What Is The Difference Between Pedagogy, Andragogy, And Heutagogy?

Jackie Gerstein’s passionate thinking about learning is some of my favorite to read.

She is rarely pulled down by trend or fad, but is unquestionably progressive and forward-thinking in her approaches to learning and thinking about learning. Further, we share a passion: self-directed learning. (As does the original summarizer/author of the thinking embedded in table above, Lindy McKeown Orwin.)

I’m embarrassingly interested in any kind of learning at all–formal or informal, self-directed or teacher-centered, authentic or academic. Doesn’t mean I regard them all equally, but I do see a role for almost any system or approach that can cause, support, or glorify the processes of understanding.

Gerstein’s presentation, “Education 3.0 and the Pedagogy of Mobile Learning” uses the concept of mobile learning as a spearhead into a broader discussion of how people learn–different approaches, different domains, and different technologies. We recently shared some thinking about what “Education 3.0” might mean as well, and are nauseatingly effusive in our praise of self-directed learning. (And a primer on self-directed learning here as well.)

With the progress of technology and the rise in mobile learning, now more than ever Self-Directed Learning–or Heutagogy–isn’t just possible, but natural, and almost awkward to not use, something Gerstein capture’s thoroughly and with her characteristic passion in the presentation below.

In summary, the difference between pedagogy, andragogy, and heutagogy has to do with purposes and roles:

Pedagogy: The institution and teacher decide what the student will learn and how they will learn it

Heutagogy: The student decides what to learn and how and is supported by outside resources, including the teacher

Andragogy: The teaching of adults (which can be pedagogical, heutagogical, or a blend of both)