LLinE Lifelong Learning in Europe

Orientation - Possibilities for a future of lifelong learning<

Possibilities for a future of lifelong learning

József Katus
Lifelong learning as tradition. Interview with Professor Rabbi Yehuda Aschkenasy

With his personal history, Professor Rabbi Yehuda Aschkenasy epitomises the European experience of the past century and longer. His strive to promote learning as the basis for understanding and reconciliation has led to an institute for more awareness of and insight into Jewish ethics and spirituality.

Peter Jarvis
Infinite Dreams, Infinite Growth, Infinite Learning. The challenges of globalisation in a finite world

In the world of glocalisation we still learn in communication with other people. Professor Jarvis explores in the infinite dreams religious, political and economic utopias; in infinite growth the challenges of globalisation in a finite world; and in infinite learning – but not an organised learning society, despite the fact that a utopian strain underlies some educational theory.

Ahmed Aboutaleb
You are never too old to learn

The ESVA Comenius Award 2005 was presented to Alderman Ahmed Aboutaleb of Amsterdam. In his lecture, he describes his appreciation of learning, especially on the basis of his immigrant background. “Ahmed Aboutaleb came to the front to teach the people how to be citizens in a multicultural society, and used his political influence to further adult learning. Doing so, he became a prominent voluntary adult educator. However, he pays a very high price for his efforts: a severe limitation of his personal freedom. … Muslim extremists threaten to kill him. … He is in danger because he is committed to the republic and because, in fact, he is protecting it,” said Professor József Katus when presenting the Award.

Gregory Wurzburg
Who’s afraid of lifelong learning in Europe?

Based on the statistics of the Education at a Glance 2005, the writer concludes that lifelong learning for all should be taken seriously. The competition between the economic powers is tipping towards the Europeans rising in educational attainment compared to the US. The European strive for a ‘knowledge society’ has been powerful but uneven. However, the absence of learning opportunities assumes greater importance as a factor in excluding individuals from its benefits. Lifelong learning is still more accessible to those who already have a good education. Public priorities should be re-ordered to redistribute lifelong learning opportunities in favour of the least qualified working age adults.

Paul Ilsley
Understanding factions and building bridges

Specialisation in adult education has led to factions that do not communicate easily. Public money has brought in economic values and job functions into the contents. The mission of adult education has changed. While adult education has become more universally present, financially stable, it is time to regain maintaining a focus on social visions and quality of life issues, concludes the writer.

Knud Illeris
Low-skilled workers learn at the workplace

The problems traditionally related to the low-skilled have developed in scope and content during the last twenty years. The field has become more complicated and varied, requiring particularly differentiated, flexible and sensitive openings and services, and this implies far-reaching demands for innovative thinking, engagement and flexibility, politically, administratively and from the top to shop-floor level in the business sector. The writer develops aspects of solutions for the situation from the point of view of both the educators and the workers.

Frank Achtenhagen and Susanne Weber
Design experiment in lifelong learning

The writers call for more and better research on adult education and its effectiveness and efficacy. The central question is how to use the given knowledge about effective teaching and learning and how to run research for enlarging this knowledge. Not only the description, analysis and explanation of teaching-learning processes are of central interest, but also the improvement of pedagogical practice and the argumentation of educational norms and standards.

Torhild Slĺtto
Advantages of e-learning in adult education

An innovative project of adult distance learning was developed in a Norwegian school by good cooperation of experienced teachers. The result can be used in many ways both in distance education and in class.

Mary Claire Halvorson
Finding and being the change for ethical research

Ethical concerns in conducting and reporting research can be obvious and / or delicate. Despite frameworks like legislation and codes, it may be difficult for a researcher to spot the dangers. In the end, it comes down to the individual researcher’s own values, ethical codes, moral and professional standards, intuition and feelings.

Brid Connolly
The local and the global

Several factors, e.g. religion, the war in Northern Ireland and unemployment, promoted in the air of colonisation in Ireland well into the 80s. Colonisation is an earlier stage of globalisation. Colonisation takes the form of domination by another state, it controls the lifeworld also through religion. We can promote active citizenship through learning from the experiences of colonised peoples, and use the process of globalisation to apply the global issues locally.

Literature

Zygmunt Bauman
Europe: An Unfinished Adventure / Paul Ilsley