For centuries, thinkers have been intrigued and fascinated with the issue of how humans learn, only to realise that humans are complex creatures and that they learn in a variety of ways, situations, and circumstances (Merriam and Brockett 2007).  Perhaps to further simplify this large area of study, some theorists had segmented human learners into categories by age, namely Pedagogy and Andragogy, however not without causing a dispute; a large body of educators maintained that the cluster of theories that Pedagogy covers was sufficient for all human learning regardless of age (Smith 1996).

Nevertheless, from practitioners’ findings and observations, we can see that adults do learn differently in contrast to children, and so adults must be catered for, in regards to facilitation and teaching, in ways that is suitable for them (Jarvis 2010).

Consequently,  with a lack of a unanimously agreed upon theoretical framework for adult learners, anyone developing content for adults learning should study the key psychological and adult learning theories, along with the findings and observations of practitioners to obtain a holistic view and nature of the adult learner, before undertaking and development of adult learning content (Merriam and Caffarella 1999).

References

Jarvis, P. (2010). Adult education and lifelong learning : theory and practice. London, Routledge.

Merriam, S. and R. Brockett (2007). The profession and practice of adult education: An introduction, Jossey-Bass Inc Pub.

Merriam, S. B. and R. S. Caffarella (1999). Learning in adulthood, Jossey-Bass San Francisco.

Smith, M. K. (1996). ‘Andragogy’, the encyclopaedia of informal education, Available from: http://www.infed.org/lifelonglearning/b-andra.htm [accessed 21/02/11]