Current Challenges and Opportunities for Adult Education: Comparison of Pedagogical and Andragogical Approaches

   Introduction. The confrontation between andragogy, which implies the independence of the student, and pedagogy, centered around the teacher, has been discussed in the academic literature for decades. Despite the high interest in the problem, there is a lack of synthetic studies that allow one to compare these approaches to adult learning, especially in the context of modern challenges in education.

   Purpose. Conducting a critical analysis of the andragogical and pedagogical approaches to adult learning based on a review of the world experience of their application, as well as to identify solutions to overcome their limitations, considering modern challenges.

   Theoretical Justification. The advantages and limitations of andragogic and pedagogical approaches to adult learning are determined, and models and solutions based on their integration are identified. The perspective of integrated learning is emphasized. The integrated learning allows students to take ownership of the learning process and achieve positive outcomes through the use of various synchronous and asynchronous learning methods such as flipped classroom, group discussions, and project-based learning.

   Discussion and Conclusion. A number of studies have discussed the potential effectiveness of learning models based on the integration of andragogic and pedagogical approaches. Since pedagogy underestimates the experience of adult students and does not sufficiently consider their needs, while andragogy is characterized by excessive individualization and concentration on the cognitive aspects of learning, the need to develop blended learning models is increasing. However, at the moment, this issue has not been sufficiently studied. Therefore, it requires empirical research on the impact of using models built on the selected principles of pedagogy and andragogy on student motivation and learning efficiency.

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