Adult Education Cheat Sheet

The core ideas of Adult Education distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.

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Quick Reference

Andragogy

The theory and practice of educating adults, as distinct from pedagogy (educating children). Developed by Malcolm Knowles, andragogy is based on assumptions that adult learners are self-directed, experience-rich, relevancy-oriented, problem-centered, and internally motivated.

Transformative Learning

A theory developed by Jack Mezirow proposing that adults learn most profoundly when they critically examine and revise their underlying assumptions, beliefs, and worldviews through a process called perspective transformation.

Self-Directed Learning

A process in which individuals take the initiative in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating goals, identifying resources, choosing strategies, and evaluating outcomes, with or without the help of others.

Experiential Learning

A learning theory, associated with David Kolb, holding that knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. The learner progresses through a cycle of concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

A process by which adults can earn academic credit for knowledge and skills acquired through work experience, military service, volunteer activities, or independent study, rather than through traditional coursework.

Critical Pedagogy

An educational philosophy, pioneered by Paulo Freire, that views education as a practice of freedom rather than domination. It encourages learners to question power structures, challenge oppression, and become agents of social change.

Lifelong Learning

The ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge and skills throughout a person's life for personal or professional reasons. It extends beyond formal education to include all learning across the lifespan.

Competency-Based Education (CBE)

An approach to teaching and assessment that focuses on demonstrating mastery of specific skills or knowledge areas rather than on time spent in a classroom. Learners advance upon proving competency.

Communities of Practice

Groups of people who share a concern or passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. Coined by Etienne Wenger, the concept highlights social and collaborative dimensions of adult learning.

Scaffolding

An instructional technique in which an educator provides structured support to learners as they develop new skills, gradually removing the support as competence increases. Derived from Vygotsky's zone of proximal development.

Key Terms at a Glance

Adult Basic Education (ABE):Instruction in fundamental skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics for adults who have not completed high school or lack basic literacy.

Andragogy:The method and practice of teaching adult learners, emphasizing self-direction, experience, and problem-centered approaches to learning.

Blended Learning:An instructional approach combining online digital media with traditional face-to-face classroom methods, offering flexibility valued by adult learners.

Competency-Based Education:An educational approach focused on demonstrating mastery of specific skills or knowledge rather than accumulating credit hours.

Continuing Education:Post-secondary learning activities and programs designed for adults who wish to update skills, earn credentials, or pursue personal interests.

Critical Pedagogy:An educational philosophy that encourages learners to question and challenge social inequalities and power structures through education.

Critical Reflection:The process of examining the assumptions underlying one's beliefs, values, and actions, central to Mezirow's transformative learning theory.

Distance Education:A mode of delivering education to students who are not physically present in a traditional classroom setting, using mail, television, or internet technologies.

English as a Second Language (ESL):Programs designed to teach English language skills to non-native speakers, a major component of adult education in many countries.

Experiential Learning:Learning through direct experience and reflection, as theorized by David Kolb's four-stage cycle of learning.

Facilitation:A learner-centered instructional approach where the educator guides rather than directs, creating conditions for adults to construct their own knowledge.

GED (General Educational Development):A set of standardized tests that certify high school-level academic skills, providing an alternative credential for adults who did not graduate from high school.

Human Capital Theory:An economic theory holding that education and training increase workers' productivity and earning potential, providing rationale for investment in adult education.

Informal Learning:Learning that occurs naturally through daily activities, work, family life, or leisure, without structured curriculum or formal instruction.

Learning Styles:The theory that individuals have preferred modes of learning (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.), though the empirical support for matching instruction to styles is debated.

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