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.
Over the past 15 years, a variety of approaches have been developed in (adult) education contexts to validate formal, non-formal and informal competences and thus harness them for lifelong learning purposes. Despite the development, testing and evaluation of appropriate procedures as well as process-accompanying research and procedural clarification processes, a nationwide implementation can not be observed. It can be deduced from these findings that the low degree of implementation of correspo…
The partners of the Leonardo project "Training for the Integration of Migrants into the Labour Market and the Local Community (TRIM)” explored the issue of workplace language learning with migrant and ethnic workers. This handbook is a result of the project to support a training programme focused on vocational, linguistic and other cultural aspects, involving both the immigrants and the locals, in order to achieve an effective integration of the immigrant workforce into the labour market and …
This paper provides an outline for a general framework for the assessment of adults’ problem-solving competencies with special attention paid to the requirements of large-scale assessments. The framework can be used as an input to ongoing discussions regarding international comparative studies of adult competencies such as the “Programme for an International Assessment of Adults’ Competencies” (PIAAC) currently being prepared by the OECD, and may also be used in the context of national studies …
The article describes the project „Deutscher Bildungsserver“ which is working as a meta-server to supply users with an information system of relevant data in the field of education, adult and further education. The internet is offering big quantities of information and the chance to build up complex documents. Both make it more difficult to select and evaluate information. The „Deutscher Bildungsserver“ incorporates information critically bringing it into an order making it easier for users to …
Die öffentliche Finanzierung für Erwachsenenbildung verlagert sich immer mehr von institutioneller Förderung zu projektförmiger Drittmittelförderung. Das Heft informiert nicht nur über neue Töpfe (neue europäische Fördergeneration!), sondern fragt kritisch nach den organisationalen Wirkungen dieser Umsteuerung. Im Produktionsbereich wurde vor Jahren das Bild der atmenden Fabrik als innovatives Organisationsmodell diskutiert, das auf wechselnde Auftragslagen adäquat reagieren kann. U. Witthaus …
Adult education centers (“Volkshochschulen”) realize their educational mission nationwide, in a wide range of educational topics and for all citizens. In order to foster equal participation opportunities for all population groups, they face the challenge of adapting their work to social developments. Organizational approaches such as diversity management and intercultural opening provide a framework that considers different levels of continuing education work and discusses their contribution to…
In the present European context migrants and refugees are represented as a threat to security in the first place. Adult Education, especially when subsidised by the state, finds itself in a double-bind. On the one hand it has to offer a place for “Bildung” for all adults, where they can develop themselves according to their interests, capabilities and needs. Unequal chances are to be reduced and the humanistic ideal of development and expression of one’s personality shall be met. On the other h…
Religion, ethics and adult education Religion and ethics serve as a relevant topic in various contexts of adult education, be it as a challenge for self-reflection or as point of departure in public debate. This issue will address various aspects bringing together academic discourse and practical work. The authors will in particular focus on social issues.
Die Kooperation von (Weiter-)Bildungseinrichtungen gilt als zentrale Strategie, um den Herausforderung in Stadt und Land zu begegnen. Auf diese Weise können Kompetenzen und Ressourcen gebündelt werden, um komplexe Aufgaben zu bewältigen, mit denen die einzelnen Einrichtungen überfordert wären. Auch Wirtschaft und Politik haben längst erkannt, dass gut ausgebildete Menschen bzw. gute Weiterbildungsoptionen wichtige Standortfaktoren sind – und beziehen diese in Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung mit …
Bildung ist eine Qualität – Geld eine Quantität. Manchmal scheint es, als stände sich die Erwachsenenbildung selbst im Weg, wenn sie Geldfragen als Widerspruch zum humanistischen Bildungsgedanken betrachtet und die Debatte Finanzexperten überlässt. Das Heft diskutiert Finanzmodelle lebenslangen Lernens unter bildungspolitischen und erziehungswissenschaftlichen Aspekten (Timmermann, Paape und Grünwald/Moraal) und beleuchtet die Praxis von EU geförderten Programmen (Theessen). Im Gespräch be…
