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Gender skills for adult education Gender mainstreaming is a central maxim for political action all across Europe. However, little effect is yet to be felt in adult education. Where there is gender-sensitive adult education, this is still strongly oriented towards the differential approach. In view of participation rates in general and vocational adult education, and the division of interests within the segments, which is again gendered, the author speaks of a “doubly divided structure”. For …
“Validpack” – new tool to validate the skills of adult educators The article describes how, as part of a European project, a validation tool has been developed to validate skills in adult education teaching. Validating adult educators' skills may be one step in the discussion concerning the professionalisation of adult education. There is a description of the aims of the tool, the competence framework it is based on, and the individual steps in the process. So that it can also be of advanta…
How to relate Natural Sciences to Adult Education Drawing on an intensive debate on the improvement of scientific literacy going on in Germany for more than ten years, this article deals with possible contributions of adult education. Starting with the marginal supply of science courses for adults, I focus on typical didactical arrangements and concepts. Based on an empirical study, exemplary didactical concepts are analysed regarding aims, topics, course type, and audience. The results are…
Reshaping the Relationship between Natural Sciences and Society – The implicite Learning in Contemporary Society How much does an average citizen need to know in the field of natural sciences in order to cope with the challenges of contemporary society? This question is being asked from various points of view. We will reconstruct current debates related to this question along three different lines: on the European level, within academia, and by means of a concrete case study. By relating the…
Case-based Learning as a Means of Professionalization of Teaching Staff In adult and teacher education, case-based learning seems a promising way to foster analytical competencies which play a crucial role when identifying and solving practical problems in teaching situations. Thus, the article offers an insight into established concepts of case-based learning within different contexts for the professionalization (of teachers). Therefore, two discourses will be related to one another: one o…
„Alterung“ und „Schrumpfung“ lauten die Hiobsbotschaften des demografischen Wandels. Dass die heraufbeschworenen Probleme nicht zwangsläufig in die Katastrophe führen, zeigt Karl Otto Hondrich in seinem vielbeachteten Buch »Weniger sind mehr«. Diese eher konstruktive Haltung hat sich die Redaktion zu Eigen gemacht und nach möglichen Strategien im Umgang mit den anstehenden Herausforderungen gefragt. Antworten der Betriebe, der kommunalen Weiterbildungseinrichtungen und der Weiterbildungsadminis…
Local responses to local challenges Marketing strategies of adult education centres during times of demographic change As a result of their course offerings and their target groups, adult education centres offer excellent prerequisites for structuring and shaping demographic change at the local level. These centres thus fulfil a necessary social function while at the same time strengthening their own position. Target-group oriented marketing by the same token plays a major role in order to …
Dealing professionally with negative emotions Tolerance of frustration and ambiguity as a key competence of providers of continuing education Dealing with disruptions is a key challenge in educational activities. This article uses abusive, insulting or fault-finding statements by participants to analyse professional ways of dealing with negative emotions. Tolerance of frustration and ambiguity are developed theoretically, understood as an element of a broad “feelings-management” and propa…
