Andragogy (adult learning) is a theory that holds a set of assumptions about how adults learn. It uses approaches to learning that are problem-based and collaborative rather than didactic (traditional lecturing or teacher "knows all" model), and also recognises more equality between the teacher and learner.
Andragogy as a study of adult learning originated in Europe in 1950's and was then pioneered as a theory and model of adult learning from the 1970s by Malcolm Knowles, an American practitioner and theorist of adult education, who defined andragogy as "the art and science of helping adults learn."
Via Carlos Fosca
Malcom Knowles fue uno de los estudiosos más importante sobre la educación de adultos. Se lo considera el padre de la andragogía y ha tenido una enorme influencia en el desarrollo de estrategias que hoy se aplican a la educación continua y a la educación virtual. Vale la pena tener en cuenta estos seis principios de Knowles al momento que diseñamos cursos o programas para desarrollo profesional.