Alexander Kapp – the first known user of the andragogy concept

The German gymnasium teacher Alexander Kapp (1800–1869) was to all appearances the first one to use the andragogy concept as a term for adult learning. In 1833 he published the book Platon’s Erziehungslehre, als Pädagogik für die Einzelnen und als Staatspädagogik. Oder dessen praktische Philosophie. This book takes all Plato’s writings about education as a starting point. While working on these papers, Kapp noted they involved not only young people and their education, but also adults and their education. Thus, Kapp’s book contains a separate part that deals with adult education, which he calls andragogy. This is not a theory of adult learning. He justifies the necessity of education for adults, and elaborates on what qualities it is important to develop – in general and in different occupations. The emphasis on inner qualities rather than outer, objective competence is central in Kapp’s andragogy. The forming of character is the foremost value for human beings, Kapp claims. This article gives a presentation of his andragogy, its similarities to contemporary movements and a comparison to later approaches in the field. Unfortunately, Kapp’s andragogy seems to have been forgotten. Possible reasons for this are also presented.