Group 5: Comparing the impact of cultural Institutions and organizations on adult and lifelong learning

culture, community, active citizenship

In the year of 2000, the Helsinki Conference on adult education was dedicated to Adult Education and Culture Working Together In the Lisbon Decade, lifelong learning was understood to provide a balanced approach to teaching and learning for a knowledge-based economy and society to give way to the improvement of both active citizenship and employability. Even though the end of the same decade with its economic and finan-cial crisis made active citizenship and cultural orientations in adult and lifelong learning to fade away and employability to dominate the dis-course around adult learning.

This Working Group will demonstrate the influence and quality value of informal learning as a significant part of adult and lifelong learning. Therefore, this subject area is related to comparative research upon adult and lifelong learning referring active citizenship and community development.

Learning outcomes:

1. Being able to compare the impact of some culture-based community learning activities of adults or intergenerational groups in urban or rural environments;
2. Being able to compare functions of cultural organisa-tions/institutions in providing adult learning opportunities and to assess the impact of such actions.
3. Being able to provide recommendations, plans for improving participation and performance in adult learning within cultural and community environments.

Comparative research question:

What are the roles of cultural organisations/institutions in adult and lifelong learning at local and regional levels?

Context of comparison:

1. Institutions/organisations;
2. Local, regional law/regulations;
3. Tools and methods in adult learning and educa-tion/edutainment for non-traditional learners;
4. interdependencies, collaborations

Categories of comparison:

1. Activities and Programmes: What activities, programmes do they concretely offer in community based adult education and skills development for active citizens?
2. Providers: Who are the key providers of culture-based community learning activities of adults or intergenerational groups in urban or rural environments? Collect and compare your key 3-5 examples!
3. Role of cultural organisations: What are the changing roles of cultural organisations/institutions in providing adult learning opportunities and being able to assess and compare the impact of such actions?
4. Further recommendations: Can you outline further recommendations, plans for improving participation and performance in adult learning within cultural and community environments?

References:

de Castro, Rui Vieira – Sancho, Amélia Vitória – Guimaráes, Paula (eds.) (2006) Adult Education. New Routes in a New Landscape Braga: University of Minho; Wildemeersch, Danny – Stroobants, Veerle – Bron, Michal Jr. (eds.) (2005) Active Citizenship and Multiple Identities in Europe. A Learning Outlook Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang; Longworth, Norman (2006) Learning Cities, Learning Regions and Learning Communities London: Routledge

Prof. Balázs Németh, University of Pécs, Hungary

Dr. habil Balázs Németh, PhD is a researcher in European adult and lifelong learning policy development and comparative adult education. He is an Associate Professor and Reader in Adult Learning and Education at the University of Pécs. He is also a founding member of the Hungarian Universities Lifelong Learning Network (MELLearN) and represents the University of Pécs in the European Universities Continuing Education Network (EUCEN) and in the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA). Further research topics of his are: Politics and Adult Education; Comparative Adult Education; History of Modern European Adult Education from 1850 to 1950.