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In the context of lifelong learning, adults are increasingly being viewed from a biographical perspective. This article takes a look at how differently – and in some cases inconsistently – adults are construed as biographical subjects in education policy, in educational practice, and in research on adult education. It argues that to even begin to examine the processes and practices of biographical subjectification that take place in adult and continuing education, biographical research must be …
The DIE (German Centre for Adult Education) programme “Learning in Social Spaces”, the social quarter approach is a key element of the inclusion matter. Focused on the social environment, continuing education can include the local community and the resulting participation and networking potentials. The article discusses extracts of interviews conducted with representatives of adult education centres in Berlin and Hamburg, revealing the extent of social space orientation work in the context of i…
How can the performances of continuing education become more influential in the German Qualification Framework (DQR)? The author presents concrete recommendations derived from a cross-provider work group: presentation of key competences across all levels; classification of qualifications acquired in continuing education to individual levels (example of level 6). With regard to the inclusion of non-formal and informal competences in continuing education, the author refers to the potential of EU …
The author provides a row of examples for the overlapping of practical social work and adult education existing already today. In the light of the task of making it possible for all people to come along in the accelerated life and work life, both disciplines should go together more strongly. Adult education needs to open up to social work and the social work needs to understand itself as being pervaded by adult education.
Resistance against education and learning as a result of pedagogical and didactic acting: The article reports two research projects in adult education at the University of Kaiserslautern focusing identity-relevant and emotional aspects of learning resistance. While both aspects are rather neglected in the research on education and learning they are substantial for the understanding of learning resistance phenomena as well as for the reconstruction of the own pedagogical practice.
Resistance against education and learning as a result of pedagogical and didactic acting: The article reports two research projects in adult education at the University of Kaiserslautern focussing identity-relevant and emotional aspects of learning resistance. While both aspects are rather neglected in the research on education and learning they are substantial for the understanding of learning resistance phenomena as well as for the reconstruction of the own pedagogical practice.
This article presents didactic approaches to financial literacy using the example of the CurVe project (debt counselling as a starting point for basic education – curricular integration and transitions) which was launched at the German Institute for Adult Education (DIE) in March 2013. The project analyses the connection between excessive debt and basic educational needs. Its focus is on participative didactics and its goals include the strengthening of basic education through the conceptualisa…
This article provides an overview of the debate on learning environments and learning locations within adult education research; the authors use a historical review of main research topics in order to understand current learning environments and recent theoretical and empirical discussions. The term of learning environments or learning locations has been introduced into research on adult education in the 1970ies; since this time, each following decade can be characterized by several specific re…
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…
