Andragogy: A Scaffold for Heutagogy

Heutagogy is a student-centered learning model that promotes the concept of self-determined holistic learning through constant critical reflection. Learners are encouraged to become genuinely reflective while developing their capabilities. The purpose of constant reflection is to understand how experiences affect the leaner’s values, beliefs, goals, habits, conceptual frameworks, and previously held ideals. Learners help design the course or path of learning while the instructor shares resources and facilitates learning much the same as in andragogy. In my opinion, there are many similarities between heutagogy and andragogy, as both rely on the learner’s ability to take over personal responsibility for learning. Both models assume that the learner has an intrinsic desire to create knowledge and the instructor is responsible for facilitating the learner’s pursuit of self-actualization of full potential.

As online learning becomes more popular among adult learners and college students, it is also expanding the heutagogical approach and creates more insight about its effectiveness. The online learning environment is a flexible modality to facilitate self-directed learning. I think that both heutagogy and andragogy empower the student and rely on the premise that the student is willing and able to take over responsibility for learning. Courses that use a heutagogical approach allow students to determine the scope and creativity of projects and papers based on their own needs. Clearly, this approach only works with learners that display a high degree of cognitive maturity and motivation to learn. The biggest difference between heutagogy and andragogy is the continuous reflecting that takes place in heutagogy as learners develop their skills and acquire more knowledge. Other than that, I believe that andragogy serves as a scaffold for heutagogy and that many andragogical concepts can be found in heutagogy, as well.