The economy of education identifies various kinds of usefulness of education: individual benefits and also so-called external benefits, by which society profits (internal as well as external benefits can be monetary or non-monetary). These dimensions of usefulness differ in the degree to which they can be quantified. The benefits of education have not been researched as thoroughly as its cost. The more far-reaching welfare effects of further education are especially hard to measure. The evalu…
Data on adult education centres kept since 1962 shows interesting longitudinal historical results regarding time structures for adult education classes offered at adult education centres: (1) The increase in continuing education activities which can be observed on the whole is only accounted for by course-type classes, not by individual classes. (2) The average course time has decreased by about 20 percent over the last 20 years. (3) With respect to forms of time organisation, the evening cours…
Similarly to Austria and Switzerland adult education competencies could be recognized cross-provider in Germany. Within a joint research and development project the DIE and different associations of adult and continuing education develop basics for a correspondent method for teachers. The authors focus on preceded feasibility studies and needs assessments of the DIE. These show an overwhelming approval of the target group to initiate such activities, but also see risks as well as opportunities …
The author provides a row of examples for the overlapping of practical social work and adult education existing already today. In the light of the task of making it possible for all people to come along in the accelerated life and work life, both disciplines should go together more strongly. Adult education needs to open up to social work and the social work needs to understand itself as being pervaded by adult education.
Given the current debate over qualifications and skills of teachers in adult education, the continuing education programme “Basic qualification for literacy and basic educational work” developed within the framework of the joint project ProGrundbildung seeks to professionalise adult education teachers who work in or who want to work in the field of literacy and basic education. The authors present the concept of continuing education and discuss the data on personnel structure, motives for under…
The scope of literacy courses. Results of a representative survey among adult education centres As part of the EQUALS project, the German Adult Education Association (DVV) collected statistical data on literacy courses at adult education centres; this article presents the data and compares it with figures from 1994. The number of courses has risen, as has the number of participants, but fewer institutions than before provide this service. Compared with 1994, the participants are older and t…
Adult education is more and more affected by social change due to migration. This paper analyses the marginal adoption of the topic by research in the past and describes recent trends, also in practice. Perspectives for institutions of adult education such as widening access to adult education for migrants, organisational development and professionalisation are discussed. Furthermore the author names challenges for research. There should be more cooperation within the field of educational resea…
Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig war ein Verfasser mehrerer pädagogischer Schriften. Des Weiteren entwickelte er das Konzept der Volkshochschule, welches sich stark an den christlichen Auffassungen, u.a. auch der Erweckung, orientierte und eine lebensweltbezogene Aufklärung, insbesondere auch für die Unterschichten in dänischer Sprache forderte.
