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Biographical Learning as a Contribution to the Professionalization in Adult Education at University Level Biographical learning as a subject matter in the course of studies is a method to reflect upon and change individual learning strategies. One can describe such strategies both as an unconscious as well conscious reflection of biographies that strive for development. On the one hand, this is aiming at reflecting previous learning processes; on the other hand, this shall serve to develop a…
Didactics – more than the art of teaching? The contribution gives an overview of the historical terms of didactics. With the background of changing paradigms, drawn is the entry of the didactical term into adult education and its development since the 1960s. One focus of the consideration is on the didactical change from “teaching“ to “formation of learning contexts”, which was influenced by the discussion on constructivism. Concluding, the author elaborates on the state of research on didac…
In view of the demographic change the investments in education for elderly population are becoming increasingly more important. At the same time the educational system’s endeavours of repair are rather targeted at the very young. How can the educational investments be divided usefully between the old and the young? By showing examples of Scandinavian countries, the author elucidates a double strategy of high educational investments for the phase of youth and in adult life. The countries have su…
The author describes the emergence of the „virtual organisation“ concept as a tendency towards customization of products on the one hand and the development of a suitable technological basis on the other hand. Networking is discussed as a necessary but not sufficient prerequisite. First and foremost, the process of virtualisation requires changes in the organisational structure of companies that may go as far as a redefinition of the relationship between employees who, if forced into a role of …
Virtuality is not the essence of computer-based learning environments: any learning environment contains elements of virtuality in so far as it concerns itself with representations of reality. Even though the difference between computer-based and traditional settings in this respect is one of degree rather than of substance, conditions at the extreme end of the virtuality scale call for a change in learning arrangements. The authors explore the consequences for learners – self-direction, critic…
The market for distance education of adults is experiencing a change of paradigm that has serious consequences on the financial structure of private schools for distance learning. The article sketches the chances and risks of this development: on the one hand the internet offers new possibilities in the form of net-based training concepts (NBT), on the other hand free of charge courses on the internet could cause the financial collapse of distance schools. The author gives reasons why this is n…
The so-called Q-sorting operation is an unknown research method, hardly known as a pedagogically-oriented research method, typically used to compile complex responses and attitudes from a subjective perspective. The following article examines the question whether the Q-sorting methodology might also be implemented as a practical collection instrument to evaluate teacher beliefs in the context of professional development for educators. In particular, it will be examined whether an index formatio…
Adult education is more and more affected by social change due to migration. This paper analyses the marginal adoption of the topic by research in the past and describes recent trends, also in practice. Perspectives for institutions of adult education such as widening access to adult education for migrants, organisational development and professionalisation are discussed. Furthermore the author names challenges for research. There should be more cooperation within the field of educational resea…
Transformations in German adult and continuing education (ACE) are discussed in their relation to more far-reaching transformations in society concerning the ways in which knowledge and non-knowledge are processed. Some features of the discourse related to the notion of „knowledge society“ as well as empirical findings on the general spreading of knowledge transfer activities are pointed out, before three instances of change in ACE are discussed. While issues of transferring knowledge appear to…
