THE CHANGING PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

OF THE ADULT EDUCATOR IN EUROPE

Magda Trantallidi

Hellenic Ministry of Εducation

General Secretariat for adult education

magda@gsae.edu.gr

Content of the presentation

1. Goal and objectives

2. Source of evidence

3. The globalisation of adult education

4. Variables of change in adult education and training

5. Variables of change in the profession of the adult educator

6. Changing roles and shifting identities

7. Emerging key issues

8. Conclusions

1. Goal

To discuss the changing roles and shifting identities of the adult educator in a changing socio-economic context

To highlight the emerging key issues for adult education professionals in Europe.

Objectives

to highlight the global changes

to discuss their impact on the adult education and training scene

to examine the changes in the roles and functions of the adult educator

to discuss their demand for new competences

to highlight the key issues and trends in Europe

to draw some preliminary conclusions

2. Source of evidence

Two thematic studies (2000) of the training of trainers network (Ttnet) within CEDEFOP (European Centre for the development of vocational training)

IMITATE pilot project (1997-99)-Innovative methods in teaching adults today in Europe-under SOCRATES I programme

IMITATE has involved twelve countries, with varied adult education systems and practices (Nordic countries, Germany, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Greece).

3. The globalisation of adult education

Globalisation processes affect adult education in two ways:

from above

from below

two different driving forces, which operate at the same time and create

different dynamics, bring about profound changes in the adult education scene.

Globalisation ‘from above’ processes

International organisations (e.g. OECD, the World Bank)

Supra-national entities (e.g. the European Union institutions)

propose and coordinate strategies and policies, which impact on adult education agendas

These policies articulate, mainly, human-capital perspectives

The dominant paradigm of these processes is the economic value and utility of adult education, which is assessed for effectiveness, efficiency and quality.

Globalisation “from below” processes

Globalisation processes open up possibilities for democratic influence from grass roots movements

Globalisation processes can build on the existing social capital of local realities and construct “a global civil society”

Global issues may form part of a global agenda for social action

The dominant paradigm, in this case, is an holistic approach for adult education, based on humanistic ideology and democratic values.

The process of global integration of national markets

seems to impact on the globalisation of adult education, that is, the re-configuration of

adult education goals and practices.

4. Variables of change in adult education and training

• The changing nature of the State-Market and civil society

• The demographic trends

• The rapid development of ICT

• The vocationalisation of adult education

• The commodification of adult education

• Pressures for homogenised mass culture

• New learning divides / social exclusion

5. Variables of change in the profession of the adult educator

Four major new functions:

Educational and training functions

 Organising and engineering functions

 Management and marketing functions

 Counselling and guidance functions

 

Understanding globalisation and having the ability to explain global transformations and to sensitise the learners on global issues

is a core competence/function of the adult educator, in order to

Conceptualise

Contextualise

Operationalise

adult learning

The variables of change in adult education are the main factors which affect the new functions

and activities of the adult educator.

New functions and activities

Advise individuals and institutions/coach learning processes

Develop concepts of continuing training/structure a course

Realise training programmes and courses

Plan organisational and financing devices/administrate a course

Offer training programmes according to determined needs/plan and publish own courses

Conceptualise and analyse standard values and functions in adult education/recognise own competences

Lead and manage personnel and teams/lead groups and processes

Evaluate and innovate concepts in adult education/evaluate outputs

• Adaptability

• Autonomy

• Communication

• Flexibility

• Initiative

• Mobility

• Relational skills

New functions demand new transferable competences

Competences are constructed on the basis of:

 Internal resources

External resources

Several different competences may make use of the same resource.

Internal resources

general knowledge and culture

specific knowledge of the work context

procedural knowledge

experiential knowledge

technical skills

practical skills

interpersonal skills

personal qualities or aptitudes

psychological resources

External resources

personal networks

documentation

information networks

expertise networks

diversified tools  

Engineering of training is the combination of :

• Pedagogical

• Technical

• Social

• Corporate

• Relational

• Managerial skills

Transferable competences seem to be generic; therefore, up-skilling and multi-skilling should aim at developing the ability to construct appropriate competences by combining internal and external resources.

From the traditional role of:

EducatorTeacherTrainerTutorInstructorSupervisor Assessor

To the new roles of:

FacilitatorMediatorMentorCoachAdviserNegotiatorOrganiser Writer Designer DemonstratorProject leaderEvaluator

6. Changing roles and shifting identities

Globalisation seems to impact on the professional roles and the formulation and re-formulation of the multiple and shifting identities of the adult educators.

7. Emerging key issues

Professionalisation of the adult educators

Accreditation of prior learning and competences

Quality Assurance – Standardisation

Innovation in teaching and learning Cross-cultural training /intercultural learning

Continuing professional development in a LLL perspective 

Professionalisation of the adult educators

two “macro” typologies of approach

• top-down, where a regulatory framework is adopted at national level (e.g. United Kingdom) or at regional level (e.g. Italy)

• bottom-up, where the initiative is taken by individual institutions, companies and associations rather than a general collaboration (e.g. France).

 

Accreditation of prior learning (APEL) and competences

• A movement of the accreditation of prior learning and of work experience has been developed, recognising the worth of learning wherever it has taken place and however it was gained

• Accreditation, therefore, is considered as an element in the qualification of the adult educator

• Validation, encompassing identification-assessment and recognition of non-formal learning, becomes a key factor of professionalisation and a consequence of LLL approaches.

Quality Assurance – Standardisation

Standardisation is linked to three defining factors:

• the processes• the models • the results/products

Total Quality Management (TQM) approaches are gradually initiated in adult education provision, as part of a broader macro-economic trend to deliver high quality goods and services

Organisations are assessed according to quality norms and on the basis of the input-output models of evaluation.  

Innovation in teaching and learning

ICT encourage a new training paradigm that combines individual and organisational learning, in formal and non-formal settings, at national and/or transnational contexts

Yet, distance learning should not substitute attendance training, because the latter may enhance interpersonal, social and cultural competences.

Cross-cultural training /intercultural learning

Learning from practice in other cultural contexts can give new insights towards developing pedagogical practices and multiplies the possibilities to give solutions to problems that adult educators confront

Cross-cultural knowledge and competences prepare for the needs of an increasingly international professional life in a global economy, improve foreign language proficiency and can establish international personal and professional networks.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Globalisation processes seem to affect the CPD of adult educators in terms of:

Content (new knowledge, skills, competences)

Methods (attendance, distance, mixed, self-directed)

Organisation (modular, tailor-made/individual, learning organisation)

Delivery (private, public, social/national, transnational, international)

Evaluation-assesssment (internal, external, self-evaluation)

Funding (self-financing, shared with employer/public, European grants and loans)

Validation (formal, non-formal learning/national systems/transnational standards)

8. Conclusions

Global transformations impact on the adult education scene and affect the traditional functions and roles of the adult educators

Globalisation appears to affect the CPD of adult educators and to impact on its content, methods, organisation, delivery, funding, assessment and validation

Movements within E.U. policies to professionalise CPD include common qualifications, training, accreditation standards and procedures according to global imperatives for quality, efficiency and effectiveness

Mobility schemes should be seen as a key element of professionalisingCPD

Adult educators’ continuing education should have global and lifelong dimensions and appears to be a core key issue in LLL policies.