A Survey on Andragogy Principles for Web Based Instruction in Malaysia Higher Education

Abstract

University’s lecturers need to focus on learning theory in the design of instruction so
that they can create lessons that are not only technology effectiveness but also are
meaningful from the learner’s perspectives. The appropriate learning theory that
web-based developers should consider in designing web-based learning for
university’s students is Andragogy since it describes the approach based on selfdirected
learning theory. This research reports on a research project that
investigated the andragogical assumptions preferred by pre-service teachers in
Malaysia for online learning. Andragogical assumptions by Knowles (1984) are
based on six aspects, which are Learners need to know, Learners self concept, Role
of learners' experience, Readiness to learn, Learning Orientation, and Motivation to
learn. To gather the data, questionnaires were distributed among 432 pre-service
teachers in three educational institutions in Malaysia and descriptive analyses have
been conducted. Samples of this study were selected using cluster randomized
sampling technique. The findings showed that majority of the pre-service teachers in
this study agreed on four Andragogical Assumptions, which were Learners need to
know, Readiness to learn, Learning Orientation, and Motivation to learn. However,
they were somewhat agreed on the other two assumptions; Learners self concept and
Role of learners' experience. In terms of web-based design elements, most of the
respondents agreed on the principles of information and interaction design. Though
they somewhat agreed on the interface design of web-based instruction. The
findings have implications for educators involved in designing online learning
applications. They have to consider such student preference when planning teaching
and learning activities.

Full text

Proceedings ascilite Melbourne 2008: Full paper: Tasir, Md Noor, Harun, Ismail 1022
A survey on online teaching preference among pre-
service teachers in Malaysia : Andragogy vs pedagogy
Zaidatun Tasir, Norah Md Noor,
Jamalludin Harun, and Nurul Syazwani Ismail
Faculty of Education, University of Technology Malaysia
This paper reports on a research project that investigated the pedagogical and/or
andragogical orientation preferred by pre-service teachers in Malaysia for online learning..
To gather the data, questionnaires were distributed among 433 pre-service teachers in three
educational institutions in Malaysia and descriptive analyses have been conducted. The
findings showed that majority of the pre-service teachers in this study stay under Stage 2 in
the four stages of learning development. This means that the respondents had high
preference for pedagogical as well as andragogical learning orientations. The findings have
implications for educators involved in designing online learning applications. They have to
consider such student preference when planning teaching and learning activities.
Introduction
Internet or the “web” (world wide web) has been widely used as a source of information and increasingly
used as a learning tool to support formal programmes. Currently, it has becoming increasingly popular in
higher education including Malaysia. as a means of delivering online learning programmes or Web-based
learning (WBL). Both students and instructors gain significant benefits from Web-based learning because
of its potential that offers huge opportunities for learning and access to a vast amount of knowledge and
information.
The first step in designing a web based course is to identify learners’ needs and whether the learners are
to be considered as part of a group or as individual learners. The web can be a useful tool for bringing
isolated learners together in “virtual” groups—for example, through a discussion forum (Judy McKimm
et. al, 2003).
Even though the World Wide Web provides new opportunities to deliver instruction over the Internet
among university students, some researchers have expressed concerns about its effectiveness. Some
educators attempt to create Web pages from texts and lecture notes. Although the presentation will be
interesting with the incorporation of sound, graphics, animation and video (multimedia elements), the
students are not given sufficient instruction on how to think critically about the presented content.
Newer technologies such as computers and video conferencing are not necessarily better (or
worse) for teaching or learning than older technologies . . . they are just different . . . The
choice of technology should be driven by the needs of the learners and the context in which
we are working, not by its novelty. (Bates AW, 1995)
Moreover, the situation becomes more difficult when appropriate teaching approaches suitable for
university students are absent. According to Fidishun (2000), university lecturers need to focus on
learning theory in the design of instructional technology so that they can construct lessons that are not
only technology-effective but that are significant from the learner’s perspective.
Learning orientation which considers the impact of emotions, intentions, will to success, and social
factors on learning are considered useful when working with online students. This is because, each
individual learn differently (Diane, 2006).
The learning orientation that web-based developers might consider in designing web-based learning for
university students is Andragogy. It is the art and science of helping adults to learn (Knowles et. al, 1998)
including university’s students where Knowles (1980) defined adulthood as “the point at which
individuals perceive themselves to be essentially self-directing”.

Proceedings ascilite Melbourne 2008: Full paper: Tasir, Md Noor, Harun, Ismail 1023
In an andragogical orientation, learners freely choose their learning goals and make independent decisions
about what, how and when they want to learn. It is based on assumptions that learners are self-directed,
have the capacity to make decisions for them, and have a range of life experiences that impact on their
learning (Knowles, 1990; Choy & Delahaye, 2003).
Most Malaysian university students are 18 years old and above. Student Teachers in Malaysia’s
Educational Institution mostly enter directly from high school. However, there are some who already
gained a certificate or diploma in various fields but wish to further their study by gaining a teacher’s
certificate. These create a range of ages in the educational institution from 18 to more than 40 years old.
Furthermore, the final year Student Teachers will be at least 22 years old which can be considered as
adult (Ibrahim, 1997).
Therefore, an appropriate learning approach such as Andragogy should be considered in their teaching
and learning, including web-based instruction (Gibbons & Wentworth, 2001). Andragogy describes the
instructional approach based on self-directed learning theory while Pedagogy describes the traditional
instructional approach based on teacher-directed learning theory (Knowles, 1980). The sixth learner’s
assumptive differences between Pedagogy and Andragogy can be seen as follows. (See Table 1).
Table 1: Differences between Andragogical and Pedagogical Assumptions
Assumptions
Pedagogical Model
Andragogical Model
Learners Need to know
Learners need to know what the
teacher tells them.
Learner need to know why something is
important prior to learning it.
Learner’s self concept
Learner has a dependent personality.
Learners are responsible for their own
decisions. (Increasingly self-directed)
Role of the learner’s
experience
The learner’s experience is of little
worth. (To be built on more than used
as a resource)
The learner’s experience has great
importance.
Readiness to learn.
Learners become ready to learn what
the teacher requires. (Uniform by age-
level & curriculum)
Learners become ready to learn when they
see content as relevant to their lives.
Orientation to learning
Learners expect subject centered
content.
Learners expect life centered content (Task-
or problem-centered)
Motivation
Learners are motivated by external
rewards and punishment
Learners are motivated primarily by internal
forces (incentives curiosity)
Source: Knowles, M.S. (1998) The Adult Learner,Houston: Gulf Publishing& Knowles, M.S. (1992). Applying
principles of adult learning in conference presentations. Adult Learning, 4(1), p. 12.
However, research conducted by Delahaye, Limerick, and Hearn (1994) found that learners could be two
dimensional, utilizing both pedagogical and andragogical principles at the same time. Delahaye,
Limerick, and Hearn (1994) had injected the finding of the orthogonal association between andragogy and
pedagogy of their research into the work of Stuart and Holmes (1982). They formed a model of four
stages of learning as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Four stages of learning (Source: Delahaye, Limerick, and Hearn, 1994)

Proceedings ascilite Melbourne 2008: Full paper: Tasir, Md Noor, Harun, Ismail 1024
Stage 1 in the learning model represents the interpretation of pedagogy orientation model while Stage 3
describes that of andragogy learning orientation. Stages 2 may be visualized as a partial stage where
student prefer pedagogical as well as andragogical orientations to study. Stage 4 may be best visualized as
only involving the learner without the assistance of a teacher or facilitator (Choy and Delahaye , 2003)
The orthogonal relationship of pedagogy and andragogy grants an opportunity for new learning
orientations and instructional strategies, especially in the online learning area. Research done by Choy
and Delahaye (2002) among 266 young people aged 17 -24 years and enrolled in VET programs indicated
that youth preferred pedagogical as well as andragogical practices. Choy and Delahaye (2003) also found
that youths (aged 18 to 24) were surface learners with low readiness for self-directed learning but prefer a
combination of structured and unstructured learning. They suggest youth learners are at Stage 2 in the
four stages of learning development.
Objectives
Consistent with the above statements, this article aimed to identify the andragogy or pedagogy orientation
based on the Knowles (1998) six learners assumptions (Learners need to know, Learners Self Concept,
Readiness to learn, Role of learners' experience, Learning Orientation and Motivation to learn) that suit
pre-service teachers in Malaysian Educational Institutions.
Sample
Participants were 433 pre-service teachers in their final year of studies in the academic year 2007-2008 in
three educational institutions in Malaysia. Samples were chosen randomly by using the cluster sampling
method. The size of each sample was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) sample size
determination table. The majority of participants (68.5%) were female which reflected the demographic
of the entire cohort of final-year pre-service teachers in Malaysia. Most participants were 21 to 25 years
old (48.4%) followed by 25 – 30 years (38.4%) since most Malaysian students enter university by the age
of 18 years and usually at the final year they will be at least 22 years old.
Instrument
A survey using a 5 point scale (1= Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3= Medium Agreement, 4 = Agree, 5
= Strongly Agree) was used to collect data for this research. The instrument consists of 30 items to
investigate the orientation of pedagogy or andragogy preferred by the pre-service teacher.
Of the 30 items in the survey, 15 are andragogically oriented and 15 have a pedagogical orientation based
on the six learner’s assumptions by Knowles (1998); Learners need to know, Learners Self Concept,
Readiness to learn, Role of learners' experience, Learning Orientation and Motivation to learn. The
Cronbach Alpha for this instrument was 0.865. Refer Table 2 and 3 for the sample of items in the survey
instrument
Table 2: Some of the items under andragogical orientation
Item Number
Question
10
I can draft the implementation process to produce a better assignment
without waiting to be told how to do it
12
I prefer teaching and learning process that connect with my own prior
knowledge/experiences
Table 3: Some of the items under the pedagogical orientation
Item Number
Question
11
I have less experience in comprehending this subject that leads me to
depend entirely on the guidance from the lecturer
5
I would prefer if the lecturer could substantiate with sufficient examples
during lessons.

Proceedings ascilite Melbourne 2008: Full paper: Tasir, Md Noor, Harun, Ismail 1025
Findings
All questionnaires were collected directly by the researcher to ensure confidentiality. Data were then
analyzed systematically by using SPSS software (Statistical Packages for Social Science) version 12.0.
Pre-service Teacher preferences for each andragogy or pedagogy assumption were determined according
to the Table 4 below:
Table 4: Categorization of pre-service teacher preference level according to mean score
Total Score
Pre-services teacher preference level
1.00 – 3.99
Low
4.00 – 5.00
High
1. Pedagogy aspect
The finding among the final year pre-services teachers shows that the means of five assumptions on their
pedagogical principles are high (more than 4.00). The overall mean for the pedagogical aspect of the pre-
service teacher preference was also high (mean = 4.3). The only assumption that gained a mean value of
less than 4.00 was Learners Self Concept (mean = 3.7). Refer Table 5.
Table 5: Descriptive statistics: Pedagogy aspect
Assumption
Description
Mean
SD
1
Learners Need to Know – what to learn
4.4780
0.53492
2
Learners Self Concept – Dependent
3.7168
0.73440
3
Learners Experience – Built up during learning
4.0205
0.53595
4
Readiness to Learn – set by educators
4.4708
0.61191
5
Learning Orientation – Subject oriented
4.4324
0.61340
6
Extrinsic Motivation
4.5643
0.58812
Overall Mean
4.3008
0.38686
Self concept assumption for student under the pedagogical orientation state that student is dependent
learners. However, the finding shows that the Pedagogical Self Concept among the final year pre-service
teachers is low. This means that their self concept had progressed to become self-directed learners.
Other Pedagogical assumptions based on these findings are high. These mean that the final year pre-
services teacher still believe that their lecturers knew best which knowledge should be acquired. They
need to gain a new experience, learning is a priority, the assessment set by the lecturers should just
involve what has been learned and high grades will assure them of a secure job.
2. Andragogy aspect
The finding among the final year pre-services teachers’ shows that the means of all five assumptions on
their andragogical principles are also high with mean more than 4.00. Learners Self Concept is the only
assumption that gained a mean value of less than 4.00 (mean = 3.73). The overall mean for the
andragogical aspect of the pre-service teacher preferences was 4.21. Refer Table 4.
Table 4 : Descriptive statistics: Andragogy aspect
Assumption
Description
Mean
SD
1
Learners Need to Know – why learning
4.3805
.50434
2
Learners Self Concept – Independent
3.7315
.58272
3
Learners Experience – Source of Learning
4.3148
.50748
4
Readiness to Learn – own interest
4.4708
.61191
5
Learning Orientation – Task Oriented
4.3403
.56158
6
Intrinsic Motivation
4.5643
.58812
Overall Mean
4.2122
.37965

Proceedings ascilite Melbourne 2008: Full paper: Tasir, Md Noor, Harun, Ismail 1026
This shows that the final year pre-service teachers self concept for self-directed learning are still low.
However, they show a high preference to understand why they need to learn any knowledge. They want
their prior experience to be acknowledged and become a source for the learning activities. Learning is
focused on their real life situations, and they are intrinsically motivated to learn.
3. Pedagogy or andragogy
The findings from the final year pre-service teachers shows that majority of the pre-service teachers were
in Stage 2 (71.4%) based on the model of four stages of learning development by Delahaye, Limerick,
and Hearn (1994)
Table 5 : Descriptive statistics: Four stages of learning development among pre-services teacher
Stage
Description
Frequency
Percent (%)
1
High Pedagogy / Low Andragogy
60
13.90
2
High Pedagogy / High Andragogy
309
71.40
3
Low Pedagogy / High Andragogy
18
4.20
4
Low Pedagogy / Low Andragogy
46
10.60
Total
433
100.00
Findings in Table 5 shows that majority of the final year pre-service teachers in this study had left Stage 1
and entered Stage 2. This finding is similar with Choy and Delahaye (2003) even though their age range
is different. It shows that age is not the factor for the student to progress from pedagogy to andragogy.
Stuart and Holmes (1982) argued that maturity was a significant factor that influenced preferences for
pedagogical and/or andragogical orientations. He proposed that certain elements of maturity like learner’s
prior knowledge, past learning experiences, expectation, and attitudes to the future learning events could
be said to be deficient in young people, preventing them from fully appreciating an andragogical
orientation.
In fact, student learning development stage might based on the amount of knowledge the learner already
has in the subject area, the level of interest in and need to acquire the learning and the degree to which the
learner is willing to accept the responsibility to learn as stated by Smith and Delahaye (1987). However,
such considerations should be the focus of future research.
Conclusions
As a conclusion, andragogical assumptions should be utilized in moderation based on the student
preference. Some student preferred learning based on the pedagogical principals orientation while the
others do not. Majority pre-service teachers as found in this research preferred a combination of
pedagogical and andragogical orientation on their learning process.
As we know, nowadays learning in higher institutions requires independency among students especially
for e-learning. However, finding from this research has shown that final year pre-services teacher can
work independently since that their self-concept had progressed to the self-directed learning practice.
However, they still need guidance from their lecturers. They also not yet prepared to accept the full
responsibility of planning their own learning process. Therefore the integration of both learning
orientation preferences should be considered in designing and developing an online learning application.
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Authors: Associate Professor Dr Zaidatun Tasir. Email: zaidatun@gmail.com
Mrs Norah Md Noor, Email: norah@utm.my
Dr Jamalludin Harun, Email: p-jamal@utm.my
Miss Nurul Syazwani Ismail, Email : wanny113@yahoo.com
Faculty of Education, University Technology Malaysia, 81310 Skudai Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.
Please cite as: Tasir, Z., Md. Noor, N., Harun, J. & Ismail, N.S. (2008). A survey on online teaching
preference among pre-service teachers in Malaysia: Andragogy vs pedagogy. In Hello! Where are you
in the landscape of educational technology? Proceedings ascilite Melbourne 2008.
http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/melbourne08/procs/tasir.pdf
Copyright 2008 Zaidatun Tasir, Norah Md Noor, Jamalludin Harun, and Nurul Syazwani Ismail
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