Key Concepts in Adult Education: Andragogy, Self-Directed Learning & More

Did you know that the average adult in the UK spends less than 15 hours a month on formal learning but nearly 60 hours a month learning informally on their own? That little difference tells a lot about what actually goes on when adults learn—and it’s not what happens in a traditional classroom. The way grown-ups learn can be worlds apart from the way children or teens do it. What makes adult education work is a story full of practical experience, personal drive, and a constant itch for growth—yes, even if it’s just learning how to bake better sourdough for that weekend brunch. So, which concept is used in adult education? The answer is not all that simple, but trust me, it’s absolutely fascinating once you dig in.

How Andragogy Became the North Star of Adult Learning

It’s really hard to talk about adult education without bumping into the word "andragogy." If you guessed that it sounds suspiciously like "pedagogy" (which is about teaching kids), you’re onto something. Malcolm Knowles made "andragogy" famous in the 1970s, and since then, it’s basically been the backbone of how teachers, coaches, and even workplaces around the world approach adult learners. But what makes andragogy so different from the way kids are taught? Think about it: adults bring decades of experiences with them. They don’t really want to be lectured at for hours or memorize stuff just because it’s part of a syllabus. They need meaning, relevance, and a say in what they learn.

Knowles described six key assumptions that shape the way adults learn best:

• Need to know: Adults want to know why they should learn something. If they don’t get the "what’s in it for me," good luck keeping them interested.
• Self-concept: Grown-ups see themselves as pretty autonomous. They prefer deciding for themselves what and how to learn, rather than just being handed a workbook.
• Prior experience: By adulthood, people have a library of life lessons—good and bad—that they use as a filter in learning.
• Readiness: Adults are more likely to learn things they feel they need now, whether it’s for a job, a hobby, or just to keep up with their kids’ tech talk.
• Orientation: They want learning that solves problems, not just abstract theories. Practical is king.
• Motivation: Internal motivations (personal growth, satisfaction, confidence) matter a lot more than gold stars or grades.

The magic happens when those six points shape the design of a class or workshop—whether it’s teaching Excel skills in an office basement or running a night class for people who haven’t set foot in a classroom for 25 years. In fact, research from the Learning and Work Institute in 2022 found that adults who set their own learning goals are 2.5 times more likely to finish a course than those who follow a rigid, one-size-fits-all program. Why does this work? Because andragogy is all about treating adults with respect, acknowledging their history, and tapping into what matters for them right now. You’d think that was obvious, but you’d be shocked by how many courses still don’t do this.

Here’s a quick look at how adult learning (andragogy) measures up compared to traditional schooling:

Picturing this? Remember: any program that nails the "need to know" and helps adults connect learning to their own lives is already operating on andragogy, even if they’ve never heard the word.

Why Self-Directed and Experiential Learning Matter So Much

Now let’s talk about what happens once you get out of the classroom—or never even walk into one at all. Ever watched a friend teach themselves digital photography by just shooting thousands of photos and watching YouTube? Or maybe you’ve taken up DIY because no one could fix your leaky faucet. This is what real self-directed learning looks like in the wild, and, honestly, it’s how most adults pick up new skills these days. It works because adults are used to figuring things out for themselves. If you want proof, peek at the data from the British Library: in 2023, over 65% of adult learners surveyed said they preferred a mix of online courses, independent research, and practical trial-and-error to traditional evening classes.

Self-directed learning is so effective for adults because it isn’t rigid. You can change your path when something’s not working, or pivot the moment you discover a new area of interest. If you’re someone who’s ever started reading about World War II and ended two weeks later with a full-on obsession about codebreakers at Bletchley Park, you know how deep this rabbit hole can go. The core takeaway? Adults build their own web of knowledge, piecing information together from a wild variety of sources, which means any effective adult education program should offer loads of choice, flexibility, and opportunities for learners to go off-script as needed.

Experiential learning ties right into that. The grandparent of this idea is David Kolb, whose research from the ‘80s still holds up. He mapped out that adults need a cycle of:

• Having a concrete experience
• Reflecting on what happened
• Learning something from it
• Testing those lessons in the real world

This explains why apprenticeships, internships, and hands-on workshops keep booming while old-school lecture marathons quietly fade away. You can tell someone 20 ways to interact with a grumpy customer, but they won’t really get it until they’ve lived through the moment and messed up a bit. The same goes for everything from coding to car repair. Milo, my dog, pretty much learned this way too—he only stopped barking at deliveries after some trial and error (and lots of tiny treats).

The practical upside? Good adult education builds in activities, real projects, and feedback loops. If you’re looking to build a course—whether it’s professional or just a book club at the community center—blend in scenarios, hands-on challenges, and group chats where people can bounce around what’s working. Remember: people stick with programs that fit into their lives and make them feel competent, not ones that send them back to feeling like nervous eleven-year-olds. It’s all about respect and giving space to discover.

Transformative Learning: When Education Rocks Your World

Sometimes, learning as an adult isn’t just about gaining new skills—it’s about totally rewiring how you see the world. Really, that’s what transformative learning is all about. Developed by Jack Mezirow in the late ‘70s, transformative learning focuses on what happens when adults hit a crossroads or a challenge that forces them to really examine their own beliefs, values, and habits. Maybe it’s shifting careers after redundancy, or rethinking your role in society after seeing your children become teenagers. It’s uncomfortable, kind of like outgrowing your favorite jeans, but in a good way.

This concept is about reflection and dialogue rather than just soaking up information. Take the case of NHS nurses who, during the pandemic, had to rethink nearly every part of their working day, from patient communication to how they managed stress. Many joined reflective groups and came out the other side not just with new skills, but different ideas about how healthcare and teamwork actually work. That’s transformative learning in action—it reshapes your mental map and can even boost confidence and purpose. If you’ve ever had your whole perspective flipped upside down by a powerful book, a tough job, or honest talk with someone from a different background, you’ve felt its impact.

Want your own wake-up moment? Make space for self-reflection. Journaling, coaching, or structured group discussions make a real impact. A lot of seasoned adult educators intentionally build these "disorienting dilemmas" into their programs. Why? Because when grown-ups struggle with a new idea or viewpoint, they’re forced to stretch—and that stretch often leads to real learning, not just new facts. A 2020 University of Liverpool report shows that adults exposed to transformative experiences at work are far more likely to stay engaged and innovate, versus those just following instructions by rote.

Here are a few tips (and some pet-tested wisdom from Cleo’s many attempts to open the fridge):

• Ask “why?”—regularly. Adults thrive on digging beneath the surface.
• Don’t shy away from difficult questions. Growth often comes from study or conversations that challenge what you thought you knew.
• Build communities. Peer groups multiply the effect—people reflect and learn from each other as much as from tutors or textbooks.
• Jot down wins and mistakes. A learning journal forces you to take stock, reflect, and see progress you might otherwise miss.
• Keep things practical—always tie new insights back to something concrete in your real life.

And don’t forget: transformative moments are often unexpected. Don’t pressure yourself to have one on schedule—sometimes, learning that sticks takes time to bubble up. If you’ve found yourself thinking differently after a big event or eye-opening life experience, you’re already deep in the world of transformative learning.

So if anyone asks, “Which concept is used in adult education?”—you can tell them it’s adult education built on the backbone of andragogy, steered by the learner, lived out through experience, and sometimes powerful enough to change your whole way of thinking. Whether you’re picking up an instrument, changing careers, or stalking new books at your library, understanding these concepts lets you learn smarter, faster, and with a lot more satisfaction. Now go surprise yourself. Trust me, you’ve got a lot more capacity to learn new tricks (and possibly open the fridge) than you think.