Bildung und Gerechtigkeit

The report focuses on the significance of the term “educational justice” from a socio-ethical perspective based on current political debates. The concepts of equal opportunities, participation and achievements are relevant in the intricate discourse on education and justice. The report is a contribution to the conceptual systematization which is indispensable for a profound analysis of equality related aspects of the education system.

Education and equity are certainly central issues of educational research as well as topics of controversial public debate. On the one hand, Social Justice and Inequality Research focus on adult education, on the other hand adult education addresses the subject itself. Through the re-analysis of organizational structural data gathered from adult education providers in the state of Hesse, Germany, this article takes a closer look at the field of adult education. It aims to examine participation against the backdrop of regional disparities. In the context of the intended alignment of regional living conditions that is required by law, the unequal distribution along geographic-structural conditions takes on the meaning of a (“territorial”) dimension of inequality of adult education participation.

“Precarious forms of work”, “wages near the poverty level” and “demand for minimum wages” – these are key words reflecting the status of continuing education personnel and the concurrent debate. The report focuses on the equality of wages in continuing education, taking up the business economical concept of “proportional equality of wages” as a result of the various references to the current debate in the field of adult and continuing education. The principles of market conformity, equal qualifications and social equality prove to be particularly viable and relevant for remuneration in continuing education.

The article focuses on the development of the global educational discourse from a human rights perspective, particularly with regard to adult education and lifelong learning. The author discusses the historic milestones set by the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the consequent understanding of learning as well as the various national implementation strategies of the right for lifelong learning.

Publically funded adult education has rarely contributed to the increase of educational equality. Often enough, it has been beneficial to those who had already enjoyed their share of education and employment. The author reflects on the German post-war history of continuing education and identifies several cycles of financial distribution. The initial focus of adult education was on educationally ambitious citizens. Based on a socio-political motivation, the learning of employees became increasingly important during the “realist change”. Support by the employment agency is presented against the background of an education-economical utility calculus. The fact that no federal framework law on continuing education was able to prevail, is considered to be a final waiver with regard to the equality issue.

In developing learning arrangements, adult educators can influence decisions in learning/teaching situations, improve learning effective decisions of learners and therefore enhance the range of opportunities. All aspirations enforcing attitude alterations on learners are unacceptable. Learners should preferably judge the effectiveness of their decisions in alignment with their individual standards. This report indicates methods of controlling learning-effective decisions without limiting the range of choices. Analyzing examples on a micro-didactic level, opportunities and limits of influence are pointed out.