Research
We explore how adult education can be made inclusive, digital and effective.
Services
Digital tools, specialist portals and data – for teachers, researchers, students and interested parties.
Institute
We offer research, transfer and infrastructure for lifelong learning.
Welche Kompetenzen benötigen Bürgerinnen und Bürger, wenn es um den Umgang mit digitalen Medien geht? Der Autor zeichnet Unterscheidungen von Medienkompetenz und Medienbildung nach und kommt zu dem Schluss, dass neben Kompetenzen in der Anwendung kritisch-reflexive Elemente im Umgang mit digitalen Medien vermittelt werden sollten.
This article presents the results of a recent online survey of graduates of the Austrian Academy of Continuing Education. Methodically, the survey’s results on benefit items are interpreted and answers to open questions are analyzed by qualitative content analyses. Empirical findings are subject to an interpretation using concepts of professionalization and the political agenda of validation of informal and non-formal learning. An important finding is, that WBA enhances individual professionali…
In recent years, the discourse on competences as well as the increasing importance of informal learning particularly at workplaces have attributed a prominent position to the procedures of visualization and balancing of vocational competences within the educational practice as well as in education policy debates.However, most of these procedures focus on apprentices or participants of further education courses. This rather limited view has largely excluded teachers and/or dispositive employees …
Publically funded adult education has rarely contributed to the increase of educational equality. Often enough, it has been beneficial to those who had already enjoyed their share of education and employment. The author reflects on the German post-war history of continuing education and identifies several cycles of financial distribution. The initial focus of adult education was on educationally ambitious citizens. Based on a socio-political motivation, the learning of employees became increasi…
From the “Göttinger 18” in the “Wyhler Wald”. The learning movement of a social movement beginning in 1957. 18 German nuclear physicists signed a declaration in 1957 in which they refused to take part in the production, testing and use of nuclear weapons. This “Göttinger Declaration” was the beginning of the anti-atomic energy movement, which subsequently developed into a self-organised educational scene. One symbol of this is the Wyhler Wald Adult Education Centre in Baden, which the article …
The demographic development in Germany will lead to the society servicing more older people than younger people. Against this background the contribution shows in which way institutions of communal adult education are called upon for developing specific offers that consider the different educational requirements and educational necessities of a very heterogeneous age group. By means of examples from the work at adult evening classes (Volkshochschulen) the author clarifies how contents, teaching…
This article discusses the Federal German “Orientation course“ and different prototypes for “naturalisation tests“ in the German Länder in the context of comparative integration policy. Integration courses and naturalisation tests have at the same time become a policy tool for promoting integration in a targeted manner in various countries which attract immigration. Following a presentation of the context and the presentation of instruction material in the orientation courses, the authors inter…
The wide demand for physical education reflects a growing awareness of the value of physical activity in society as a whole. The concepts of comprehensive physical activity applied by institutions of adult education focus on physical coordination, strength, perseverance, stretching and the activation of persons with reduced physical capabilities. Institutions of adult education cooperate with other actors engaged in health promotion such as health insurance organisations. There is much common g…
Teilqualifikationen bieten eine effektive Möglichkeit zur beruflichen Qualifizierung von Menschen ohne formalen Berufsabschluss. Die Autorin und der Autor zeigen Zielgruppen und Verfahren auf und diskutieren Erfolge und Hemmnisse in der Verbreitung von TQ.
