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- Andersson, Per, 1964-, et al.
(author)
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Qualification paths of adult educators : A comparative study of Sweden and Denmark
- 2010
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This paper presents results from a study of the qualification of adult educators in Denmark and Sweden. It describes the role the qualification of adult educators plays in policy, the opportunities for those interested in qualifying as adult educators and the adult educators’ status as a profession. Further, for adult educators to become professional, they need to develop a professional identity, and the formation of this identity is studied through narrative interviews with prospective adult educators. The aim of the study is to understand the qualification paths and professional development of the prospective adult educator through the perspectives of policy, available opportunity structures, and individual trajectories. The study includes general as well as vocational and liberal adult education.The result draws on an analysis of policy documents and public information, and 29 narrative interviews with people currently or recently undertaking teacher education at the university or other courses preparing the participants to become adult educators. The approach is here based in the idea that individual motivations for working in the field of adult education and the learning process that leads to the formation of competences, qualifications and professional identity in this field can be better understood by applying a biographical perspective (Horsdal, 2002). In the analysis of narratives/interviews, central guiding concepts were trajectory, and particularly learning trajectory, and identity, inspired by a situated and social learning perspective (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Rogoff, 1995; Wenger 1998). Rogoff’s (1995) model of analysing processes of learning on different, but intertwined, levels has been an inspiration in analysing the qualification paths for adult educators in relation to policies and opportunities for such qualification.The main drivers for an increased focus on adult education and training in both countries seem to be the needs of the labour market in light of globalisation and international competition as well as the Lisbon strategy. The study shows that in spite of this increased focus on adult education and training and its importance, in the policy papers there seems to be a lack of interest in the quality of the provision in terms of the education and learning process, including the qualification of the adult educators.In relation to the options for those interested in qualifying as adult educators, it is difficult to find courses or education programmes offering initial education and training. Instead, most courses and education programmes either offer in-service or a combination of initial and in-service education and training. Thus, there are few opportunities to acquire the professional knowledge and identity as adult educator before entering the field. This is also indicated through the fact that many of the interviewees have a background as acting (un-qualified) adult educators, before entering professional training. In addition, adult educators to a high degree develop their competencies as adult educators through work. The main conclusions of the study concern the situation that the professional development of adult educators depend on the varying types of learning trajectories they follow, in contexts where the opportunity structures for becoming an adult educator are vague.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Per, 1964-, et al.
(author)
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Qualification paths of adult educators in Sweden and Denmark
- 2013
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In: Studies in Continuing Education. - : Routledge. - 0158-037X .- 1470-126X. ; 35:1, s. 102-118
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The qualification of adult educators is a central aspect of the quality of adult education. However, within current policy discourses and adult education research on the professional development of prospective adult educators, little attention is paid to teacher qualification when compared to other fields of education and training. In this study, we analyse the qualification paths, or learning trajectories, of prospective adult educators in Sweden and Denmark. The analysis is based on narrative interviews with 29 students in training to become adult educators. The career paths of adult educators are often long and winding roads. Becoming an adult educator could be their primary desire, but it could also be their ‘Plan B’, a second choice. Individual motives and external demands interact in the professionalisation process. A shift in focus from teaching subject and methods to teaching context and the relation to the learners is part of the professional development. Finally, we argue that both academic studies and hands-on work in the adult education community are crucial parts of the adult educator’s qualification path.
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| 3. |
- Milana (ed.), Marcella, et al.
(author)
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BABAR: Becoming Adult Educators in the Baltic-Sea Region
- 2010
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This report presents the results from a comparative study of the qualification of adult educators in the Nordic-Baltic region. The study involved Denmark, Estonia and Sweden. The rationale behind the study is a growing interest in adult education resulting from a focus on lifelong learning in the public and political agendas, internationally and nationally. According to the authors of the report, an increased interest in adult education generates an increased interest in the professionalisation of the adult education sector, and thereby in the qualification of those teaching adults: adult educators.Based on this belief, the study and hence the report looks into the role that the qualification of adult educators plays in policy, learning opportunities for those interested in qualifying as adult educators as well as adult educators’ status as professionals. Besides the formation of personal teaching, which is grounded in learning theory, theoretical principles and experiences from practice, the development of a professional identity plays a role in adult educators becoming professionals. Similarly, so does the recognition of adult educators as professionals by society at large.Methodologically, the study is based on document analysis. The documents selected for analysis have been: national and international research reports and articles; official descriptions of national education systems; and policy papers, laws and other legal documents dealing with adult education and/or the qualification of adult educators.The study shows that in all three countries, there has been an increase in the political interest in adult education and training. In 1993, an act on adult education and training was accepted in Estonia and updated in 2001 (Estonian Ministry of Education and Research, 1993). Four years later, in 1997, a huge reform of the adult education and training system was carried out in Sweden, and in 2000, a reform of adult and continuing education was launched in Denmark. The main drivers for the increased focus on adult education and training in all three countries seem to be the needs of the labour market, in light of globalisation and international competition as well as the Lisbon strategy. The study also shows that in spite of the increased focus on adult education and training and its importance, through out policy papers, there seems to be a lack of interest in the quality of the provision, in terms of education and learning processes, including the qualification of adult educators in Denmark and Sweden. In Estonia, a professional qualification standard for adult educators was accepted in 2004. Except for Estonia, thus, the question of qualification of adult educators is practically absent in ongoing national, political debates with respect to adult education and training.In relation to the options for those interested in qualifying as adult educators, it is difficult to find courses or education programmes offering initial education and training. Instead, most courses and education programmes either offer in-service or a combination of initial and in-service education and training. Thus, there are few opportunities for adult educators to acquire the professional knowledge and identity as adult educators, before entering the field. In addition, adult educators, to a high degree, develop their competencies as adult educators through their work.Further, qualification requirements for teaching within adult education and training vary a lot, and are linked to the specific field of adult education. Within general adult education, in all three countries, the requirements are similar to those for teachers in primary and secondary schools with no demands on specific competences in teaching adults. Within vocationally oriented adult education and training, the situation is very similar to that within general adult education, as demands for pedagogical qualifications do not include specific competences in teaching adults. Liberal adult education in all three countries stands out as the least regulated sector in relation to required pedagogical qualifications for educators. Requirements within this sector are set by each employer. Being that an individual’s professional development is tantamount to a society’s recognition of his/her occupation as a professional one, it can be discussed whether adult educators today are considered as being part of a real profession in the three countries.Based on the study, it can be concluded, that:Adult educators are absent within the policy discourse of adult education and training.Adult educators stand on the edge of a profession.Adult educators are self-taught professionals.These issues are worth further attention within both policy and research circles.
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| 4. |
- Milana (ed.), Marcella, et al.
(author)
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BAEA: Becoming Adult Educators in the European Area : Synthesis research report
- 2010
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- With an increased interest in and focus on lifelong learning and adult education as a means to economic development, social cohesion and participation in a democracy, comes an enhanced attention on adult educators and their qualifications. In light of this, the aim of Becoming Adult Educators in the European Area (BAEA), results of which are presented in this publication, has been to investigate ways prospective adult educators qualify for their jobs in terms of professional competences beforeentering the profession. Inspired by Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1986), among others, the study is grounded on the premise that individuals exist in multiple, multilayered and interacting contexts, each of which is a domain of social relations and physical contexts. The specific aims of the project have been: To analyse ways in which adult education policies and initial education andtraining opportunities for prospective adult educators affect professionalisation processes in the field of general, vocationally-oriented and liberal adult education; To investigate social and cultural factors that influence the individual formation of initial competences and qualifications of adult educators in the field of general, vocationally-oriented and liberal adult education; To investigate the main factors that influence the construction of a professional identity among prospective adult educators. Professional development in this study is defined as a process that involves the acquisition of a specialised body of knowledge, the formation of personal teaching-learning theories grounded on both theoretical principles and the self-interpretation of one‟s own practice, as well as the construction of a professional identity. The study is designed as a comparative study involving four European countries: Denmark, Estonia, Italy and Sweden. The empirical data was collected in the period of 2008-2009, in two steps. In the first step, a literature review of existing informationon adult education and learning and on the structural conditions surrounding the adult educator at work was conducted. The documents analysed included research reports and articles, official descriptions of national education systems, policy papers, laws, by-laws and reports, including national reports to the European Commission on the implementation of lifelong learning strategies at national levels. The second step consisted of narrative interviews which were conducted with a total of sixty-two persons undertaking specialised studies in adult education and learning. Each interview was first analysed in depth following a common frame of reference. Thereafter, cross-case analyses were carried-out nationally, and finally comparisons were made cross-nationally. Though the four countries studied differ in relation to adult education traditions as well as structural and political conditions, the analysis unveils similar trends for all – both in relation to adult education and training and in relation to the qualification of current and prospective adults educators. The empirical evidence brought together underscores that while the quality of adult education represents a topic of concern, it nonetheless underestimates the difficulties embedded in the provision of qualified teaching-learning transactions by adult educators who often enter the profession without specialised pedagogical knowledge. Further, the evidence highlights that professionalism in the field of adult education embodies contrasting views and understandings of its purpose, characterisations and possibilities, not least due to weak social recognition, fragile collective representativeness and individual protection. To better the conditions for the professionalisation of prospective and current adult educators, hence the quality of adult education provisions, more research-based knowledge in the field is needed. At the same time, the European Commission, governments, and other institutional actors and education agencies should: Develop policies and practices aimed at defining and implementing initial education and training paths and appropriate support for further career development in the field of adult education; Recognise adult educators as a professional group with complex cultural and professional competences; Create new opportunities for participation in specialised studies and concrete or virtual communities for professional exchange and mutual enrichment; Organise functional internships; Improve recruitment strategies and working conditions.
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| 5. |
- Nylander, Erik, 1982-, et al.
(author)
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Exploring the themes of the territory : a topic modelling approach to 40 years of publications in International Journal of Lifelong Education (1982-2021)
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Lifelong Education. - : Routledge; Taylor & Francis. - 0260-1370 .- 1464-519X. ; 41:1, s. 27-44
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 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.
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