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.
Erwachsene sind unbelehrbar, aber lernfähig, so Horst Siebert. Sie lernen anders als Kinder und Jugendliche und bedürfen daher anderer Formen der Aneignung von Wissen, der Unterweisung und Kenntnisvermittlung. Wie gerechtfertigt ist dieses Paradigma der Erwachsenenbildung und welche Rolle spielen Inhalte? Inwiefern sind Lehrpläne und fachliche Analysen, darüber hinaus fachdidaktische Wissensbestände hilfreich? Ist eine gesonderte Didaktik für Erwachsene überhaupt gerechtfertigt? Diesen Fragen g…
»Die Gefahr ist, dass die Wirkung der Piaac-Studie verpufft, weil sie zu viele Adressaten hat und sich jeder hinter dem anderen verstecken kann. Wie schlau die Deutschen wirklich sind, wird sich daran zeigen, ob sie dieser Versuchung widerstehen.« So schrieb DIE ZEIT am 10. Oktober 2013. Die Ergebnisse der beiden Studien PIAAC und CiLL bilden eine wesentliche Grundlage für bildungspolitische Entscheidungen im Weiterbildungssektor. Wie wird dies von Wissenschaft und Praxis wahrgenommen? Welche…
Thinking in statistical patterns is a core competence of the responsible citizen, who is capable of making informed health decisions. At the same time, a lack of statistical skills as well as non-transparent communication of risks undermines the ideal of an enlightened citizen. Thus, educational programmes are responsible for imparting basic concepts of statistical thinking as well as equipping citizens directly and via mediators to enable informed decisions.
Citizens’ involvement increasingly gains appreciation in the public perception. Also in the adult pedagogical discourse the attention is raised in the context of lifelong learning. In this contribution the author discusses how learning processes in adult education, that take place in a societal action context, can be supported, guided or even initiated. On the basis of own empirical inquiries the author examines citizens’ involvement as an action- and learning field and asks for learning experi…
The author outlines European and German activities and initiatives in the European Year of Languages. In order to bring these initiatives to fruition, it will be necessary to establish the usefulness of language knowledge in the minds of all European citizens. The author’s argument in favour of familiarity with more than one foreign language as a culturally enriching experience culminates in the promise that „monolinguality is curable“.
The author presents the idea of Web 2.0 providing new opportunities for the political participation of citizens. First, he evaluates possible target groups. Corresponding empirical observations reveal a distinction between those who have arrived in the world of digital content and those who have not. Political education focuses on so called »digital outsiders« to avoid long-term representation deficits caused by an increasingly digitalized democracy. In conclusion, necessary competences of poli…
The Future Workshop was originally developed for citizen groups with limited resources who wanted a say in the decision making process. It is a technique meant to shed light on a common problematic situation, to generate visions about the future, and to discuss how these visions can be realised. The paper describes the origin of the method. The methodological steps (phases) of the method are explained and in the second part there is a discussion of the strengths and weakness of the approach gu…
The textbook provides an introduction to the field of education of older adults and lifelong learning. Coming from an interdisciplinary field of research related to ageing, learning abilities and learning needs of older adults are discussed. Additionally, adequate forms of learning and educational arrangements are presented. A special focus lies upon the correlation between competencies and age, taking into account diverse living conditions and biographies. Thus, the textbook offers impulses to…
