The use of the term “andragogy” to mean education of adults and the term “pedagogy” to mean education of children is etymologically inaccurate. Although pedagogy derives from “pais,” meaning child, from antiquity pedagogy also has stood for education in general–without reference to learners’ ages. Andragogy derives from “aner,” meaning adult male and not adult of either sex. Given current efforts to purge English of sexist words, introduction of a term that excludes women is nonsensical. A new term based on the Greek could be coined. “Teleios,” not aner, is the Greek word for the English “adult.” Andragogy could be replaced by “teleiagogy,” a term ‘-.11,… includes adults of both sexes. (YLB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH CENTER Project Number Twenty-Nine ANDRAGOGY AND PEDAGOGY: A Comment on Their Erroneous Usage Popie M. Mohring January 1989 university of minnesota DEPARTMENT OF VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ST. PAUL MINNESOTA U S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Otfce of Educational Research and Improvement ED7ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) sp! ‘Ms doCument r.as been reproduced as received horn the person or organtrabon orromatmg 4 0 PAnor changes have been made to improve revoduchon cwahty pomds 01 new or oprvons slated ovINSdocu meet do not necesSahly represent othvall
