Suchergebnisse

The article problematises the role Adult Basic and Secondary Education (ABSE) plays in response to global challenges, under the influence of global policy. Drawing on a three-year study that assumed a social realism perspective and employed situational analysis, it discusses three dimensions of policy making in adult education: the scales of political mobilisation, the environments for policy-making, and the meanings conveyed. In doing so, it argues that although the perceptions and reception of as well as influence on international policy vary across countries, ABSE has turned today into a school-recovery opportunity for the younger generations who failed in school and people whose educational achievements in a given country are not recognised when migrating to a new one. This calls into question both the way policy in ABSE sees the social problem at stake and how policy solutions in this area of public intervention impinge on broader issues of (in)equality in education. ; Članek problematizira vlogo, ki jo ima osnovnošolsko in srednješolsko izobraževanje odraslih (OSIO) kot odgovor na globalne izzive pod vplivom globalne politike. Na podlagi triletne študije, ki je prevzela perspektivo socialnega realizma in uporabila situacijsko analizo, obravnava tri dimenzije oblikovanja politike izobraževanja odraslih: lestvice politične mobilizacije, okolja za oblikovanje politike in prenašanje pomenov. Pri tem dokazuje, da čeprav se dojemanje, vpliv in sprejemanje mednarodne politike med državami razlikujejo, se je OSIO danes spremenil v priložnost vnovičnega šolanja za mlajše generacije, ki jim je v šoli spodletelo, in za ljudi, katerih izobraževalni dosežki v neki državi niso priznani, ko migrirajo v novo državo. To pa pod vprašaj postavlja tako način, kako politika v OSIO vidi rešitev socialnega problema, kakor tudi način, kako politične rešitve na tem področju javnega interveniranja posegajo v širša vprašanja (ne)enakosti v izobraževanju.

Taking into account the complexity and multidimensionality of local-global interconnections, the author argues for the adoption of a global polity perspective in adult education, which is applied to study mobilization processes that occur through UNESCO. The findings point to three processes, neither within nor outside, but across geo-political borders and professional interests: 'landmarking', by which a shared sense of a common past in adult education is created; 'brokering', which helps shape a common future direction in adult education; and 'framing', which is used to convert ideational landscapes into material government-led actions. Both the theoretical perspectives and the analytical insights presented here could be used in analogous studies in other areas of education or with a focus on different political actors.

This chapter provides a conceptual rationale for the following chapters. From a public policy perspective on adult education and learning, it argues that legislative frameworks and rationales at federal, state or municipal levels are an essential feature for adult education and learning opportunities to flourish or perish. Further, it acknowledges the importance for adult education and learning policies of governance beyond and across the purview of governmental structures that operate within single countries, where state-led institutions and non-governmental international organizations play a key role. Finally, it explains why analyses that are either institution- or country-focused still constitute a pre-condition for governance studies on adult education to grow in future years.

In this article the author examine the type of mobilization processes that occur via inter-actions between the UNESCO and other political actors, and how these processes led to the creation of standard-setting and monitoring instruments, like the Belèm Framework for Action (UNESCO 2009) and the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (UIL 2003, 2013). The findings point at three concurrent processes or modes of mobilization in adult education: landmarking, brokering and framing. Landmarking refers to the process of co-constructing a shared past for a broad set of actors with policy will in adult education; Brokering captures the process of supporting the transaction of values, ideas and information to envision a viable future for adult education; finally framing addresses the structuring of information and intentions to produce materials changes at governmental level in the field of adult education. Drawing on different data sources, for each mode the author present and discuss few of its incidences and visible marks.

UNESCO is a supranational actor, whose political action contributes to the mobilization of a range of social actors around the governance of youth and adult education. In this article the author examines the types of mobilization processes that occur through interactions between UNESCO and other political actors. The results bring to light three modes of mobilization through which: 1) a shared past in youth and adult education is co-constructed (landmarking), 2) a viable future is envisioned through interactions between UNESCO and other political actors (brokering), and 3) specific standard-setting and monitoring instruments are created, in an attempt to produce material changes in youth adult education (framing). In conclusion the author stresses the need for further research to deepen the understanding of these processes and the materiality of the changes they are (or are not) able to produce.

In this article I examine policy documents produced by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the European Union (EU) in the field of adult education and learning. In doing so, I critically examine how globalization processes are constructed as policy problems when these transnational political agents propose adult education as a response. My main argument is that while UNESCO presents the provision of adult education as a means for governments to globally overcome disadvantages experienced by their own citizenry, the EU institutionalizes learning experiences as a means for governments to sustain regional economic growth and political expansion. After reviewing the literature on globalization to elucidate the theories that inform current understanding of contemporary economic, political, cultural and ecological changes as political problems, I present the conceptual and methodological framework of my analysis. I proceed to examine the active role played by UNESCO and the EU in promoting adult education as a policy object at transnational level, and unpack the specific problem "representations. that are substantiated by these organizations. I argue that the UNESCO and EU processes assign specific values and meanings to globalization, and that these reflect a limited understanding of the complexity embedded in contemporary globalization processes. Finally, I tease out two of the effects produced by these problem representations.

This article reflects on the shift in vocabulary from (adult and continuing) education to (lifelong) learning and the ideological and purposive orientations it carries. It does so by critically addressing the changes occurred in policy discourses concerned with the education of adults after WWII at transnational level. The main argument is that the shift in vocabulary has been favoured by an increased voice acquired by transnational and inter-states entities (i.e. OECD, UNESCO, EU) in educational matters, however in combination with a change in political emphasis, at least within the European Union, from creating jobs opportunities towards securing that citizens acquire marketable skills. While both trends seems to point at the demise of the nation state as a guarantor for social justice, more research is needed to deepen our understandings of the interplay between transnational and nation-state levels; thus the article concludes by suggesting a research agenda to move in this direction. (DIPF/Orig.)

El objetivo de este artículo es examinar los procesos de formulaciones políticas y los objetivos de las agendas para el desarrollo de las competencias en base a la Estrategia de Lisboa. En particular, la parte primera se centra en el "ideal regulador" de la UE para el desarrollo de las competencias que surge de los documentos políticos clave desarrollados por el triángulo institucional en el período 2000-2007. El análisis presentado está bastante condensado, pero aún así contiene sustantiva información descriptiva. Mi argumento principal es que el emergente "ideal regulador" europeo para el desarrollo de las competencias se basa en una simplificación del problema social que tiene por objeto abordar. De hecho, hay cuestiones a las que no se presta una debida consideración, por ejemplo, a posibles errores entre los requerimientos genéricos para una adecuación perfecta de las habilidades y las necesidades individuales específicas ante las oportunidades de aprendizaje y laborales. Para apoyar mi argumentación, en la parte segunda, se discute sobre los factores contextuales clave que caracterizan el entorno institucional de los mercados laborales europeos. ; The aim of this contribution is to examine EU policy-making processes and agenda settings for competence development in the wake of the Lisbon Strategy. In particular, part I focuses on the EU 'regulatory ideal' for competence development that emerges from key policy documents by the institutional triangle in the period 2000-2007. The analysis presented is highly condensed but it still contains substantial descriptive information. My main argument is that the emerging EU 'regulatory ideal' for competence development is grounded on a simplified account of the social problem it aims to address. This account does not pay due consideration, for instance, to possible mismatches between generic requirements for a perfect skills match and specific individual needs for learning and working opportunities. In order to support my argument, part II discusses key contextual factors that characterize the institutional shaping of European labour markets. ; Grupo de Investigación FORCE (Formación Centrada en la Escuela) Universidad de Granada

The aim of this contribution is to examine EU policy-making processes and agenda settings for competence development in the wake of the Lisbon Strategy. In particular, part I focuses on the EU 'regulatory ideal' for competence development that emerges from key policy documents by the institutional triangle in the period 2000-2007. The analysis presented is highly condensed but it still contains substantial descriptive information. My main argument is that the emerging EU 'regulatory ideal' for competence development is grounded on a simplified account of the social problem it aims to address. This account does not pay due consideration, for instance, to possible mismatches between generic requirements for a perfect skills match and specific individual needs for learning and working opportunities. In order to support my argument, part II discusses key contextual factors that characterize the institutional shaping of European labour markets.

In this article we examine and contrast how the work of commissions and task forces, assembled to negotiate consensus on important policy issues, contributed to reforms affecting adult education in Italy and Denmark over the period 2000-2016. First, we conceptualise the work of commissions and task forces as a key, yet underexplored, element in national policy reforms, then outline the methodology employed. Following is our comparative analysis. Our discussion highlights that commissions and task forces have been an important element in both countries, and at least three dimensions help explain their country-specific functions: 1) the type of the national political system; 2) its ideological strength over time; and, 3) the nature of its relation to the European Union (EU). We suggest that these dimensions should be adequately considered in further studies. (DIPF/Orig.)

With the increased concerned for lifelong learning comes a higher political attention on adult education and training. Hence on the creation of opportunity structures for adults to engage in intentional learning as well as on the professionalization of those who serve the public good by educating adults. We acknowledge an increased concern, at the internal level, on the need to qualify adult educators, testified by the abundance of developmental projects, the proliferation of scholarly literature, and the establishment of ad hoc research networks dealing with professional development in adult education. Initial education and training of adult educators, however, is still a relatively unexplored area of research if compared to continuing professional development, in the Nordic countries as well as in Denmark. Adult educators constitute the backbone of the Danish AET system, since they are the only warrantors for adults participating in intentional learning opportunities to engage in significant learning processes. Consequently these professionals should be well prepared to perform their role, prior to enter the profession. The present report wish to contributes to unpacking the issue of professionalisation of those who serve the public good by educating adults in the Danish context by mapping current initial education and training opportunities for adult educators and by examining some key structural features that characterise professionalisation processes in the field of adult education. Special attention is paid to people earning their living by teaching adults in courses and programs that receive public funding. Denmark has, in fact, a rich and variegated publicly funded provision for adults, thus it is no surprise that, in 2007, 1 out of 3 Danes participated in some kind of adult education and training. Although adult education and training had been part of the Danish education policy prior to 2000, the years following the European Council in Lisbon saw a huge number of strategies dealing with adult education and training, also within areas others than traditional education policy. A closer look of such policy, however, highlights that the qualification of people teaching in the Danish adult education and training system is seldom covered. Paradoxically, the increased stress, at national level, on the need for high quality adult education and training, rarely question how to ensure that those earning their living by educating adults acquire the pedagogical qualifications the need, prior to employment.When looking at official requirements for teachers of adults we observe that teachers willing to work in field of general adult education, with few exceptions, are required an education as primary school teacher or post-graduate teacher training for upper secondary school teachers rather then pedagogical qualifications in teaching adults. Not dissimilarly, in the field of vocationally oriented adult education, while both subject specific qualifications and professional experience are formally requested, no specific pedagogical qualifications in teaching adults are required. In the field of liberal adult education there are qualification criteria for teachers defined by law. Against this background, it is not surprising that when it comes to initial education and training of adult educators, in spite of the available variety of courses and programs dealing with adult learning, only few are meant to represent pre-service education and training for prospective teachers of adults. At a first glance, people willing to qualify as adult educators seems to have several opportunities to do so, since the Danish adult education and training system also provide a variety of courses and programs in adult learning, corresponding to short-, medium- and long-cycle higher education. By deepening the analysis, however, it is possible to observe several pitfalls in the system. Current provision is characterised by a differential depth in the qualified knowledge and skills in working with adults that one can acquire. Furthermore, most programs requires at least 2 years of professional experience; thus are functioning as opportunities for continuing professional development rather then as pre-service education and training. This, however, may result from the fact that this type of provision outside the mainstream education system. All in all, the situation depicted in Denmark is not worst then in other countries. However, it is unexpected for a country that 'does very well' in international comparisons as for the incidence of participation rates in adult education and training is concerned. As a result of our investigation, it is possible to conclude that, in a time where adult education and training seems to receive higher political attention, albeit the relatively high percentage of adults engaging in intentional learning opportunities, teaching adults still seems to be considered, in the Danish context, either a vocation one 'learn by doing', rather then a profession one should prepare to perform, before entering the job, through pre-service education and training.

In this article we examine and contrast how the work of commissions and task forces, assembled to negotiate consensus on important policy issues, contributed to reforms affecting adult education in Italy and Denmark over the period 2000-2016. First, we conceptualise the work of commissions and task forces as a key, yet underexplored, element in national policy reforms, then outline the methodology employed. Following is our comparative analysis. Our discussion highlights that commissions and task forces have been an important element in both countries, and at least three dimensions help explain their country-specific functions: 1) the type of the national political system; 2) its ideological strength over time; and, 3) the nature of its relation to the European Union (EU). We suggest that these dimensions should be adequately considered in further studies.

Chapter 1. An instruments approach to European governance in education; Marcella Milana and Gosia Klatt -- PART I. European governance and policy coordination -- Chapter 2. Education and training 2020; Gosia Klatt and Marcella Milana -- Chapter 3. The renewed European agenda on adult learning; Marcella Milana and Gosia Klatt -- Chapter 4. The European youth strategy; Gosia Klatt -- Chapter 5. The European semester: How does it work? Why does it matter?; Marcella Milana -- Chapter 6. Benchmarking, taxonomies and indicators for evaluating Europe's lifelong learning systems; Gosia Klatt -- Chapter 7. The upskilling pathway; Sharon Clancy, Ivana Studená and Sandra Vatrella -- PART II. Youth guarantee and its domestic adaptation -- Chapter 8. Introduction to the European youth guarantee; Sandra Vatrella and Marcella Milana -- Chapter 9. The Estonian rejoinder to youth guarantee; Marti Taru -- Chapter 10. The Slovakian rejoinder to youth guarantee; Ivana Studená and Zuzana Polačková -- Chapter 11. The Bulgarian rejoinder to youth guarantee; Radostina Angelova and Pepka Boyadijeva -- Chapter 12. The Spanish rejoinder to youth guarantee; Concepción Maiztegui-Oñate; Elena Tuparevska and Alvaro Moro -- Chapter 13. The Italian rejoinder to youth guarantee; Francesca Rapaná and Sandra Vatrella -- Chapter 14. The Austrian response to youth guarantee; Günter Hefler and Eva Steinheimer -- Chapter 15. The Belgian response to youth guarantee; Heidi Knipprath and Jolien De Norre -- Chapter 16. The Danish response to youth guarantee; Palle Rasmussen and Tilde Mette Juul -- Chapter 17. The response of the United Kingdom (England and Scotland) to youth guarantee; Sharon Clancy, John Holford and Ellen Boeren -- Chapter 18. Youth guarantee and welfare state regimes: cross-countries considerations; Marcella Milana and Sandra Vatrella -- Chapter 19. Conclusion: The influence on European governance on adult education markets.

The question of what the research of lifelong education is all about needs to be revisited from time to time. Not only is this line of research approached from a multitude of academic disciplines - such as sociology, psychology or philosophy - the very concepts that are used to denote the field also undergo important changes over time, e.g. from lifelong education to lifelong learning. In this contribution, we will explore this rather elusive research territory using a large-scale text analysis of a specific scientific journal, International Journal of Lifelong Education, based on meta-data (abstracts, keywords and titles) from 1,185 articles published between 1982 to 2021. Based on topic modelling techniques, we identify the main themes that have been prevalent within the journal, and how the journals content has changed character over time. We end the paper with a more critical examination of what kind of political and scientific currents might help explain what has led research practices to be more descriptive, micro-oriented and work-related over time.