Which term best describes education centered on adult, self-directed learning?

• A. Egadology
• B. Technogogy
• C. Pedagogy
• D. Andragogy

Answer: (D)

Andragogy is the way to describe education that centers on adult, self-directed learning. Adults bring a wealth of experiences to learning, prefer to take charge of their own learning, and want what they study to be immediately relevant and applicable to real-life tasks. Andragogy focuses on those realities by emphasizing autonomy, problem-centered learning, and internal motivation. It’s about facilitation that helps adults draw on their prior knowledge, set goals, and apply what they learn in practical ways, rather than being guided through a predetermined curriculum by a teacher.

Pedagogy, in contrast, is the traditional approach often associated with children, where the teacher directs much of the learning process. The other terms aren’t standard descriptions of adult self-directed learning—egadology isn’t a recognized field, and technogogy is not the established label for adult self-directed learning, though it may be used in some contexts to refer to technology-enhanced learning.