had an immediate need for learning.

▪️ Problem-Centered Learning: The program focused on solving real-world leadership challenges rather than just presenting leadership theories.

▪️ Intrinsic Motivation: The company tied learning to career progression, allowing managers to see leadership training as a step toward promotion.

The Impact:

▪️ New manager effectiveness scores increased by 35% post-training.

▪️ Leadership engagement surveys showed a 25% improvement in team collaboration.

▪️ Employees led by trained managers had a 20% higher retention rate compared to those led by untrained managers.

How to Design Corporate Training Using Andragogy

L&D professionals can make training more effective by designing learning experiences that align with adult learning principles:

▪️ Shift from Compliance-Based to Growth-Based Learning – Move away from mandatory training and emphasize how learning benefits employees’ career growth.

▪️ Encourage Self-Directed Learning – Allow employees to customize their learning paths and focus on topics relevant to them.

▪️ Leverage Experience as a Learning Tool – Include peer discussions, mentoring programs, and real-world applications.

▪️ Make Learning Practical and Problem-Centered – Replace theory-heavy sessions with hands-on exercises and case studies.

▪️ Foster Motivation Through Career Relevance – Connect training directly to career advancement opportunities and skill development.

By shifting from content-focused to learner-centered training, organizations can create learning experiences that truly drive engagement, retention, and application in the workplace.

Final Thoughts: The Future of Workplace Learning is Andragogy-Based

The workplace is evolving, and so should corporate training. If L&D professionals continue to design learning as if employees were school students, engagement will remain low, and training ROI will suffer.

To build an L&D function that drives real performance improvement, ask yourself:

▪️ Are employees actively engaged in their learning?

▪️ Do they see the immediate relevance of training in their jobs?

▪️ Are training programs interactive, problem-centered, and self-directed?

🚀 If the answer is no, it’s time to rethink your learning strategy.