What it says. Andragogy, associated with Malcolm Knowles, describes how adults tend to learn. Adults usually want to know why they are learning something, bring substantial experience to draw on, prefer some direction over their own learning, and are oriented toward problems and tasks they can apply, often soon. Many college students, including returning and working adults, fit this picture.

What it means for your teaching. Make the purpose of work explicit, since adults want the reason. Connect to and draw on students’ experience rather than treating them as blank slates. Offer some autonomy and choice. Favor applied, problem-centered tasks over abstract coverage. These moves respect what adult learners bring and how they are motivated to learn.