Technology and Androgogy vs. Pedagogy

 "Traditionally, the prevailing image of education shows young children seated in classrooms, eager and attentive, depending on teachers to impart their knowledge and experience. This classic image is called pedagogy, or the science of teaching children, and is derived from the Greek word for child (paidi) and guide (ago).

But where do adult learners fall in this scenario? Andragogy, or the science of teaching adults, is derived from the Greek word for man (andras) and differs greatly from pedagogy in its practice. As education continues to evolve, a third model called heutagogy has gained recognition. Heutagogy focuses even more heavily on learner autonomy, empowering individuals to define what and how they learn, with an emphasis on developing their capabilities rather than just acquiring knowledge."

- Kimi Pace (https://www.wgu.edu/blog/andragogy-pedagogy-key-differences-learning2205.html)

I believe the correlation between the growth of technology and the failing cognition of students lies in the definitions of pedagogy and andragony. 

Pedagogical principles focus on the learning experience of the young student and its relationship to their teacher and subject matter. Andragogy focuses on the motivations, prior experience, and efficiency of adult learning. Two different populations, one building a foundation and on focusing on efficiency. 

The integration of technology, in my opinion, fails to account for these differences. Technology assumes a level of knowledge and experience from its users. It assumes that you are conscious of its use, dangers and information literacy. When people say to keep children off the internet, more than just its content, I think there needs to be a focus on a failure to build foundational cognitive skills. Learning for children should not aim to be efficient more than it aims to be thorough and foundational. Our brains already create paradigms based on the knowledge we receive, but now we choose to shortcut those shortcuts. In the coming years, the levels of disorders caused by synaptic pruning will increase.