Starting out with deliberations on the relationship between the course of life and the constructed biography of an individual, this article intends to elucidate the contexts of learning as they are treated in various (inter-)national studies, by focusing on the individual’s course of life. To clarify which methodological design is most appropriate to study processes of (lifelong) learning and education, it then seems necessary to highlight a particular methodological approach. This leads, ultim…
The author starts out from a review of the relationship between language didactics and other fields of research giving inspiration to it (learning psychology, linguistics, second language acquisition research, anthropology), exploring whether constructivism might be one of these fields. He criticizes that in order to explain constructivist perspectives on learning, constructivists tend to use „instructionalism“ as a background against which to position their own ideas, „instructionalism“, howev…
Theme networks and the systematic generation of the new A systematization using the example of the learning regions Meta structures in the form of content orientated “topic net groups” offers a possibility for communication and exchange between the regional projects in the program “Learning Regions – Providing Support for Networks”. Thereby they build a field of communication in which practice problems and their solutions appear and therefore they can be brought to discussion. Thus topic n…
The "Red Series" provides quick access and initial orientation regarding the characteristics and features of continuing education in the individual countries. The volumes combine country-specific data and information on a scientific basis. A comprehensive service section facilitates further enquiries. On this base, continuing educators from research, practice and administration are able to prepare coopertion activities.
Learning along biographical and career changes Based on a biographical sample from adult education centres (VHS), this article discusses the concept of research on learning environments. The factors for success will be evaluated together with reflections on how to prepare for an executive position in such institutions. This will allow for extracting conditions for learning in certain biographical settings. The challenge for learning is seen as a result of the individual’s changing reception…
The German Society for Promotion of Research at Old Age (Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Forschung im Alter – DGFFA) wants to give an impulse for the intensification of the discussion on those aspects of the demographic change, to which the universities/colleges would need to devote themselves to in due time, if they strive to consolidate their future viability in a society of lifelong learning. The presented suggestions in this contribution are components of a position paper that a wor…
The historiography of adult education has painted an almost entirely optimistic picture of enlightenment until today. The actors are defined as people who are willing to learn and capable of being educated. Thanks to the advances in the enlightenment process they mature into responsible citizens. Sources based on individual history, like the ones presented in the “Magazin zur Erfahrungsseelenkunde” (1783-1793), are not taken into consideration. In his role as editor of the periodical magazine, …
Der Aufschwung des Themas „Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung“ hält ungebrochen an. So gibt es zahlreiche Veröffentlichungen von Forschungsergebnissen aus dem Förderschwerpunkt „Forschung und Entwicklung zur Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung Erwachsener“ des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF). In diesem Förderschwerpunkt, der in diesem Jahr ausläuft (2007–2012), konnte intensive Grundlagenforschung geleistet werden, deren jüngste Ergebnisse in dieser Ausgabe des REPORT vorgestel…
Didactics – more than the art of teaching? The contribution gives an overview of the historical terms of didactics. With the background of changing paradigms, drawn is the entry of the didactical term into adult education and its development since the 1960s. One focus of the consideration is on the didactical change from “teaching“ to “formation of learning contexts”, which was influenced by the discussion on constructivism. Concluding, the author elaborates on the state of research on didac…
