What is andragogy and how does it differ from pedagogy

Andragogy is the art and science of helping adults learn, focused on adult learners and their learning context, as opposed to pedagogy, which studies how children learn.

What does WIIFM mean in andragogy

WIIFM stands for "What's In It For Me," the question adult learners always ask themselves to work out the specific benefit of a session before deciding to attend.

Why does a seminar program at an exhibition need varied presentation formats

Because adults have different learning styles and different cultures also tend to learn differently, so a single format rarely suits the whole audience.

What Is Andragogy? Designing Seminars for Adults at Exhibitions

Many seminar areas at exhibitions sit empty, not because the content is bad but because the program design runs against how adults actually learn. Andragogy is the answer to this problem.

What is andragogy

Andragogy is the art and science of helping adults learn, as opposed to pedagogy, the science of how children learn. Andragogy covers learning strategies focused on adult learners and the context surrounding their learning experience.

Core characteristics of adult learners

Several important insights about adult learners should be kept in mind when designing a program:

Adults learn best from other people, especially their peers
Adults want to hear, see and learn from the real experience of friends and colleagues
Adults always ask "What's in it for me?" (WIIFM)
Adults tend to look for information with immediate practical value for work and life
Adults lean toward their own strongest learning style, and different cultures also have different learning styles
Adults bring a lot of life experience to compare, accept or reject new knowledge
Adults tend to direct their own learning and take responsibility for their learning process
Readiness to learn is often triggered by a change, a need to improve knowledge to boost performance or to learn skills for a new role
Adults usually have to add the role of "learner" to an already long list of life roles
Time spent on learning usually has to be traded off against something else

Applying andragogy to seminar program design

For an educational program to fit andragogy theory, the planner needs to make sure:

The session description states clearly the program's value to the learner
The session description weaves in adult learning theory to maximize audience participation
Speakers are encouraged to use a variety of teaching strategies in the presentation
Each session has several presentation formats suited to attendees' different learning styles
The formats are varied, including panels, plenary discussions, live demonstrations, workshops, seminars or small breakout sessions

SMART: the goal-setting framework that goes with andragogy

The goal of each session should follow the SMART framework: Specific (aimed at one particular improvement), Measurable (quantifiable or at least with an indicator of progress), Achievable (stating who and how it will be achieved), Realistic (stating results feasible with the available resources), and Time Specific (stating when the result can be achieved).

Why it matters for exhibitions, not only for topic conferences

Learning areas at exhibitions are increasingly common: interactive workshops, hands-on demonstrations, product stages and themed learning zones are all formats that require a proper understanding of andragogy to design well. Visitors to an exhibition usually have less time than attendees of a dedicated conference, so answering the WIIFM question clearly in the session title and description becomes even more important to get them to stop.

The particular challenge of teaching right on the exhibition floor

Unlike a closed seminar room, a learning area placed on the exhibition floor has to deal with noise from neighboring booths, uneven lighting and a constant flow of people, factors that can break the concentration andragogy theory prizes. So the program designer needs to shorten each session to 15-30 minutes instead of an hour as at a topic conference, and favor formats that let visitors stand and listen and come and go freely, instead of requiring fixed seating throughout.

Choose speakers who suit adult learners

A speaker who is strong on expertise but just reads slides will struggle to hold visitors past a few minutes. Because adults learn best from peers and real-life experience, the right speaker for a learning area at an exhibition is one who can tell real field stories and invite the audience to answer or practice directly, instead of presenting one-way theory for the whole session.