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We explore how adult education can be made inclusive, digital and effective.
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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…
Learning as a way out of »self-paralysis« In this article learning is understood as an ‘emergence’-like movement in which people put their own patterns of learning into movement. This movement is illustrated using the example of South American businessperson. Special attention is devoted in the article to the learning movement is inhibited by: experiences of the past, recollections and emotions. The key to overcoming this ‘self-paralysis’ is a method of targeted cognitive self-observation w…
Given the current debate over qualifications and skills of teachers in adult education, the continuing education programme “Basic qualification for literacy and basic educational work” developed within the framework of the joint project ProGrundbildung seeks to professionalise adult education teachers who work in or who want to work in the field of literacy and basic education. The authors present the concept of continuing education and discuss the data on personnel structure, motives for under…
The following report offers an insight on the theoretical and empirical issue of cultural adult education. It is understood as an institution for the refinement of the aesthetic senses which, according to Welsch, can easily become anesthetic – a situation of suspended sensitivity. A second empirical approach presents the current provisions systematized by three “Portals of Participation“. Cultural educational provisions may be attributed to the “systematic-receptive type“, the “independent-crea…
In the field of economic innovation research, “clusters” (geographical concentrations of related companies) are of great importance due to their extreme productivity and innovation. Seen from the perspective of this type of innovation research, this article presents possible mechanisms which could stand in the path of regional cooperation. Geographical proximity is not enough to spark successful cooperation. The article identifies indifference as a central hurdle on the path to regional coopera…
Interdependence of context, selection criteria and usability of assessment methods Competence assessment is a broad field increasingly difficult to structure. The article distinguishes different assessment methods regarding their relation to different definitions of competence (competence as a collective term vs. competence as an organizing function), purpose of assessment (summative - formative) and objects of assessment (action - resources - reflection). There are contingencies shown which s…
The scope of literacy courses. Results of a representative survey among adult education centres As part of the EQUALS project, the German Adult Education Association (DVV) collected statistical data on literacy courses at adult education centres; this article presents the data and compares it with figures from 1994. The number of courses has risen, as has the number of participants, but fewer institutions than before provide this service. Compared with 1994, the participants are older and t…
Educational and Learning Research Based on three texts from the founding editors from the years 1985, 2000 and 2005, in this contribution, past as well as current scientific objectives of empirical educational and learning research, their embedding in theoretical contexts as well as methodical approaches are assessed and supplemented by further references from the author. Albeit the end results of the two founding fathers are, in the various years, rather sobering, it seems fruitful to thin…
Political Adult Education and its Crises Political education is often attested as being somewhat critical. As was the case of the twentieth publication of REPORT in 1987 in which the main focus – even though at the time it was not identified as such – was on this theme. The issue commenced with a contribution from Horst Siebert; this contribution shall now be the starting point to explore the highlights on the development of the past years and to determine its positioning. This will ensue in…
Differentiating ageing and old age it is argued that a separate life stage “old age” is to be understood as a social construction. Ageing must not be conceptualized as a uniform and unidirectional process. Instead, physiological-biological, psychological, and social ageing are somehow independent processes following different developmental curves. Focussing on old age as a whole makes clear that gains as well as losses are characteristic for this life stage. Both aspects should be incorporated …
