The Power of Practical Andragogues

A Study of Educator-Learner-Developer Input in Creating Tertiary Online Learning Resources in Management Education

Andrew Creed, Lecturer, Bowater School of Management and Marketing, Faculty of Business and Law, P.O. Box 423, Deakin University, Warrnambool, 3280. Email: acreed@deakin.edu.au

Keywords

andragogy, andragogues, management, education, educator, learner, developer, resources, learning, pedagogy, online, production, process, publishing, teaching, development, theoretical, practical, constructivism, instructional, design, practical

Abstract

In the tertiary education environment, educators might assume or suggest they should have the most significant influence over the way andragogical theory is translated into online education products. The continuing growth of online education indicates a need to be sure we understand who really does have the greatest influence in this area. This paper introduces a model of the broader development process of online learning resources and the ways educators, learners and resource developers interact in the process. It reveals a backbone of practical andragogy which is currently dominated by resource developers due to their central technological translational expertise. There are implications in this for learners, educators and contractors/financiers of online education products. Understanding the development process reveals at least one critical bearing point where few but the resource developers have andragogical input. This paper examines and analyses the educator-learner-developer triad through the lens of four case study organisations actively applying andragogy in the development of management learning resources in an online format.