Andragogy
Also known as الأندراغوجيا (تعليم البالغين)
Definition
Andragogy is the theory and practice of adult learning, distinguished from pedagogy (the teaching of children) by a set of assumptions Malcolm Knowles set out: adults are self-directed, bring substantial experience, need to know why something matters, learn best around real problems, and are motivated more by internal goals than external reward.
Those assumptions have direct design consequences. Adult learners disengage from content that ignores what they already know, from abstraction detached from their work, and from mandatory training whose purpose is never stated. Opening a module by establishing relevance is not a courtesy; it is a precondition for attention.
Andragogy also explains why control matters in workplace learning. Letting experienced staff test out of what they already know, choose an order, or bring their own cases respects the experience they arrive with — and converts it into a teaching asset rather than an obstacle.