Learning & teaching
This category offers articles on best practices in learning and teaching, as well as the benefits and challenges of adult education and lifelong learning. These articles also explore global societal phenomena and their connections to lifelong learning.
Research and practice: Equal collaboration can lead to relevant research
“A trusting, eye-to-eye dialogue is needed for fruitful collaboration between research and practice,” says Sonja Muders of the German Institute for Adult Education. Amid divergent languages and priorities, how can that be achieved?
Erickson: “Active participation in communities of practice helps educators navigate changes”
“Today’s adult educators must continuously reshape their professional identity,” writes Jane Erickson in her column. She considers virtual communities of practice essential for maintaining professional relevance.
Project Stories: Breaking barriers in language learning
Ana-Maria Tanase of the Romanian organisation CPIP talks about the lessons of the international project I-BLU. The project seeks to develop efficient, user-friendly learning pathways for adult learners of English.
Transforming PIAAC results into action: On what to focus
The 2023 Survey of Adult Skills, the OECD’s International Assessment of Adult Competencies on literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills, paints a polarised picture between high- and low-performing countries. Data reveals a pressing need for policymakers to focus on lifelong and life-wide learning to ensure that education is more adaptive to evolving demands.
What role can companies play in civic education?
As political trust wanes and populism rises, there are calls for Europe’s corporate sector to step up. The Civic Scouts at Work programme empowers employees to promote democracy through civic education in corporate training. Can corporate social responsibility help adult learners cope with policy changes in Europe?
Paolo Federighi on micro-credentials: Progress toward equality, but equity remains elusive
They provide affordable and flexible learning opportunities, but do they truly promote equity and inclusivity? “Not quite yet,” says Paolo Federighi, Honorary Professor of Adult Education at the University of Florence, in reference to the much-debated micro-credentials.
Empowering people with disabilities in politics
A German initiative offers citizenship education to people with disabilities, fostering their active participation in political life. “I've realised what rights I have and that my opinion counts,” says one student.
Project Stories: Peer literacy outreach in prisons
Derv Ryan from Irish NALA discusses the Literacy Ambassador Programme, which supports people who struggle with reading and writing to outreach to their peers. Since 2022, NALA has run the programme in ten prisons.
Project Stories: Empowering seniors through the arts
Carlo Smaldone Villani of the Italian NGO Prometeo discusses his insights from the FSW project, which develops activities to help social workers work with seniors. The key lies in the arts, he says.
Work opportunities for people with disabilities
An EU project produces learning videos to increase employers’ willingness and ability to hire people with disabilities. The main target group are small and medium-sized companies.
