Participation Of Adults In Education Research Articles

Influence of population’s education level on the employment and unemployment rates in the European Union countries

Motivation: Population’s education level plays an important role, translating into proper performance of work duties and decent salary and, as a result, it is one of the fundamental factors influencing the economic growth and the standard and quality of life. Aim: The main goal of the article is to specify relationships between the education level of population in individual EU member countries and their labour market situation, especially the employment and unemployment rates. The analyses carried out also aimed to indicate the differences between the countries and gradual changes in the relevant indices in the years 2006–2015. The relationships between the indices analysed and the existing differences and distances between the countries were presented for three groups: The 28 member countries (EU–28), the old 15 (EU–15), and the new 13 European countries that joined the EU in 2004 (EU–13). The assessment of the said issues was based on indices reflecting the education level as well as the employment and unemployment rates of the population. The empirical data were derived from the European Statistical Office. Coefficients of variation, dynamics, and correlation were calculated. In order to describe the statistical data, descriptive and comparative methods were used. Results: In comparison with the new EU–13 countries, the old EU member countries are home to significantly more uneducated people or people with the lowest level of education, while there is a significantly higher percentage of people with higher education. When it comes to the level of primary, secondary, and higher education — the distance between the old and the new EU countries is slightly decreasing, while in terms of the percentage of young people who do not work or study and the rate of participation of adults in education, the distance is deepening to the disadvantage of the new member countries. The differences in education level are reflected in the employment and unemployment rates of population.

Vključenost odraslih v izobraževanje ter materialne spodbude za izobraževanje v Sloveniji in izbranih državah EU

Država lahko z raznimi spodbudami povečuje vključenost odraslih (vseh odraslih ali izbranih ciljnih skupin) v izobra- ževanje. Spodbujanje vključenosti odraslih v izobraževanje omenjajo tudi domači in mednarodni strateški dokumenti. Prenovljeni strateški okvir na področju izobraževanja in usposabljanja postavlja v ospredje povečanje vključenosti niz- ko izobraženih v izobraževanje. V Sloveniji je vključenost odraslih v izobraževanje na razmeroma visoki stopnji, vendar pa so v vključenosti velike razlike glede na starost in izobrazbo udeležencev. V izbranih državah EU (Finska, Švedska, Združeno kraljestvo, Nizozemska, Avstrija in Belgija) so odraslim na voljo različne oblike materialnih spodbud za izobraževanje (brezplačno izobraževanje, štipendije, denarni dodatki, posojilo za izobraževanje, davčne olajšave, indi- vidualni izobraževalni računi, vavčerji, čeki za izobraževanje). Avstrija, Finska in Belgija imajo tudi podrobno urejen izobraževalni dopust. V Sloveniji bi bilo treba krepiti materialne spodbude odraslim za izobraževanje, nekatere od njih pa preoblikovati. Sprejeti bi bilo treba tudi novo resolucijo o nacionalnem programu izobraževanja odraslih.

Finančni položaj ljudskih univerz v obdobju 2004–2008

V prispevku avtorici obravnavata opredelitev javnega interesa v Nacionalnem programu izobraževanja odraslih na treh prednostnih področjih. Prikazujeta, koliko so k uresničevanju javnega interesa prispevale ljudske univerze, predvsem na prvem prednostnem področju – splošnem neformalnem izobraževanju odraslih. Osredotočili sta se na finančne razmere, v katerih so ljudske univerze v obdobju 2005–2008 izvajale programe v javnem interesu. Analiza je pokazala na izrazito nestabilne finančne razmere poslovanja. To je vodilo v nadaljnje zamiranje splošnega neformalnega izobraževanja odraslih in zmanjševanje udeležbe odraslih v izobraževanju. Po mnenju avtoric je nujno z ustrezno zakonsko ureditvijo in opredelitvami v Nacionalnem programu 2011–2015 zagotoviti uravnoteženo, stabilno, zadostno in učinkovito financiranje javnih izobra­ ževalnih organizacij za izobraževanja na vseh treh prednostnih področjih, še posebno pa na prvem, ki je ključnega pomena za demokratizacijo družbe in aktivno udeležbo odraslih v družbenih procesih. Ljudske univerze so in ostajajo med ključnimi izvajalkami na tem področju.

Counseling the Adult Learner: a Selective Review of the Literature

This review examines selected literature on counseling the adult learner. It is organized in terms of (1) the need for counseling adult learners, (2) meeting the adult learner's specific needs, (3) the life-span developmental perspective, (4) new forms of counseling services and (5) new ap proaches and techniques for counseling adults. Despite the recent increased participation of adults in education and hence the growing demand and awareness of a need for counseling ser vices to serve them, little systematic research could be found directed toward the many problems of counseling adult learners. Much of the literature is prescriptive or hortatory, and theoretical analyses are far better developed than the data bases needed to substantiate them. The review concludes with some suggestions for needed research.

Book Reviews : Harry L. Miller. Participation of Adults in Education: A Force-Field Analysis. Occasional Paper No. 14. Brookline, Mass.: Center for the Study of Liberal Education for Adults, 1967. 32 pp. $0.75 paper

Book Reviews : Harry L. Miller. Participation of Adults in Education: A Force-Field Analysis. Occasional Paper No. 14. Brookline, Mass.: Center for the Study of Liberal Education for Adults, 1967. 32 pp. $0.75 paper