Adult Educator, Trainer and Professional Development
Network convenors:
George Zarifis
Lecturer in Continuing Education,
Faculty Of Philosophy, School of Philosophy & Education
Department of Education,
GR-54124, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
Greece.
Tel: +30 2310 997893
Fax: +30 2310 997232
e-mail: gzarifis@edlit.auth.gr
Larissa Jogi
Assistant professor,
Head of Chair of Andragogy,
Tallinn University,
Estonia.
e-mail: larissa.jogi@tlu.ee
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Jütte
University of Bielefeld
Faculty for Educational Science
AG 6 Weiterbildung und Bildungsmanagement
Universitätsstr. 25
33615 Bielefeld
Germany
e-mail: wolfgang.juette@uni-bielefeld.de
Tel.: +49 (0) 521-106-3144
Aim and themes of the network:
The general scope of this recently estabished network is to provide input on how to improve the conditions needed for the personal and professional development of adult educators and trainers, enhancing the attractiveness of their profession and therefore strengthening the idea of quality in adult education in Europe. This is to be achieved by stipulating some insight into key issues and challenges related to the adult educator and related staff, and by highlighting essential areas of action, current trends, good practices and relevant policies. On these grounds the aim of the proposed network is threefold:
- To bring forward the experience from all around Europe, on issues pertaining to the multiple roles, practices and settings in which adult educators and related staff act and grow.
- To report on current European projects and stimulate research in this area.
- To explore the way/s in which policies develop and analyse their possible impact.
A large variety of issues is to be addressed and researched within the network. A shortlist of themes and expected focus on areas of related research, may include -but not restricted to- topics such as initial education and training of adult educators and related staff; access, recruitment and career paths for adult educators & trainers; ageing and gendering of the adult educator; professionalisation of the adult educator, trainer, practitioner; attractiveness of the profession, employment situation, working environments and working conditions; continuing and in-service education and training for adult educators & assessment of their role; duties, roles and identities for adult educators and related staff; methods and qualities of practice, reflectivity and reflective practice; adult learner/participant - adult educator interaction & issues of power and authority; trade unionism, collaboration and networking among adult educators and related staff; policy making and its impact on adult educators’ roles and practices.
Frequency of meetings:
The network will organise biennial meetings starting from 2009. A date and place for the first network meeting will be announced soon.
