What Is Adult Learning Theory & How to Apply Its Principles (2025)

TL;DR – The Adult Learning Theory (Andragogy) In The Modern E-Learning Age
Adult learning theory, also called andragogy, was coined by Malcolm Knowles in the 1960s to explain how adults learn differently from children. He argued that adults bring life experience, need relevance, and value autonomy in learning.

6 Principles of the Adult Learning Theory (Andragogy)
Principle #1: Need to Know – Adults want to understand why they are learning something before they commit to it.
Principle #2: Self-Concept – Adults see themselves as self-directed and prefer control over their learning journey.
Principle #3: Prior Experience – Adults bring a wealth of experience that should be acknowledged and used in the learning process.
Principle #4: Readiness to Learn – Adults are more motivated when learning is relevant to their current roles or life situations.
Principle #5: Orientation to Learning – Adults prefer practical, problem-solving approaches rather than abstract theories.
Principle #6: Motivation to Learn – Internal drivers (growth, satisfaction, achievement) are stronger motivators than external rewards.

Practical Tips for Edupreneurs Creating Courses & Coaching Programs
1. Give choices → Let learners pick modules, formats, or pace.
2. Use case studies & stories → Ground content in real-world scenarios.
3. Set clear outcomes → Define what success looks like at the start.
4. Make it hands-on → Replace theory-heavy lectures with exercises, projects, or roleplays.
5. Encourage peer learning → Use discussions, group work, or communities.
6. Acknowledge experience → Invite learners to share insights and apply prior knowledge.
7. Show quick wins → Build momentum with early results to keep motivation high.

Try Thinkific for Free – an excellent platform to apply all these principles to your e-learning programs.

I recently heard Nathan Barry (the founder of Kit) say that modern careers could be as short as 10 months. 

While that might sound extreme, I agree with the thought behind it: career lives are getting shorter by the day.

AI and technology have disrupted almost every industry. Career paths are shrinking, and the skills that once lasted decades now become outdated in just a few years. 

That’s why lifelong learning is no longer a passion project or a “nice to have.” It’s a survival skill.

For edupreneurs, this shift is a massive opportunity. 

Your audience, primarily adult professionals well into their careers, now has a compelling reason to continue learning. 

But teaching adults isn’t the same as teaching kids. Adults bring their own experiences, motivations, and challenges to the table.

That’s where adult learning theory comes in. 

By understanding Malcolm Knowles’ principles of andragogy from his classic The Adult Learner, you can design courses and programs that meet adults where they are, helping them stay relevant, motivated, and ready to act.

In this article, I’ll break down Knowles’ adult learning theory, its core principles, and how you can apply it in your e-learning business to create better learning experiences.

What Is Adult Learning Theory (Andragogy)?

Adult Learning Theory, also known as andragogy, is the idea that adults learn differently from children. It says that adults are self-directed learners who want education to be relevant, practical, and respectful of the knowledge they already have.

Instead of needing constant direction like kids, adults bring their own experiences, motivations, and goals into the learning process.

This theory emerged because traditional teaching models built for schools and younger students didn’t fully apply to adults who were balancing careers, families, and personal ambitions. 

Adults often ask, “Why am I learning this, and how will I use it?” If that question isn’t answered, engagement quickly fades.

At its core, adult learning theory recognizes that grown learners want relevance, autonomy, and respect for the knowledge they already have. 

This shift impacts how courses, workshops, and online programs are designed. It means moving from “teaching facts” to creating practical, problem-solving experiences that adults can immediately connect to their lives or work.

In practice, this changes everything from how we design course content to how we deliver it. Lectures alone rarely cut it. Adults respond better to real-world examples, interactive discussions, and opportunities to apply what they’ve learned right away. 

For educators, coaches, and course creators, this theory provides the foundation for building learning experiences that actually stick.

The rapid pace of change driven by AI and technology means adults are being forced to upskill and reskill continuously. If you want to serve this audience effectively, you need to understand and apply the principles of adult learning theory.

Use an online course platform to create and sell adult learning programs

Who Created the Adult Learning Theory

The Adult Learning Theory, or andragogy, was introduced by Malcolm Knowles in the late 1960s. Knowles was a respected educator, researcher, and practitioner who spent his career studying how adults learn differently from children. 

He served as a professor of adult education at Boston University and worked with countless training programs, community colleges, and organizations.

Knowles argued that adults aren’t just “big children” in classrooms. They bring life experiences, self-direction, and specific goals into any learning environment. 

His work quickly reshaped how universities, corporate training programs, and professional educators designed their teaching. 

In fact, much of what we now consider standard in adult education—like self-paced learning, problem-solving activities, and real-world application—can be traced back to his theory of andragogy.

The Principles of Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory (Andragogy)

When Malcolm Knowles first introduced andragogy, he laid out specific principles that explain why adult learning works the way it does. 

These principles are now widely used in training programs, online courses, and workplace learning.

Here are the six principles of Knowles’ adult learning theory:

1. Need to Know
2. Self-Concept
3. Prior Experience
4. Readiness to Learn
5. Orientation to Learning
6. Motivation to Learn

Let’s look at each one in more detail.

Principle #1: Adults Need to Know Why

Knowles’ first principle of adult learning theory is simple but powerful: adults need to know why they’re learning something before they fully commit. 

Unlike children, who may accept instruction because a teacher or parent tells them to, adults constantly ask themselves, “What’s in it for me?” 

If that question isn’t answered, they quickly disengage.

This seems obvious, but it’s one of the easiest mistakes to make when creating or delivering learning products. 

Too often, we jump straight into the “what” of our content without clearly connecting it to the learner’s goals. As a result, even valuable material can feel irrelevant.

The real challenge is to keep reinforcing the “why” throughout the learning experience. Don’t just mention it during your promotions or in the course introduction. 

Make a point of tying each lesson back to the outcomes your learners care about: What positive change will they experience? What results will they achieve by applying this knowledge? And, just as importantly, encourage learners to make those connections themselves.

As Ellen Langer points out in The Power of Mindful Learning:

“There are two ways a teacher can make facts or ideas seem personally important… The most common approach is to shape or interpret ideas so that their relation to the lives, interests, and curiosities of the majority of students is readily apparent… The second approach is to change students’ attitudes toward the material, that is, to teach students to make the material meaningful to themselves.”

That second approach is where the real transformation happens. When learners find their own “why,” they don’t just consume content; they change because of it.

Principle #2: Adults See Themselves as Self-Directed

Knowles’ second principle is that adults have a strong self-concept of being responsible for their own decisions. In other words, they want to be seen and treated as self-directed learners, not as passive students waiting to be told what to do.

This principle always reminds me of the poet William Butler Yeats’ famous line: “Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.” 

Adults don’t want you to simply pour information into them. They want to explore, make choices, and connect the learning to their own goals and motivations.

That’s why long lectures or endless PowerPoint slides often fall flat. 

Adults engage more deeply when you give them options, whether that’s choosing between video, audio, or text formats, deciding how to interact with you (structured coaching vs. on-demand Q&A), or having access to discussion forums and resource libraries where they can dig deeper on their own.

When you create opportunities for self-direction, you’re empowering learners to follow their own motivations. And the more they feel that ownership, the more valuable and lasting the learning experience becomes.

Principle #3: Learners Bring Rich Experiences to the Table

Knowles’ third principle of adult learning theory is that learners bring a wealth of experience to the table, and this experience should be treated as a valuable resource. 

Adults don’t start from scratch; they come with years of knowledge, skills, and personal stories that can make learning richer for everyone. That’s why it’s a mistake for an instructor or coach to act like the sole authority in the room. 

A more effective approach is to create space for learners to share what they know, reflect on past challenges, and connect new ideas to real-life situations they’ve already faced. 

In an online setting, this could mean encouraging participants to post their biggest struggles in a community forum or asking them to share success stories during a live session. 

Not only does this make the learning process more interactive, but it also gives you insight into what matters most to your audience, helping you shape future content around their real needs.

Principle #4: Adult Learn When Knowledge Is Relevant

Knowles pointed out that one of the strongest motivators for adults is relevance. If something doesn’t connect to their current job, responsibilities, or personal goals, most adults won’t bother investing time in it.

That’s why relevance is critical. 

We prefer learning that we can use right away. Something that makes our work easier, our personal lives better, or our goals more achievable. 

To support this, build in exercises and activities that encourage learners to tie lessons back to their own situations. Give them checklists, worksheets, and practical tools they can immediately apply.

But here’s the nuance: relevance isn’t always about the purely practical. 

Sometimes, adults are drawn to learning because it feeds their identity or sense of self-worth. For example, someone might want to understand classical music not because it helps at work but because it supports the image of being a cultured person. 

Principle #5: Adults Want Practical Knowledge

Knowles’ fifth principle is that adults are life-centered (or task-centered, or problem-centered) in their orientation to learning. 

Unlike children, who may study subjects for the sake of curiosity or school requirements, adults usually engage with learning because they need it to solve a problem, complete a task, or make a meaningful change in their lives.

Think about it: once you’re balancing a mortgage, work deadlines, and family responsibilities, your patience for “knowing stuff just to know it” is limited. If you’re curious, you can just Google it. But if you’re investing your time and attention into a course, you expect it to help you do something tangible.

That’s why effective adult learning goes beyond information delivery. It’s about application. 

Case studies are a classic example. Business schools like Harvard use them because they connect theory with real-world decisions. You can do the same in your courses:

• Design short assignments that let learners apply concepts in their own context.
• Use simulations, scenarios, or role plays that mimic real-life situations.
• Don’t avoid testing—when framed as practice, it reinforces the problem-solving approach.

When you treat your content as a tool learners can immediately use, you transform it from “just more information” into meaningful, practical knowledge that sticks.

Principle #6: Tap Implicit Motivation

Adults respond far more strongly to internal motivators, things like job satisfaction, self-esteem, mastery, and quality of life, than to external motivators such as promotions, bonuses, or certificates.

As Dan Pink explains in Drive, material rewards and empty titles only go so far. What really fuels lasting engagement is when you connect with the learner’s inner drive, their sense of purpose, their need for growth, and their vision of a better future.

This is why it’s not enough to rely on surface-level incentives. You need to uncover the aspirations and emotions that push learners forward. 

That starts with going back to the “why” (see Principle #1). Why does this learning matter to them personally? How does it fit into their bigger goals?

In Leading the Learning Revolution, I emphasized the importance of listening before, during, and after the learning experience.

When you listen carefully, you discover the deeper motivations that can make the difference between passive participation and true transformation.

Here’s a quick summary of the principles of Andragogy we’ve just discussed, along with examples of their practical application in e-learning and platforms that I’ve seen work for specific actions.

Principle	Description	Use in Modern eLearning	Platform
Need to Know	Adults learn best when they understand why something matters.	Clearly explain outcomes and show real-world applications before each module.	Thinkific (great for structuring learning objectives in courses).
Self-Concept	Adults want autonomy and control over their learning.	Give learners the freedom to choose their own path with optional modules or flexible learning tracks.	Kajabi (lets you bundle courses, coaching, and memberships to allow choice).
Prior Experience	Adults bring life and work experience into learning.	Use discussion boards, peer sharing, and reflection exercises to connect new lessons to their experience.	Circle (perfect for peer-to-peer discussions and experience sharing).
Readiness to Learn	Adults learn when they see an immediate need or benefit.	Create practical, job-relevant lessons that solve current challenges quickly.	TalentLMS (designed for corporate and role-based training).
Orientation to Learning	Adults are problem-centered, not content-centered.	Design lessons around real scenarios, case studies, and problem-solving tasks.	Thinkific (lets you build scenario-based courses with multimedia).
Motivation to Learn	Adults are driven more by internal goals than external rewards.	Use communities, progress tracking, and recognition to keep motivation high.	Mighty Networks (community-driven learning keeps learners engaged).

Use TalentLMS, the best corporate LMS for adult learning programs

Other Major Adult Learning Theories

While Knowles’ andragogy principles give us a strong foundation, they’re not the only way to understand how adults learn. Over the years, other scholars have added layers to the picture—each offering a different angle that either complements or challenges Knowles’ framework.

Experiential Learning (Kolb)

David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory says that adults learn best by cycling through four stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. In other words, doing + reflecting = learning.

This aligns closely with Knowles’ principle of experience as a rich resource but goes deeper by showing how reflection turns experience into insight.

Transformative Learning (Mezirow)

Jack Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory argues that real adult learning happens when people critically reflect on their assumptions and shift their frames of reference. It’s less about skills and more about changing how you see the world.
This goes beyond Knowles’ orientation-to-learning principle. Instead of just solving problems, Mezirow focuses on inner change and mindset shifts—which can sometimes feel at odds with Knowles’ more practical approach.

Self-Directed Learning (Tough, Candy)

Allen Tough and Philip Candy emphasized that adults often take charge of their own learning projects, choosing what, how, and when to learn without formal teachers.

This clearly aligns with Knowles’ principle of self-concept, where adults see themselves as responsible for their own learning journey.

Constructivist Approaches

Constructivist thinkers (like Vygotsky, Piaget, and later adult educators) argue that adults build meaning socially, through dialogue, collaboration, and context—not just individually.

This complements Knowles’ principles but challenges the idea that learning is mostly self-directed. Instead, it stresses that meaning is co-created, not just discovered alone.

Many practitioners treat these theories as checklists: “add reflection,” “make it transformative,” “let them self-direct.” That oversimplifies the real challenge—understanding when each lens fits. In practice, these theories often overlap, and the best learning experiences borrow selectively from each.

Andragogy vs. Pedagogy | The Main Differences

When people talk about adult learning, they often contrast it with how children learn. That’s where the terms andragogy (adult learning) and pedagogy (child-focused teaching) come in.

Both have value, but they’re built on very different assumptions about the learner. If you’re building courses for adults, it’s worth understanding how these two approaches differ, so you can design your content with the right mindset.

Aspect	Pedagogy (Children’s Learning)	Andragogy (Adults’ Learning)
Learner’s Role	Dependent on the teacher for guidance, knowledge, and structure	Self-directed, responsible for their own learning
Experience	Limited life experience, rely on teacher and curriculum	Rich personal and professional experiences used as learning resources
Readiness to Learn	Learning is often tied to developmental stages or school requirements	Learning is driven by immediate needs, goals, or challenges in life/work
Orientation	Subject-centered (focused on memorizing and mastering content)	Problem-centered (focused on applying learning to real-life situations)
Motivation	External motivators like grades, approval, or rewards	Internal motivators such as career growth, personal fulfillment, or solving practical problems

How Adults Learn: Principles Edupreneurs Should Remember

When you design for adults, theory only matters if it shows up in practice. Whether you’re building an online course, running a coaching program, or leading a learning community, here are practical ways to apply the principles:

Have a Clear Goal for Your Program

Adults don’t want vague promises. They want a clear A-to-B path: what your course will do, what result it delivers, and why it matters. If you’re teaching marketing, spell it out—“By the end of this, you’ll launch a campaign that attracts your first 100 leads.”

Make It Collaborative

Adults bring experience to the table. Don’t ignore it—use it. Create spaces where learners exchange ideas, challenge each other, and apply lessons in their own context. Collaboration helps them carve their unique learning journey.

Show, Don’t Tell

Lectures alone won’t cut it. Share real-world examples, case studies, and stories that prove your points. When adults see how something works in practice, it sticks far better than abstract theory.

Teach Through Practice

Adults learn best by doing. Assign projects, tasks, or challenges tied to real outcomes. Instead of explaining how to run a coaching session, let them host a short mock session. Learning becomes tangible.

Build a Community

Adults value connection. Encourage peer groups, mastermind sessions, or discussion circles. When learners feel part of a community, they find accountability, purpose, and motivation to keep going.

Read 8 Proven Adult Learning Strategies I’ve Learned Over 3 Decades

Andragogy Still Matters In The Age Of AI And E-Learning

Malcolm Knowles might be amazed at the technology we now have, like online platforms, AI tools, and global communities.

But his core principles still hold true. 

Adults learn best when they have a clear goal, when they can collaborate, when lessons are shown through real-world examples, when they practice through meaningful projects, and when they connect with peers in a community. 

If you’re serious about building programs that don’t just inform but transform, these are the foundations you can’t ignore.

P.S. – A few additional resources:

• If you want to explore adult learning principles further, check out my interview with Harold Stolovitch, author of Telling Ain’t Training – a book every serious course developer should read
• For an even deeper dive into Malcolm Knowles’ principles of adult learning and andragogy, check out An Essential Guide to Andragogy for Learning Businesses on Leading Learning
• Also check out this summary of key points from Make It Stick: The Science of Effective Learning – another must read book for course developers
• Finally, incorporate the practices – and encourage your learners to incorporate the practices -covered in 5 Powerful Lifelong Learning Strategies for Your Toolbox

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What makes adult learning different from teaching children?
Adults bring prior experience, self-direction, and goal-oriented motivation that shape how they learn.

2. Can adult learning theory apply to corporate training programs?
Yes, it’s the foundation of effective workplace learning and professional development.

3. How does prior experience influence adult learning?
It helps adults connect new knowledge to real-world situations, making it stick.

4. Which online course platforms best support adult learning principles?
Thinkific, Kajabi, Circle, Mighty Networks, and TalentLMS all offer tools to apply these principles.

5. Why is self-direction important in adult education?
Because adults learn best when they control their pace, goals, and resources.

6. How can motivation be increased in adult learners?
By tying lessons to personal goals, career outcomes, and practical skills.

7. Do microlearning and short lessons work with adult learning theory?
Yes, they fit adults’ busy schedules and align with readiness and orientation to learning.

8. How does community-based learning support adults?
It gives space for peer learning, discussions, and sharing experiences (great for Circle/Mighty Networks).

9. Is gamification effective for adult learning?
Yes, when tied to real-world outcomes and mastery rather than just points or badges.

10. Can coaching programs use adult learning theory effectively?
Absolutely—coaching naturally uses self-direction, relevance, and motivation to drive results.

Jeff Cobb, Founder of Learning Revolution

Jeff Cobb is an expert in online education and the business of adult lifelong learning. Over the past 20+ years he has built a thriving career based on that expertise – as an entrepreneur, a consultant, an author, and a speaker. Learning Revolution is a place where Jeff curates tips, insights, and resources to help you build a thriving expertise-based business. Learn more about Jeff Cobb here.