“Precarious forms of work”, “wages near the poverty level” and “demand for minimum wages” – these are key words reflecting the status of continuing education personnel and the concurrent debate. The report focuses on the equality of wages in continuing education, taking up the business economical concept of “proportional equality of wages” as a result of the various references to the current debate in the field of adult and continuing education. The principles of market conformity, equal qualif…
The article focuses on the development of the global educational discourse from a human rights perspective, particularly with regard to adult education and lifelong learning. The author discusses the historic milestones set by the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the consequent understanding of learning as well as the various national implementation strategies of the right for lifelong learning.
The report focuses on the significance of the term “educational justice” from a socio-ethical perspective based on current political debates. The concepts of equal opportunities, participation and achievements are relevant in the intricate discourse on education and justice. The report is a contribution to the conceptual systematization which is indispensable for a profound analysis of equality related aspects of the education system.
Weaving the ‘carpet of memories’: a zigzag movement between association and knowledge This article presents a didactical strategy in the form of »zigzag learning« which works on the basis of a constant linkage between free associative learning elements (sporadic learning) with a logically structured content (systematic learning). A »carpet of memory« is woven in this zigzag movement which is propitious for learning efficacy. The strategy is presented using an example from school biology cla…
Movement shapes the brain: findings of brain research bearing relevance to learning This article provides an overview of what influence athletics and movement has on brain processes. Based on several studies, it is shown that various forms of movement cause numerous types of adaptation at the cellular, molecular and neurochemical level which influence emotional, social and cognitive processes. It is also noted that by the same token there are gradual differences in these factors at various a…
The author traces the change in paradigm in educational policy from the perspective of the Ministry in charge as a »fundamental empirical change«. It shows structures and framework conditions underlying pertinent major projects (National Educational Panel, technology-based testing, the Programme for Empirical Educational Research) and draws attention to the output and competence orientation as their “leitmotif”. By the same token it views educational policy and educational research as being dep…
Proceeding from the educational policy objective of achieving greater participation in continuing education, this article presents a set of instruments with which the learning and educational behaviour of adults can be measured statistically. Taking the example of data selected from the Continuing Education Reporting System (Berichtssystem Weiterbildung (BSW)) and the Adult Education Survey (AES), the potential for analysis and the generation of knowledge offered by statistics on continuing edu…
This article explores the inherent normative nature of what on the surface appears to be neutral empirical research. Direct and indirect normative influences exercised by empirical research are demonstrated using the example of the PISA studies: (1) their desire to provide knowledge which can help steer policy, (2) the normative nature of their didactical concepts and educational theory, (3) the idea derived from the sequence of studies of adapting classroom instruction to conform with the conc…