Non-formal Adult Education Research Articles

Solving Internal Communication Challenges in Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises in Three Northern European Countries

Aim. The aim of the research is to analyse goals, practices, and challenges of internal organisational communication in tourism and hospitality enterprises and offer teaching/learning methodologies to further smooth internal organisational communication. Methods. Twelve semi-structured expert interviews to analyse organisational communication from various aspects were conducted with top level management representatives in 2020–2023. The data was analysed applying content analysis. The themes elicited were grouped into three contextual categories to conduct in-depth analysis. Additionally, SWOT analysis was conducted. Results. The findings indicate that the main goals of internal organisational communication depend on the type of the company. E-mail is the most frequently used written communication channel by tourism companies. WhatsApp or FB group is equally popular among all companies. Face-to-face communication remains the preferred oral internal communication channel in all businesses, regardless of the company location and size. Conclusion. The challenges discovered in the research may be addressed through non-formal and informal learning activities derived from real-life situations and problems to engage adult learners in active, participatory learning encouraging them to collaborate and contribute to the common organisational goals and shared values. Practical application. The suggestions on teaching/learning methodologies to improve internal organisational communication may be practically applied in workplace learning as well as in teaching/learning languages in formal and non-formal adult education. Cognitive value. The article provides an analysis of how adult learners’ communication skills may be developed by incorporating Natural Approach of language learning, Cooperative Learning and game-based learning to secure contextualised participatory learning to improve internal organisational communication.

Participation in non-formal adult education within the European context: examining multilayer approach

Participation in non-formal adult education (NFE) is considered an essential part of lifelong learning, aiming to foster the development of individuals and societies. This significance is particularly evident today, given the era of extensive digitalization and disruptive technological advances. Nevertheless, not all adults participate in organized learning and have equal chances. Therefore, this study addresses the absence of up-to-date comparative findings on participation in NFE in the post-COVID-19 world. To this end, we examine current trends in NFE participation in four European countries: Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic (RQ1), where we explore the impact of key micro (social and behavioral), meso (job-related), and macro-level (country-specific) factors on this participation (RQ2). Our findings indicate that NFE participation remained relatively stable in 2022 compared to 2016, except for Sweden and Germany, which achieved higher participation rates. However, differences in participation between countries are diminishing. Simultaneously, NFE participation is becoming increasingly job-oriented and receives more support from employers. However, it is important to note that inequality in access to NFE persists, as the main predictors of NFE participation, such as learning intentions, educational attainment, economic and occupational status, remain consistent, regardless of the participants’ economic activity and country of birth. This underscores the enduring significance of a key concept behind this study: the willingness to engage in organized NFE exhibits a complex structure with multiple layers.

Are you white enough to understand Swedish?: a raciolinguistic exploration in parent encounters in a non-formal educational terrain

ABSTRACT The article investigates how linguicism, racialisation and ethnicisation interconnect in a non-formal adult education setting, a non-governmental integration initiative targeting parents of small children in Sweden. Through ethnographic research at two sites where meetings were held, and a theoretical framework of combining raciolinguistic and phenomenology of whiteness, ‘sideways’ experiences are revealed. These consist of (i) visual markers (i.e. whiteness) creating assumptions about who is a language learner as seen through the eyes of the white Swedish perceiving subject, (ii) non-whiteness leading to assumptions about being ‘a migrant’ needing linguistic attention, (iii) the meetings being spaces where the ‘non-white’ language learner is missing, as benevolence on the surface masks exclusion on the basis of who can inhabit the meeting spaces. The theoretical application embarking from the white Swedish perceiving subject thus reveals the relationship of race and language in non-formal parent education.

Stealth Gamification in Self-Directed Non-formal Adult Education

Der digitale Wandel fördert das Interesse an Online-Lernplattformen, wirft jedoch Fragen bezüglich der Gestaltung motivierender altersgerechter Angebote auf. Gamification, die Integration von Spielelementen und -mechanismen unter anderem in Lernkontexten, bietet Potenzial zur Steigerung von Motivation und mithin Nutzungsengagement und Lernleistung. Die Effektivität von Gamification hängt dabei stark von der Akzeptanz durch die Lernenden ab, insbesondere bei Erwachsenen, bei denen eine subtile Implementierung nötig sein kann, um den bis in die Gegenwart sozialhistorisch nachvollziehbaren Gegensatz zwischen Spiel und Ernst zu umgehen. Die Herausforderung liegt darin, spielerische Aspekte so zu integrieren, dass sie, um Ablehnung zu vermeiden, die Lernmotivation ohne offensichtliche Spielmechanismen fördern. Forschungsergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass erwachsene Lernende spielerischen Inhalten in ernsten Kontexten häufig kritisch gegenüberstehen, was die Wirkung von Gamification einschränken oder verhindern kann. Eine erfolgreiche Anwendung von Gamification erfordert demnach ein Verständnis für die Zielgruppe, ihre Wahrnehmung und Einstellungen. Zukünftige Forschungen sollten sich darauf konzentrieren, altersspezifische Strategien zu entwickeln, um das Potenzial von Gamification effektiv im Rahmen von selbstgesteuerten non-formalen Bildungsangeboten wie Online-Lernplattformen nutzen zu können.

CONCEPTUAL IDEAS AND GUIDELINES OF NORTH AMERICAN MODEL OF ADULT EDUCATION

The article deals with conceptual ideas and guidelines of North American model of adult education. It is substantiated that North American model of adult education is based on the philosophical principles of liberalism, progressivism, behaviorism, humanism, radicalism, and constructivism. Liberalism has ancient roots and is based on the position that since the person is the real source of progress in society, it is necessary to ensure his/her rights and freedoms, providing equal access to education regardless of social status and well-being. The basic principle of liberal education is singled out, which is to develop a personality that meets the purpose of liberal education in ancient times – provision of education for citizens who can become active participants of a democratic society. It is proven that non-formal adult education should be continuous, focus on the development of intellectual abilities, be accessible to all layers of the population, and its content must meet their needs. It is found out that the historical roots of the philosophy of progressivism are associated with progressive political movement in society and education. Its basis is the concept of interaction between education and society, empirical theory of democratization of education. It is determined that behavioral philosophy, founded by John Watson, appeared in the USA in the early 20th century. Based on the theory of Pavlov's conditioned reflexes, its supporters (J. Watson, B. Sninner and E. Thorndike) considered personality as a set of behavioral responses to stimuli of the environment. It is identified that the purpose of adult education is the modification of a person’s behavior. It is proven that unlike behaviorists, representatives of humanistic philosophy (J. Brown, A. Maslow, M. Knowles, K. Rogers, etc.) considered a man to be independent, active, open to change and self-actualization. It is stressed that the founders of the radical trend, based on theories of anarchism, marxism, and socialism, considered education in general and adult education, in particular, as an important mechanism to achieve radical changes in society. Meanwhile, the social role of non-formal adult education was updated, because it required critical thinking and personal participation in these changes.

Online learning platforms and resources in adult education and training: new findings from four European countries

ABSTRACT Digitisation represents one of the key directions of adult education and training in the post-COVID-19 times, but direct empirical evidence of its scope among learners is rather scarce after 2021. Therefore, the general aim of this article is to investigate the current state of the use of online learning platforms and resources in adult education and training throughout Europe. For this purpose, we utilise data from a dedicated survey in the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (n = 4,000) from 2022, which cover a wide range of digitalisation as measured by the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). Our findings are consistent with DESI in the overall levels of online learning across the four countries. Beyond this, we provide two main findings. First, the patterns of digitalisation are different in formal (FAE) and non-formal adult education (NFE). We identify two corresponding modes of platformization based on how and how much online learning platforms and resources are used. Second, factors of participation in online learning differ in some regards from factors of participation in AET in general. Therefore, online learning seems to constitute a new layer mediating participation in AET, possibly introducing new forms of inequalities.

FEATURES AND POTENTIALS OF NON-FORMAL ADULT EDUCATION IN UKRAINIAN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

The aim of the article ii to define features and potentials of non-formal adult education in Ukrainian educational environment that is focused on adult learners` development and motivation; effective change management; the challenge of real life adult learners can face; ability to prove adult learners can use knowledge to introduce themselves professionally and communicate effectively in everyday situations and work. General scientific methods such as analysis, synthesis and generalization of the scientific information on different theoretical approaches to the problem of non-formal adult education have been used. One of the most important tasks at the present stage of modernizing non-formal adult education in national teaching and learning process is to ensure teaching quality according to both national and international requirements as well as support adult learners in delivering successful learning preparing them for future challenges. This issue is partly a reaction to the rapid changes in technologies adult learners can see around and experience on a daily basis. Information technologies, effective tools and timely forehanded receiving of information are becoming essential and crucial factors in the teaching lifelong education process. There is a need to bring into focus the non-formal adult education process to improve the design and structure of adult learning opportunities. In this article, we address concepts and approaches, which are equipped with appropriate innovative-based effective tools in accordance with the latest requirements identifying key issues that emerge in non-formal adult education, introducing them as substantial elements of teachers’ professional competence and their effective use in lifelong education process. Particular attention is paid to the teacher`s role and significance in nonformal adult education making such a process more meaningful for adult learners.

Bounded advantages of higher education regarding young adults’ participation in nonformal education

The article uses insights from the capability approach as a theoretical framework. It investigates the potential of higher education to provide fertile advantages regarding young adults’ participation in nonformal education and whether this potential is bounded by people’s individual characteristics and the wider social context in which they live. Applying descriptive statistics and multilevel modelling, we conducted a secondary data analysis of the Adult Education Survey for 29 European countries. The findings go beyond previous research by clearly demonstrating that the fertile advantages of higher education regarding participation in adult nonformal education are not absolute and straightforward. They are bounded not only by certain important individual characteristics (such as individuals’ social background and household income) but are also context-dependent. More concretely, they differ among countries and depend on various country-level factors, such as level of innovation and economic growth.

Experience of the implementation of non-formal adult education in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The article considers the experience of non-formal adult education in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The author analyzes the main legal documents of the legislative regulation of adult education in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The content of «non-formal adult education» is highlighted, which is considered as a structural element of lifelong learning that supplements the existing formal education and is a powerful tool for the sustainable development of society and the potential of each adult, in particular, increasing their competitiveness in the labour market. Statistical data on the participation of the adult population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in formal and non-formal learning have been analyzed, which allow us to assess comprehensively the state of development and functioning of the adult education system in this country. Modern forms of non-formal adult education in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are characterized, including professional courses and trainings, internships, massive open online courses, etc. Examples of educational programmes and training courses available at British universities, which are providers of educational services in the field of non-formal adult education, are given. Attention is focused on the features of validation of the results of non-formal adult education in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The author concludes that the experience of the implementation of non-formal adult education in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland can serve as a certain reference point for the modernization of non-formal adult education in Ukraine, because the system of adult education in this country allows adults to adapt quickly to socio-economic challenges and realize themselves on employment and social security, economic growth and competitiveness.

FEATURES OF REGULATORY SUPPORT OF NON-FORMAL ADULT EDUCATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

The article analyzes the regulatory support of non-formal adult education in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland through the main types of legal acts of the governments of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The adult education system in this country is characterized, which is represented by formal and non-formal education institutions, associations, councils, and committees on adult education. It is emphasized that in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the reform of adult education is aimed at the formation of the necessary professional skills; improvement of employment prospects; modernization of the existing educational system in accordance with employers’ requests; establishment of the financial support programme, which will promote the non-formal learning opportunities for the adult population. It is noted that in each country of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), the development of non-formal adult education has specific features: a high degree of autonomy for all providers, cooperation and partnership between educational institutions and employers, etc. The non-formal education providers are also presented (non-profit, charitable, private organisations, universities, colleges, and other educational institutions). The conclusion is made that, the reform of adult education has been put front and centre by the British government; it is presented by regulatory and legal acts in each country and is aimed at promoting the lifelong learning.

Impact of COVID‐19 on participation and barriers in nonformal adult education in the Czech Republic

AbstractThe impact that the COVID‐19 pandemic has had on nonformal adult education has become a frequently discussed issue in lifelong learning. Nonformal adult education is understood here as all organised adult learning outside formal education that usually does not result in official certification. Many scholars have considered the pandemic as the leading cause of both decreased participation in nonformal adult education and increased inequality among adults. Nevertheless, it has not yet been empirically established how profound this outcome has been for participation patterns, inequality and perceived barriers to involvement in nonformal adult education. Accordingly, this study explored how much the pandemic contributed to a decrease in overall participation, changes in participation patterns, as well as contributed to an increase in related inequalities in the Czech Republic. This article reports on results from a national representative survey in June 2020 (N = 1013) conducted between the first and second wave of the pandemic. Trends in participation in nonformal adult education along with barriers were mapped for the 12 months preceding the survey. To establish trends, we compared our results with data from the Adult Education Survey conducted in 2011 and 2016, respectively. Our analytical approach is primarily based on descriptive statistics and modelling factors influencing the involvement of adults in nonformal adult education. We found that overall participation in nonformal adult education decreased from June 2019 to June 2020 to its lowest recorded level. Furthermore, the results indicate that inequality based on educational attainment, as well as the perception of substantial institutional and situational barriers have significantly increased.

Theorizing learning circles – a Nordic tradition revitalized in times of social innovation imperatives

ABSTRACT Learning circles has a long tradition in the Nordic countries as a model for adult non-formal education, but has gained little scholarly attention and is thus sparsely theorised. The purpose of this article is to discuss the revitalisation of learning circles as highly relevant in times of what we term ‘social innovation imperatives’. To illustrate this, we report from two Nordic learning circles in which we were involved as evaluators. We provide an overview of the Nordic tradition of learning in ‘circles’ and draw on social innovation literatures to sketch a framework for theorising learning circles, comprising three aspects of the ‘social’ in social innovation: social ends, social means and capacity building. Despite the increasing popularity, there is still limited knowledge about social innovation in practice. The Nordic tradition of learning circles provides a practice-based reply to how social innovation can be facilitated, and vice versa; social innovation theory provides input for theorising learning circles. As such, this paper’s originality lies in allowing learning circles (as a practice) and social innovation (as the theory) to cross-pollinate.

Cross-national validation of the non-participation in non-formal education questionnaire: Findings from adults from Sweden, Germany, United Kingdom, and the Czech republic

Non-formal adult education (NFE) provides adults of all ages with the opportunity to acquire skills, knowledge, and expertise. However, there is currently a lack of validated instruments that measure the factors of NFE non-participation in European countries, particularly their barriers. One exception is the Non-participation in Non-formal Education Questionnaire (NP-NFE-Q). This study evaluates and compares the psychometric properties of this instrument among adults across four purposefully selected European countries: Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic. The results indicate a good model fit for a three-factor model across randomly split pooled samples and for all countries (min. CFI, TLI, and GFI =.932, .908, and .941, max. RMSEA =.079). The findings reveal that adults currently face barriers in three key forms: (1) worries and (2) needs regarding NFE at the micro level and (3) the need for more suitable provision at the macro level.

Swedish study circles encounter Kenyan chamas: a case study on the global interaction of traditions in non-formal adult education

ABSTRACT This article reports an empirical case study of a community self-help group (chama) in Western Kenya, utilising the study circle model promoted by a Swedish non-governmental organisation. Methodologically, it is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and participant observation for data collection. The results show that the study circle idea was transferred and translated through a locally pre-existing social infrastructure for learning, i.e. a farming collective organised and based on the widespread Kenyan tradition of chama. When the chama embraced the study circle and made local sense of it, they did so by mainly sticking to the same form of meetings and activities they previously had. The added value of referring to the activity as a study circle was that it expanded the group’s networks and increased its chances to invite specialists for consultation. Also, some increase in status for the group compared to other (non – study circle) chamas was noted.

Teachers’ reflections on their practices in older adult non-formal education

ABSTRACT This study aims to contribute knowledge about teachers’ reflections on their own practice in Folkbildning activities for older adults and is based on Nordic-German Didaktik theory and the three main Didaktik questions: why?, what? and how?. Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with teachers from different adult education associations. The study identified that the following purposes reflected by the teachers are connected with the why question: enjoyment, critical inquiry and resocialisation. Three principles of the what question are participants’ interests, standards and plurality. Four principles relating to the how question are students’ active participation, teachers’ distinct guidance, individualisation and a permissive environment. The results further indicate that teachers expressed two approaches about their own teaching practice. The first approach emphasises the elements of Bildung, which involves critical thinking and questioning certain notions about the world, while the second focuses on socialisation and basic knowledge that is needed in society.

Do They Even Need “Adult” Education? A Programming Critique of Day Habilitation

Day habilitation provides informal and non-formal adult education programming for individuals with disabilities, who often go unrecognized by the adult education field because of infantilization that precludes them from common perceptions of “adults,” contributing to a dearth of information about day hab access and programming in adult education literature. In this paper, we critically examine day hab access and programming issues in Texas, discussing barriers regarding costs and stigmas toward attendees from adult educators’ perspectives. We include practical recommendations for the field, such as embracing person-centered approaches and entering discussions about day habilitation programming to improve outcomes for participants.

Ancient Gymnasion as a Spaceof Lifelong Learning

The ancient gymnasion, a symbol of Hellenic culture, receives constant attention in the literature. Even today, however, the traditional interpretation prevails, which understands the gymnasion as a secondary school connected to the sports field, and neglects its other functions, including supporting lifelong learning. This study aims to expand the interpretation of the ancient gymnasion, above all, to bring closer its importance to adult education. Due to the absence of information in andragogy on the significance of gymnasion for adult education, the study leans on archaeological, historical and epigraphic sources and analyses of ancient sports. The spatial turn of the end of the 20th century contributed in these sources methodologically to the innovative reflections of the gymnasion. The text defines the terminological, chronological and territorial aspects of the ancient gymnasion and reflects the areas of its narrower interpretation. It summarizes the functions of the gymnasion and particularly those related to adult education. The gymnasion is further characterized as an antique interactive space that supports adult learning. The last section recalls gymnasion workers in terms of their activities that initiated non-formal adult education. In conclusion, we can therefore interpret the gymnasion as an institution of formal youth education and at the same time as an adult education facility – as a complex interactive space for lifelong learning.

ПОЄДНАННЯ НОМОТЕТИЧНОГО ТА ІДІОГРАФІЧНОГО ПІДХОДІВ У ФОРМУВАННІ ЕТИЧНОЇ КУЛЬТУРИ В ЗАКЛАДАХ НЕФОРМАЛЬНОЇ ОСВІТИ ДОРОСЛИХ

Education is one of the priority directions for the recovery of Ukraine after the war. The ability to get "quick" knowledge will be of great importance. Accordingly, the provision of high-quality educational services by non-formal adult education institutions will make it possible for trainees to acquire new, in-demand professional skills in a short period of time, which in turn will speed up the post-war recovery processes on the territory of our country. The main goal of the article is to study the conditions of the formation of ethical culture and its components in an institution of non-formal education of adults using nomothetic and idiographic approaches. This article examines the formation of an ethical culture and an ethical professional environment, as a component of the system of ensuring the quality of educational services in an institution of non-formal adult education, through a combination of nomothetic and idiographic approaches. Also, the opportunities they create for systematizing basic principles and formulating generalizing conclusions are defined. Special attention was paid to the analysis of the policy of compliance with ethics at different levels of responsibility and the principles of ensuring the quality of service provision in institutions of non-formal adult education; the author defines the code of ethics of non-formal adult education institutions, formulates its main provisions and proves the necessity of its application in non-formal adult education institutions with the provision of quality educational services.

Enduring inequality: long-term trends and factors in participation in adult education and learning among older adults

ABSTRACT Non-formal adult education and learning (NAE) is widely recognized as enhancing the quality of life and promoting active aging. Despite the empirically demonstrated benefits, older adults rank among one of the populations participating the least in NAE. Although several studies have highlighted the negative effect of aging on involvement in NAE, factors causing long-term changes in participation have not been explored directly. As a result, the significance of microsocial characteristics and their transformation over time has been overlooked. This article explores key microsocial factors leading to non/participation in NAE among adults aged 50 to 69 years along with changes in these factors for the 14-year period of 2006 to 2019. The research was conducted using the Czech Republic’s Labor Force Survey dataset (N = 114,345). The results show that all microsocial factors play an essential role in determining participation in NAE, thus a strong relationship between the social origins (cumulative disadvantage) of older adults and their participation was confirmed. In addition, the impact of most factors has proved consistent over time, not strengthening since 2009. One exception was level of education, which showed a rapid increase in participation in NAE in the respondents who identified themselves as low-educated.

Does participation in non-formal adult education matter for individual subjective well-being as a multidimensional functioning?

The article synthesizes ideas from the capability approach, the embeddedness approach, and Nancy Fraser’s three-dimensional scale of justice and develops a theoretical framework for understanding subjective well-being (SWB) as a positive functioning. It also proposes an instrument for measuring SWB and its relationship with participation in non-formal adult education. Using data from the European Social Survey, carried out in 2012, for 24 European countries and applying multilevel linear models for the analysis, the study finds evidence for a positive association between participation in non-formal adult education and SWB. The results show that differences in the SWB among people who have participated in non-formal adult education and those who have not are higher for those who have no higher education and are unemployed than for those who have higher education and paid work. This study also reveals that when people live in countries with better economic and democratic development and a more individualistic culture, the differences in their SWB by participating in non-formal adult education are smaller than when they live in countries with worse economic and democratic development and a more collectivistic culture.