Towards becoming a Good Adult Educator Paris November 17,2006

Background:  Nordic-Baltic Module-based Futher Training for Adult Educators Futher Training for Adult Educators “Learning4Sharing” ( ) “Learning4Sharing” ( )  Adult Study Net, Grundtvig 4 ( )

New project:  AGADE: A Good Adult Educator in Europe – curriculum development in Europe – curriculum development project project Grundtvig 11 Grundtvig 11 No CP EE-GRUNDTVIG-G11 No CP EE-GRUNDTVIG-G11

Partners:  Eesti Vabaharidusliit/Estonian Non-formal Adult Education Association Association  Magyar Népf ő iskolai Társaság/Hungarian Folk High School Society Society  National University of Ireland, Department Adult and Community Education Education  Latvijas Pieaugušo Izgl ī t ī bas Apvien ī ba/Latvian Adult Education Association Association  Lietuvos Suaugusi ų j ų Švietimo Asociacija/Lithuanian Association of Adult Education Adult Education  Universidade do Minho/University of Minho, Unit for Adult Education Adult Education  Studiefrämjandet i Norra Stor-Stockholm/Study Promotion Association Association  Voksenopplæringsforbundet/Norwegian Association for Adult Learning Adult Learning

How to describe AGADE project?  This project hasn’t been easy.  The partnership is wonderful.  Good experts with long experience in adult education. education.  From the very beginning we agreed that the course should be different. the course should be different.  But what does it mean?  This brought long and good and sometimes passionate discussions. passionate discussions.  Finally we shared the common ideas, attitudes and values. values.

Vilnius, May 2005

The project itself has been learning process   1st meeting January 2005: agreements (duties, dates etc.)   2nd meeting Mai 2005: agreed minimum set of criteria   3rd meeting September 2005 passionate discussions about course design   4th meetings November 2005 moderators course – newcomers in the team   5th meeting March 2006 test course   6th meeting May 2006 long and peaceful discussion: course and resource book   7th meeting September 2006 we have curriculum, we have recourse book, we will have “catalogue” course in November 2006 and May 2007

Szolnok, May 2006

Process and results: Step 1 The Agreed Minimum Set of Criteria - provides the basis for creating the curriculum of the course for adult educators “Towards becoming a Good Adult Educator”. it is not a checklist; it is a guide rather than a list.

Step 1 Sixteen criteria are divided into two groups: 1.Personal development area  Self-esteem  Tolerance  Responsibility  Communication skills  Empathy  Flexibility

2. Professional development area Organising stage  Knowledge about how adults learn and understanding the psychology of adults  Knowledge of methods in AE and learning  Skills in preparing value-based (democratic and humanistic) programmes  Planning and organisational skills  Good knowledge of the subject Performance stage  Ability to motivate learning - before, during and after the learning process  Development of learning environment in accordance with students’ needs, focusing on self-directed learning  Skills to activate learners Evaluating stage  Skills in self-reflection and critical thinking  Skills in evaluating and promoting self-evaluation in oneself and students

Step 2 Building and developing curricula Question: “Why are we making this course?” The goals of the course :  to share experience, knowledge and perspectives of own work ;  to reflect on one’s own practice, to be a reflective participant – to empower adult educators as reflective practitioners ;  to provide a supportive learning environment for the practitioners in order to actively reflect on their practice so as to enhance the quality of adult education and adult education practice ;  to strengthen adult education as a field through building an international network and partnerships.

We agreed that the good quality course corresponds to:  the needs of participants  the agreed minimum set of criteria  the blended learning idea

Course themes and topics: 1. Sharing experiences, knowledge and perspectives Reflective practice Adult educator as reflective practitioner Adult education philosophy 2. The role of adult educator today and in the future Current policy of adult education in Europe Digital tools in distance learning Social theory 3. Developing skills and knowledge Curriculum building philosophy Learning styles Adult psychology Adult education methodology Distance education methodology Practice and feedback Community drama

Topic1 Distance learningFace to Face learning2 Distance learning Reflective practiceProfessional life stories 2 hours => Learning diary, training map. Very clear explanation why and how? 3 hours => My learning story, training map 2 hours Adult psychologyKey text 1 hour Exercises 3 hours See training map Adult education methodology 3 exercises 2 hours Practice 3 hours Dream course. See also curriculum building philosophy and distance education methodology 2 hours Curriculum building philosophy Key text and practice model 2 hours Building course plan 3 hours See dream course Blended learning

Step 3 Test course  Distance learning was not very successful (moderator).  Face to face learning was good.  Two theoretical topics were transferred into distance learning module. learning module.

Feedback from learners Distance learning:  Flexibility as concerns time and place, learn when it suits you, 24 hours a day; learn at work or home; benefits in promoting the access to continuing education of the adult educators because we can use it in our own rhythm. People who could not otherwise meet, can interact and work together by distance  Getting-acquainted and communication of the First Class platform helped during the face-to-face part to break the ice quicker as well as to understand the discussed topics better.

Classroom learning:  Started out having the feeling of blind and mute.  People got involved at different face.  The communication in the group developed gradually.  Exchange of experience really took place, was valuable and more of that is needed. more of that is needed.  Less time sitting and taking notes, more activity (could be outdoor).  Study visit can be included in order to change the learning surroundings. surroundings.

May 2006

Step 4 Resource book The experience accumulated in the process of designing the European course is collected in the Resource Book. Chapter 1. Developing the AGADE Project  Introduction to the project  AGADE project as a learning process, evaluation and monitoring as a guidance tool  The Agreed Minimum Set of Criteria

Chapter 2. Building and developing curricula  Contributions to the Outline of a Training Device for Adult Educators  Ten Necessary Steps to Curriculum Formulation  Life as a Patchwork. Reflecting on Adult Educators’ Learning Experiences  Adult Educators and the problem of self-directedness  Learning styles  Distance Education (DE) and its methodology  Blended Learning  Learning Diary as a Tool for Reflection  Feedback to Learners as a Mean to Growth  Video Taping in Adult Learners’ Classroom  Community Drama: Critical Creativity and Adult Educators  Further Training Course Towards Becoming a Good Adult Educator  Practicalities checklist

Evaluation of the project. AGADE project as a learning process, evaluation and monitoring as a guidance tool