If you are looking for different ways to help employees grow and develop, a proactive approach to learning, where employees are equipped to guide their own growth, is Heutagogy.
This is a self-determined form of learning, where the focus moves away from structured instruction to empowering individual employees to take control of their own development. So with this in mind, let’s start by looking at the question of what is Heutagogy.
What Is Heutagogy?
Heutagogy is a term that was first used by Hase and Kenyon in 2000, and the term was used to refer to how learning extends beyond pedagogy (teacher-led learning) and andragogy (adult learning) to focus on learner autonomy and self-determination.
In Heutagogical learning, learners are far more active in the shaping of how they learn, what they learn and the manner in which they go about it and then evaluate it.
Some of the key principles of Heutagogy are:
- Learner autonomy: The freedom to set personal learning goals.
- Self-reflection: Continuous assessment and adaptation of one’s learning strategies.
- Flexibility: Acknowledging that learning pathways are non-linear and adaptable.
The Difference Between Andragogy and Heutagogy
If you are looking for one sentence that explains the differences between Heutagogy vs Andragogy then:
- Andragogy is about how adult learners can be guided in a structured way to achieve specific goals.
- Heutagogy on the other hand is about empowering the learner to set their own goals and methods, so that they experience a deeper autonomy over their own learning and are able to be more adaptable.
Both approaches are extremely useful, but Heutagogy is especially useful in environments where the ability to use agility and innovation, are useful and this in fact matches many workplaces today.
Andragogy
Andragogy (also known as Adult Learning Theory) provides us with an understanding of how learning for adults is different from the way in which children learn.
Children generally speaking have little life experience and tend to be far more open to learning without any engrained motivation.
Adults on the other hand tend to have much more experience and this means that as adults we have more great motivation to learn certain things that matter to us.
Furthermore, we bring with us a lot of life experience and this helps to shape what and how we learn it.
Key Characteristics:
- Learner-Centred but Guided: While we are willing learners as adults, this approach suggests that we still use a training facilitator approach (i.e. using trainer guides).
- Focus on Problem-Solving: The emphasis is usually on applying knowledge to solve real-world problems, especially for workplace learning.
- Structured Learning: Learning paths are set with clear aims and objectives.
- Dependence on Experience: The person learning builds on their past knowledge and experiences to understand new concepts.
Example: At work, a trainer might lead a workshop where participants discuss and solve workplace challenges using structured materials.
Heutagogy
Heutagogy moves the learning away from being instructor-led, as in andragogy, to focus instead on self-determined learning.
This concept pushes the emphasis onto the learner, giving them complete autonomy over what they choose to learn, the way in which they go about learning it, and how they structure the training, and evaluate the success (or not) of the learning (as discussed earlier).
Key Characteristics:
- Completely Learner-Driven: The learner is fully in control of their learning experience and journey.
- Emphasize Skill Building: Learners apply knowledge and skills in new and unfamiliar situations.
- Non-Linear Learning Paths: Recognizes that learning is dynamic and often follows unpredictable and fluid routes.
- Reflection and Adaptability: Encourages self-assessment, critical reflection, and iterative learning.
Example: In the office, an employee might use existing literature and training materials to independently explore topics that interest them, before then setting their own aims and objectives and undertaking the learning journey.
In conclusion to the common question of the differences between Heutagogy vs Andragogy, Heutagogy more than anything, allows for much greater freedom on the part of the learner.
How to Implement Heutagogy in the Workplace
If you are a manager or HR team, then being aware of and adopting a Heutagogy approach might mean a shift in mindset.
So how do you permit employees and managers to learn?
To start allowing staff to use a Heutagogy approach to learning, here are some steps you might want to implement:
1. Develop a Workplace Culture of Autonomy
- Encourage employees to think about and identify their own learning aims and objectives.
- Provide them with opportunities to pursue areas of interest relevant to their roles, with the time to do so (and funding costs such as for books and materials if funds exist).
2. Facilitate a Heutagogy Approach
- Move away from providing traditional training to making employees aware of the self-learning opportunities.
- Consider making such information known on your company’s Intranet website if you have one.
3. Encourage Reflective Practices
- Use self-assessments and feedback loops to help employees evaluate their learning progress.
- Encourage discussions on how new knowledge applies to real-world scenarios.
4. Promote Collaborative Learning
- Foster peer-to-peer learning through workshops, team projects, or mentoring programs.
5. Use Technology
- Use learning management systems including via the likes of Udemy, and other e-learning platforms
- Incorporate microlearning modules and gamified learning experiences to engage employees.
Challenges of Implementing a Heutagogy Learning Model
Having asked what is Heutagogy, looked at Heutagogy vs Andragogy, and how to implement Heutagogy, we should also include mention of the disadvantages of using a Heutagogy approach to learning.
As a learning model, it certainly offers many great benefits. As with most things though, there are some challenges too and these are as follows:
- Resistance to change: Some employees will be hesitant and resistant to taking charge of their learning. Providing clear guidance and information can greatly help.
- Matching autonomy with the Company’s goals: It is of course essential to match self-learning with the company’s goals, especially if the company time and other resources are being used. While a Heutagogy form of learning might be used, it might still nonetheless be necessary for what is being learned to be cross-checked such as by a manager or HR team to check that the learning matches the needs in some way, of the company.
Heutagogy Examples
Numerous companies already use Heutagogy very successfully and some examples of it in use are as follows:
- Jayne, a travel marketer in a large tour operator, on talking with others during a travel conference, realised that TikTok is massive for attracting younger and new clients to the business. Jayne asked her boss for permission to allocate self-directed learning time to learning about Tiktok marketing, which she did do so through Udemy and through another set of online tutorials, using microlearning. Jayne now manages the TikTok account for her company.
- A global shoe manufacturer implemented self-directed learning paths, and this resulted in a 40% increase in employee engagement in terms of the requests and desire for employees to be involved with their training programs.
- A travel agency chain started offering self-directed learning and while it took a little time to get it working (i.e. to align the self-directed learning to match the travel agency’s needs too), the scheme to offer Heutagogy learning is now very successful.
What are the Benefits of Heutagogy
You might have already guessed many of the benefits from reading the information above but let’s just list a few of these benefits below:
1. Encourages Learner Autonomy – Heutagogy is a wonderful way to encourage staff to take more control and it can really empower them as employees and help them to be more motivated.
2. More Direct Interest – Whilst there is often a need to align the learning with the company’s needs, the employee can greatly influence the learning topic and this really helps the employee to be much more motivated and also to often feel much happier in the place they work.
3. Great Adaptability and Resilience – Heutagogy helps learners become more adaptable in the face of change because they become more used to developing their own strategy for working through problem-solving, and using and developing knowledge to match their and the company’s needs.
4. Helps to Promote Lifelong Learning – Heutagogy is also very useful for helping employees develop a growth mindset where they seek continuous learning opportunities and a sense of curiosity.
5. Can Aid Real-World Application – With Heutagogy, learner-driven goals are important and this aligns with the practical skills and knowledge required in real-world scenarios.
6. Helps Build Confidence – When learners have the chance to set their own aims and objectives and assess their own progress, they inevitably gain a better sense of accomplishment and confidence in their abilities.
7. Helps Company Innovation and Creativity – Heutagogical learning also helps generate a culture of innovation and creativity in the workplace, because employees become more proactive and engaged in looking for new ways to contribute and improve.
8. Cost-Effective and Scalable – A very valuable benefit of Heutagogy learning that should not be ignored is that it can also oftentimes be a very cost-effective use of resources in terms of time and money. The cost saved from hiring a trainer or renting a classroom can be significant.
Paul is Co-Founder of Symonds Research and is a qualified researcher with a PhD in wayfinding. Paul helps the team at Symonds Research build and focus on providing high-quality training materials packages and programs for trainers, classroom teachers and HR departments.