Applying Andragogy in Kolkata Classrooms – Student Opinions Vs. System Issues


Authors : Dr. Soumyajit Roy; Md Mahasin Ali

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 2 - February


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/49wuhrxj

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/2w33u3r9

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26feb299

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.


Abstract : How college and university students, who are at the budding stages of their adulthood be taught? Should it be somewhat different from ‘pedagogy’ – a term whose literal meaning implies ‘leading a child’? Can Malcolm Knowles’ theory or model of andragogy – the alternate theory for adult learners - offer some insights? Scholars across the world are debating and carrying out studies to find answer to these questions by various ways. The results when out, will someday bring about a discernible change in the way we approach higher education. However, the extent to which andragogical principles can serve the purpose should not be left to be decided by a teacher when he meets students in the first class. This study done in classrooms of colleges and universities in and around Kolkata tries to ascertain this difficulty level. A modified version of Wolfson’s (1998) ‘Andragogy Difficulty Index’ is used on 183 students sampled incidentally. Findings reveal that from the students’ perspectives, incorporating these in our classrooms will be a welcome change, because no matter whatever the system espouses, the mindset and practices of these students are quite aligned to andragogy.

Keywords : Andragogy, Pedagogy, Higher Education, Teacher Education, Methodology.

References :

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  3. Hartree, A. (1984). Malcolm Knowles’ Theory of Andragogy: A Critique, International Journal of Lifelong Education, 3:3, 203-210, DOI: 10.1080/0260137840030304
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How college and university students, who are at the budding stages of their adulthood be taught? Should it be somewhat different from ‘pedagogy’ – a term whose literal meaning implies ‘leading a child’? Can Malcolm Knowles’ theory or model of andragogy – the alternate theory for adult learners - offer some insights? Scholars across the world are debating and carrying out studies to find answer to these questions by various ways. The results when out, will someday bring about a discernible change in the way we approach higher education. However, the extent to which andragogical principles can serve the purpose should not be left to be decided by a teacher when he meets students in the first class. This study done in classrooms of colleges and universities in and around Kolkata tries to ascertain this difficulty level. A modified version of Wolfson’s (1998) ‘Andragogy Difficulty Index’ is used on 183 students sampled incidentally. Findings reveal that from the students’ perspectives, incorporating these in our classrooms will be a welcome change, because no matter whatever the system espouses, the mindset and practices of these students are quite aligned to andragogy.

Keywords : Andragogy, Pedagogy, Higher Education, Teacher Education, Methodology.

Paper Submission Last Date
28 - February - 2026

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