Malcolm S. Knowles

“The Accidental Andragogue”Ron Eicher

CAE 213March 17, 2012

Malcolm Knowles

A Biographical Journey:

Key individuals and eventsin the life of

Malcolm S. Knowles

Malcolm KnowlesA biographical journey…

• Born 1913; grew up in Missoula, Montana

• Good parents

• Studied at Harvard

• Intended to work for the Foreign Service

• Met his wife (Hulda) at Harvard

Cyril O .Houle

Hulda?

Malcolm KnowlesA biographical journey…

• 1934: graduated from Harvard

• Enrolled in Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

• Applied for job with State Department

• Three year wait for entry.

• Married in 1935; needed job

• Joined the new National Youth Administration (NYA)

NYA parade float

Malcolm KnowlesA biographical journey…

• Met Eduard Lindeman (supervised NYA

training program)

• Mentored by Lindeman

• Knowles: “The thing I remember most

vividly about this first encounter was the

intensity with which Lindeman listened to

me; his facial expression and eyes were a

classic study in concentration” (MAE 8). Eduard Lindeman

Malcolm KnowlesA biographical journey…

• 1943: Drafted into the Navy

• Read widely about adult education

• 1946: Left navy and pursued master’s at the

University of Chicago

• Took job at Central Chicago YMCA: Director of

Adult Education

Carl Rogers

Malcolm KnowlesA biographical journey…

• Early in master's program attended a seminar

about group counseling “It was exhilarating. I

began to sense what it means to get ‘turned on’

to learning. I began to think about what it

means to be a facilitator of learning rather than

a teacher” (MAE 14).

Malcolm KnowlesA biographical journey…

• Worked at YMCA full-time (1946- 1960)

• 1949: earned master’s

• 1950: Published first book (thesis) Informal Adult

Education

• Executive Director of Adult Education Association (AEA)

• 1960: earned Ph. D.

• Launched graduate program in AE at Boston University

• Nearly resigned after first year

Malcolm KnowlesA biographical journey…

• Spent 14 years in Boston

• Produced two key texts during this time:

• The Modern Practice of Adult Education (1970)

• The Adult Learner (1973)

Malcolm KnowlesA biographical journey…

• 1974: Moved to North Carolina State University

• Established graduate AE program and taught

his favorite courses “totally on the andragogical

model” (21).

• Retired from NC State in 1979

Malcolm KnowlesAugust 24, 1913-November 27, 1997

“As an Andagogue, he educated with his whole being. He touched my soul.” (Henshcke 3)

Socio-cultural Context

• Knowles graduated from Harvard in 1934 during

the Great Depression

• World War II

• GI Bill

• 49% of all college students were veterans

in 1947 (gibill.com)

1930’s and 40’s

Socio-cultural Context

• The “Golden Age”

• Korean War

• Space Race

• Color TV, Disneyland, Elvis, Everest and…!

1950’s

Contribution to Adult Learning

• Popularized self-directed learning (andragogy)

• Major influence on the development of adult education theory in USA

• Development of NYA and YMCA training programs

• Development of AE graduate programs (Boston Univ., NC State)

• Executive director of Adult Education Association (AEA)

• Authored key texts:

• Informal Adult Education

• The Modern Practice of Adult Education,

• The Adult Learner

• Principles of Adult Teaching (1948):1. The students should understand and subscribe to the purposes of the

course.

2. The students should want to learn.

3. There should be a friendly and informal climate in the learning situation.

4. Physical conditions should be favorable.

5. The students should participate and should accept some responsibility for the learning process.

6. Learning should be related to and should make use of the students’ experience.

7. The teacher should know his subject matter

8. The teacher should be enthusiastic about his subject and about teaching it .

9. Students should be able to learn at their own pace.

“Whatagogy?”Knowles’ commitment to life-long learning

“Whatagogy?”

• Principles of Adult Teaching (1948):10. The student should be aware of his own progress and should have a sense of

accomplishment.

11. The methods of instruction should be varied.

12. The teacher should have a sense of growth.

13. The teacher should have a flexible plan for the course (MAE 75,76).

• “I had not yet arrived at a coherent and comprehensive theory of adult learning” (MAE 76).

• 1967: Knowles is introduced to the term “andragogy” (MAE 78).

Knowles’ commitment to life-long learning

• (Knowles, 1989): “I have been busier since I retired

than I ever was while holding a full-time job, but it has

been a period of expansive growth. I have met

hundreds of able, smart, and nice people all over the

country and the world, and I have learned more from

them than they have from me” (24).

“Whatagogy?”Knowles’ commitment to life-long learning

Relating Knowles to CAE 213 Material

• Knowles’ ideas are why courses like this one exist.

• Self-directed, participatory learning (e.g.- this presentation!)

• Learning contracts

• On a larger scale:

• Cooperative Extension

• TEE

• HRD

• YMCA

• Peace Corps

”I am not OK; and you are not OK;but Jesus can fix us both!”

(WHH?)

References

Corbett, Steve and Brian Fikkert. When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor and Yourself. Chicago:

Moody P., 2009. Print.

Henschke, J. A. "Reflections on Experiences of Learning with Malcolm Shepherd Knowles," New Horizons Online Journal in Adult

Education and Human Resources Development, Vol. 22: No.3 I 4, Pp. 44-52, SulFa 2008.

Kness, Ron. “60 Dollars and a Train Ticket Home: Looking Back at Veteran Education Benefits.” Gibill. 29 July, 2010. Web. 15 April, 2012. Knowles, Malcolm. The Making of an Adult Educator: An Autobiographical Journey. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass P. , 1989. Print.