Practical learning is the process of teaching students relevant information that allows them to use the things they learn in school. In teaching practical learning to students, teachers should not be handcuffed to strictly the pedagogical methods traditionally used to teach children. Instead they should include andragogical methods used in teaching adults learners.
Making content relevant is a possible solution to the declining performance by students in our school system. Practical learning offers subjects which a student can find some interest. Andragogical principals match perfectly with the objective of practical learning and its ways to encourage learning. There are 5 concepts to andragogical learning.
1. Letting learners know that there Is something important to learn.
2. Teaching learners how to direct themselves .
3. Relating the topic to the learner experiences.
4. Knowing that the student will not learn until they are ready to learn.
5. Help the student overcome fears, inhibitions, and beliefs about the learning process.
Of course no transition is easy and many things should be considered in adopting a position such as this. For example, consideration would need to made for the lack of experience a child would have in a given subject. Given the adjustments that would need to made, andragogical learning theory seems to be a good fit for practical learning for children