Malcolm Knowles' theory of andragogy asserts that adult learners learn differently from younger learners and hence require a different kind of education. According to Knowles, andragogy is characterized by the following hallmarks: adult learners are self-directed, have accumulated vast experiences that add to their knowledge, are at a stage in life where they are ready to learn, engage in problem-centered learning, and are internally motivated. Andragogy not only captures the beginning of the adult education movement but also provides a perspective that is timeless and applies to adult education in a multicultural world. Several aspects of andragogy have nevertheless been contested. Some have suggested that Knowles' concept of andragogy reflects a white, male, Western orientation on life and learning rather than the individual webs of cultural significance and have challenged adult educators to move beyond the separatist ideas of andragogy and incorporate culturally responsive teaching in a culturally plural world. The following are among the actions that critics of Knowles' theory of andragogy have advised adult educators to take: (1) incorporate issues of diversity and culture into ways of knowing; (2) move beyond the family and focus on the social, economic, and political system of the learner's world; and (3) emphasize indigenous education. (MN)