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We explore how adult education can be made inclusive, digital and effective.
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As part of a joint project a learning game is currently being developed for adults who are functionally illiterate. Following a generally positive experience with the role of the new media in teaching work with this target group, the partners in the project, including the German Institute for Adult Education (DIE), are now focussing specifically on game-based training. This article introduces the reader to the basic concept of the game and identifies the factors in its use which are critical to…
In the present contribution the final report of the Expert Commission on Financing Lifelong Learning is compared to a firework: it has provoked a short-term enthusiasm and attention. What is there to do in order not to let the ideas deflagrate but conserve chances for their implementation? The author asks the actors of further education to help oneself offensively with the arguments of the report (“public interest“, “more investments necessary“, “increase sovereignty demand“) and to advertise t…
In the usually clearly word- and text-oriented research field of adult education, for a while now, approaches have been observed, which understand visual presentations as data to be analyzed in a methodically controlled way. These data are used in order to generate and substantiate knowledge about adult education, whereby intensity, contexts, theoretical background and methods or methodology are different. This article presents these approaches in the research fields focusing on students, progr…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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…
Ist »Haltung« ein Thema in der Erwachsenenbildung? Sie sollte es sein, argumentiert der Autor – denn Erwachsenenbildung hat einen normativen Auftrag, der sich in der Haltung der Lehrenden spiegeln muss. Die aktuelle Gefährdung von Demokratie und offener Gesellschaft macht es gerade heute notwendig, Haltung zu haben und zu zeigen.
Heutzutage ist es einfach, zu vielen Themen kostenlose Bildungsmaterialien zu erhalten. Doch wie kann die Qualität der Materialien eingeschätzt werden, welche Fallstricke gilt es bei der Verwendung zu beachten? Am Beispiel von Bildungsmaterialien zum Klimawandel zeigt die Autorin, dass es Unterstützung für die Einschätzung gibt und dass es hilfreich ist, auf die Lizenzierung zu achten.
