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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential Foundations For Adult Program Planning, March 10, 2004
Brief summary
Malcolm S. Knowles presents a six-component model for applying principles of andragogy to the organizational and administration of adult learning programs. The six components include establishing an organizational climate and structure, assessing needs and interests in program planning, defining purposes and objectives, constructing a program design, operating a comprehensive program, and evaluating the results of a comprehensive program. Although Knowles presents the model as a how-to guide, this book doesn't provide direct answers to program planning problems. Rather readers and program planners are to use this "guide" in generating their own questions on important components that may be missing in their own planning process. The author provides a discussion of who the adult educator is and their various roles in a many settings. The reality in adult education is that the role of the adult educator is constantly changing. Much of what has been researched about learning has focused on children. Knowles distinguishes pedagogy from andragogy. Knowles identifies pedagogy as "the art and science of teaching children." Andragogy, however, is referred to how adults help adults learn rather than focusing on how to teach adults that pedagogy does.Organization of the book
Like many other books on adult learning and planning programs, The Modern Practice of Adult Education: Andragogy Versus Pedagogy provides readers a logical presentation of information from understanding the role of the adult educator to managing learning activities. This book is organized into three major parts. Part one discusses assumptions about the role of adult education. Chapters in this first part get into detail regarding needs and goals of adult learners, who adult educators are, and the difference between pedagogy and andragogy. Part two of this book presents the six-components for applying andragogy principles to the adult program planning process. Each chapter in part two is dedicated to each of the six phases of the planning process. Part three discusses designing and managing learning activities in helping adults throughout the learning process. Evaluation of author's intent
On a scale from 1 (low) to 10 (high), Knowles was successful in clearly identifying his intent for writing this book so I give a score of 10. The author's intent is to provide readers and planners a guide in planning adult educational programs and a reference for program planning problems. Knowles assumes that readers read this book with various experiences and attitudes of planning programs for adults and that readers approach this book to help "discover better ways to perform whatever adult-educational functions" are currently being used or for future programs. Personal reaction
This book discusses some of the most important elements of planning programs for adult learners. It was no surprise to me that Knowles describes basic human needs and educational needs as being an important component of adult learning program development. Knowles considers physical, growth, security, new experience, affection, and recognition to be basic human needs and describes an educational need as "something a person ought to learn for his own good, for the good of an organization, or for the good of society" (p. 85). In almost any program planning or adult learning theory textbook, both human and educational needs play an important role in making decisions throughout the planning process. Effective programs are planned around these needs. I also find Knowles's discussion of selecting formats for learning to be meaningful. For example, do participants participate in individual activities or in small group learning activities? Knowles (1970) recognizes that some adults learn better on their own whereas some work collaboratively with others because of the richer resources and motivations for learning. The explanations Knowles provides not only make sense to me, as the reader, but are also practical in nature. Evaluation of effectiveness
In general, I believe The Modern Practice of Adult Education: Andragogy Versus Pedagogy is a highly effective guide for program planners. Whether you are a novice or experienced program planner, the six-component model presented allows reader/planner to think about the issues that are really important to program planning. Although this book is not designed to provide program planners answers to planning problems, readers/planners should approach the information that Knowles provides to generate the questions that may be missing in his/her program planning process. Comparison of the book to Caffarella's work
There are many ideas in The Modern Practice of Adult Education: Andragogy Versus Pedagogy that are apparent in Rosemary S. Caffarella's book Planning Programs For Adult Learners: A Practical Guide For Educators, Trainers, and Staff Developers. As a matter of fact, most of Caffarella's ideas on the interactive program-planning model come from Malcolm S. Knowles's work on andragogy. Planning Programs For Adult Learners: A Practical Guide For Educators, Trainers, and Staff Developers also has a foreword from Malcolm S. Knowles himself.
There are a number of similarities that are apparent from both the works of Knowles and Caffarella. Both planning models include a needs assessment. An adult's learning needs and the organization's needs are central and important to address in an educational program. Another similarity is that they both recognize that there is a distinction between why adults participate in educational programs as opposed to children. For adults, programs are usually problem-centered and have relevancy with work/career related issues whereas for children learning is subject oriented.
The major difference is that Caffarella's interactive planning model involves collaboration and/or cooperation among program planners and other human resources and organizations in the planning and delivering of education/training programs for adults. In Knowles textbook, however, there is really no emphasis on the importance of collaborating with other people when making decisions throughout the program planning process. Another difference is that both works were published at different times. Knowles book was published in 1970 and since then program planning has changed. The work of Caffarella, published in 2002, reflects those changes and influences (economic & political) that have affected program planning since the 70's. However, the basic principles of andragogy and adult learning from the works of Knowles are critical and apparent in Caffarella's book.
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by Malcolm S. Knowles
by Richard A. Swanson
by Michael W. Galbraith
