Holton's Theory Of Adult Education

In 1960s, Malcolm Knowles introduces andragogy - a new approach to teaching and learning for adult education with a focus on the learner. When initially presented in 1968, his theory comprised four core assumptions which, by 1998, evolved into a series of six, currently standing for the principles of andragogy - the means and methodology of teaching adults. Thus, Knowles differentiates adult education from child education in terms of need, self-direction, prior experience, readiness to learn, life-centred orientation, internal motivation [7]. Nevertheless, in our endeavour, we shall refer to the four basic core principles designed by Knowles as we believe that the two extra concepts later added are self-included: needs in motivation and self-directness

Grace [9] and later Pratt criticize the lack of compliance with society and its contribution to society development and change [10] but Holton is correct when he asserts that andragogy is grounded in humanism and pragmatism with a focus solely on the individual’s personal development “with the self-actualization of the individual” and knowledge acquired through “personal experience rather than from formal authority” [8]. However, andragogy is not a universal panacea but a set of concepts whose purpose is to establish a model of adult education with application in any field involving adult learners - such as higher education, human resources, knowledge management or company development and it should not be regarded as a “one size fits all” and it can therefore be associated with any of the above-mentioned theories and philosophies [9]. As a result of the ideological debate on adult learning and education philosophies, Knowles reviews his theory and admits that adult education has, indeed, an undeniable contribution to social

On one hand, there is a belief that professionalization is essential to moving the field from a marginal status (whether real or perceived) to one that wields more influence in society. At the same time, some very basic concerns must be addressed about adult education becoming so absorbed with the elements of professionalization that this process will ultimately produce a narrowly defined mainstream that excludes many of the diverse voices of those people who engage in its practice" [14]. The approach to adult learning and education can be made, therefore, from different perspectives which are oriented either towards personal or societal development. The second part of our paper is concerned with adult education following andragogy principles as defined by Knowles where we analyse the results of the survey addressing employed students from different forms of enrolment: full attendance, low attendance, and distance