Geschichte der Erwachsenenbildung

The inheritance of Paul Röhrig as a subject for historical research in adult education

The article presents the types of sources and texts found in the estate of Paul Röhrig (1922–2007) and after an introduction to his biography and work, outlines positions on topics of art historical research that can be elaborated on this basis. The approaches to a systematized history of the study of adult education in the West German post-war years which arise from this will be outlined in an account with reference to the methodology of collective biography.

Adult education and its terminology

This article focuses on the interaction between the history of ideas and adult education. The question of the disciplinary and the individual self-conception, which can be extended by an approach from the history of the understanding of concepts, is central to this consideration. After discribing the possible usage of general terminology it offers different perspectives and levels for adult educational analysis. As a conclusion it discusses to which extent these possibilities are valid for andragogy.

The Need for Comparative Research on the History of Adult Education and its Challenges

Research on the history of adult education has been established as a sub-discipline of adult educational science – however, mainly in a national context. Even nowadays comparative research on the history of adult education is still a step-child of research, facing major challenges which are consequently also problems of presentation.

Adult education and historiography

The paper aims to explore the role and function of the historical issues within the field of Adult Education and its relations to scholarly historiography to date. Quite similar to the traditional paradigm in the history of education was the history of adult education for a long time also primarily based on pedagogical considerations. Thus research received almost no attention neither from historiography nor from educational science. Despite the current boom of historical issues in the field of adult education and a broadened methodological approach current research is still done – not least because of the widely unreflected practices in the treatment of sources – by Educationalists themselves. An opening towards scholarly historiography as well as enhanced collaboration would foster the historical relevance of Adult Education. Furthermore it would drive research into new thematic approaches.

Professionalization in adult education and the memory culture

The discussion of the adult education and its history opens for a closer look at the process of its professionalization. The position of the temporal delimitation and the focusing on the contents come into focus. It turns out that the history of woman education is not represented explicitly in textbooks on the history of the adult education. Focussing on historical factual knowledge and experience knowledge, the analysis of memory culture offers a possibility for remembering and appreciating women from history and their effort for education.

Learning along biographical and career changes

Based on a biographical sample from adult education centres (VHS), this article discusses the concept of research on learning environments. The factors for success will be evaluated together with reflections on how to prepare for an executive position in such institutions. This will allow for extracting conditions for learning in certain biographical settings. The challenge for learning is seen as a result of the individual’s changing reception of its immediate surroundings.