Prelude: A little background...

Pedagogy = Greek. (peda- = boy/child) (agogos = leader of) = leading/teaching children

Andragogy: Greek. (andr = man) (agogos = leader of) = leading/teaching adults

Paragogy = Greek. (parĂ¡ = alongside of) (agogos = leader of) = leading alongside of

As you will discover in this course, much art education is predicated on learning theories (very loosely) borrowed from Pedagogy (children's education). A smaller proportion still is predicated on Andragogy (adult education). In this course both staff and students are paragogues; we will embark on a process of learning together and in so doing we will learn from each other.

Paragogues are persons who learn alongside each other. Rather than being 'taught' or instructed by a teacher, they 'lead-out' and connect each other's learning skills and desires.

In a 'true' paragogy, there are no 'teachers' and no 'students'. Everyone is a learner; and all participants seek to understand and support continuous learning and all participants have equal rights and responsibilities. While we might aspire towards 'true' paragogy, we will be pragmatic. Since this course is a fully accredited University curriculum rather than an 'independent' inititative, what we will actually practice is a mix of institutional andragogy and P2P paragogy.

Paragogues learn by discussing, composing and experiencing different forms of learning for each other. What we do is learner-centred insofar as we help each other to develop our own learning.

We will find out more about paragogy more formally later in the course; inititally you will learn what paragogics are by practising them.

P2P - Peer to Peer