Seminar Adult Learning and the Consumption of Educational Goods

The overall aim of the course is to examine local and national, business and community-based strategies used to engage adults in learning, and how they shape demand and supply; it will look at groups under-represented in adult learning, the barriers to their participation, and how these can be overcome. The seminar will examine adult education as the -good” on a few historical examples and contemporary treatment of education in the policy development and on the free market. The relationship between education as the -good” and -value” will be examined. Approach to adult education as -capability enhancing (Amartya Sen)” vs -competence development” will be discussed. Further on, the focus will be on the different strategies used to engage adults in learning. It will look at groups under-represented in adult learning (esp. Migrants), the barriers to their participation, and how these can be overcome. As part of the course the students will reflect and develop strategies to implement strategies of Inclusive Adult education on the basis of a Matrix of Indicators of Inclusion. Certain international issues around adult learning and consumption of educational goods will be discussed, in the context of UNESCO and activities of other international -players.” On the basis of European strategic documents, papers, resolution and communication, the role and -image” of adult learning will be examined, on the broad spectrum from -the highest value that should be available to everyone” till -one of the good that should be left to the free market”. The main issues in this context are -adult education and learning for the free market and employment” and -adult education and learning for the social inclusion”. The impact of globalisation and global crises to this approach will be analysed, especially on the idea of adult education as human right. Some aspects of the regional differences in the role and status of adult learning will be analysed, especially in the -global” southern countries (esp. India). Competences After completing the course of study, students should be able: to define the central terms to develop the critical attitude and way of thinking towards different approaches, especially one-sided approaches to adult learning to understand and interpret the European policy of adult learning and education to recognize the regional differences in valuing adult education and learning to identify -good” and -value” approach to education in different contexts to identify main issues in the international debate about the value of adult learning to review and analyse strategies used to overcome barriers to learning Bildungswissenschaften Universität Duisburg-Essen WS 2012/13 Dr. Reddy Prasad