Pedagogy is the way we teach kids.
Pedagogy focuses on the methods that bring content to students effectively so that they learn it.
In 1980 Malcolm Knowles acknowledged that pedagogy was not enough when we wanted adults to learn:
- Adults need to have agency in their instruction.
- Adults need to be able to try things and make mistakes.
- Adults need to see the relevance of instruction.
- Adult learning should be about solving problems not providing information.
He coined the term Androgogy for the methods used so that adults can learn. Don’t these apply to children? Do you think children learn better when they have agency, create and learn by doing, need to see relevance, and learn while solving problems they care about?
In the last few years, learning scientists are starting to realize that even Androgogy may not go far enough.
Heutogogy is self determined learning.
In Pedagogy, what and how you learn is determined for you. In Androgogy, what and how you lean is determined with you. In Heutogogy what and how you learn is determined by you.
Pedagogy is thus a top-down approach. Creating a great textbook or an effective lecture are examples of Pedagogy.
Androgogy is a joint approach to learning, with an authority guiding and nudging a learner. Problem-based learning is often Androgogy, often with an instructor selecting certain aspects of projects, and working with the learner(s) to select other aspects.
Heutogogy is learner driven. The learner may research content, and may consult and be guided by experts. But what to learn and what to do are ultimately decided by the learner herself.
There are a growing number of instances where Heutogogy has been deployed. Here are two.
Elinor Vettraino is Programme Director and Head Coach at Aston University in Scotland. In the UK, University is three years. In her program, year one students come in, and she tells them, you are going to form groups of 4-6 students. Each group is responsible for creating a sustainable business. In operating and sustaining the business your group needs to determine what you want to learn from your three years here, and you all are responsible for making sure each of you learns what you came her for. The financial goal for the business is to pay for the group to take a six-month around the world trip at the end of the three years. Dr. Vettraino is one of the founders of the online Team Learning Community which is a community of practice to support this type of learning worldwide.
Don Wettrick is an educator in Indianapolis. He has been teaching using heutogical methods in high school. On day one, students come into his class. He shows them the learning standards that Indiana requires for the course. He then instructs the students: Here is what the state is requiring you to learn this year. In the next day come up with a project that will benefit the school or community that will start teaching you at least some of these standards. On Friday, you will have a chance to present to me what you will be attempting, what it will teach you, and how you will assess whether you have learned it. Let me know if you have any questions. As the year progresses, the projects become more ambitious. If you want to find out what his students have done, or, even better, if you want to support his students, take a look at his website STARTedUp.
Androgogy and Heutogogy are two learning models with demonstrably better outcomes than the didactic pedagogy we routinely apply. Isn’t it time we put pedagogy out to pasture?
Thank you Creative Bravery Festival for introducing me to Dr. Vettraino and reintroducing me to Heutogogy. Image was developed by Dr. Vettraino.