What’s Your Best Way to Learn?

This is the question every training program should start with. And yet, in practice, it's rarely asked.

Worse still: even when it is, few people truly know how to answer it. So, to help you better understand your learning preferences — and make the right training choices — here’s an overview of the different learning approaches.

1. Pedagogy: Learning Step by Step

The word is often used to describe the art of “explaining things well.” But originally, pedagogy refers to the education of children. It’s a structured, guided approach that leads the learner step by step through a clear and organized path.

? This method is ideal when you're starting out in a subject or need a reassuring framework to make progress.

2. Andragogy: Learning with Purpose

Andragogy is learning designed for adults. Unlike children, adults bring more experience and judgment to the table. They often need to understand why they’re learning something and how they’ll use that knowledge in real life.

? This approach is especially relevant in a professional context, when learning is guided by a clear objective.

3. Heutagogy: Learning Autonomously

Less well known, heutagogy draws inspiration from how self-taught individuals learn.

Here, the trainer’s role changes: rather than simply transmitting knowledge, they create a supportive learning environment with varied resources and personalized motivation tools.

It’s the ideal method for those who enjoy learning at their own pace, based on their needs and curiosity.

4. Epigogy: Learning Through Doing

This last term isn’t (yet) in the dictionary, but it reflects a reality well known to entrepreneurs: starting from a concrete project or desire to act, and learning as needs arise. It’s a pragmatic, action-driven approach.

However, without guidance, it can sometimes lead to blocks or long periods of procrastination.

?This approach works particularly well when you know what you want to accomplish and want to move forward quickly.

What if You Combined Multiple Styles?

One key takeaway: we don’t have just one learning style. We shift between these approaches depending on the subject, the context, or the stage of life we’re in.

So before choosing your next training program, ask yourself: What do I need today to learn effectively? A structured framework? Full autonomy? A clear professional goal? A personal project to bring to life?

Knowing yourself better is already learning better.