Popular Adult Education Research Articles

Ecke, pappa och jag

This paper describes the history of the rural labor movement in Sweden and its specific popular adult education through life stories. The project centers on the author’s father’s narrated memories of his childhood and the farmhand Erik Eriksson, called Ecke (1903-1996). Ecke was a rural worker with just a few years of schooling who was organized in the Swedish popular education movement for workers at his time. Through his dedication he changed the social aspirations for rural workers’ children in the area, amongst them the author’s own father. The paper draws on a walk along interviews with the author’s father, in order to examine how memory, place and social mobility are interlaced when visiting the intervieweeÅLs childhood homes and remembering Ecke and his deed.

Is There a Place for Popular Adult Education in the Managerial University?

This article studies the possibilities of reclaiming and revitalising popular adult education in Finland’s neoliberally driven managerial university and addresses the place for popular adult education in it. In Finland, popular adult education has been taught at a university level since the 1920s. Currently, it has a marginal position in academia. This descriptive case study ponders the role of teaching popular adult education in Finnish universities and describes the pilot program on popular adult education organised at Tampere University in 2020. The study suggests that popular adult education, even in managerial universities, can provide students and practitioners with meaningful knowledge and the means to build global humanity and a sustainable future. In conclusion, the article discusses the future of popular adult education and its role in the university.

The Labor Movement As an Educational Movement: A Conceptual History of Sivistys Within the Finnish Workers’ Educational Association 1920s–1960s

AbstractEducation and popular adult education have been central in the development of Nordic societies, and as such, emphasis on education has also been an essential component of the Nordic labor movements. The article focuses on the conceptual history of sivistys (Bildung), a key concept and a characteristic element of the Finnish workers’ educational movement through the Finnish Workers’ Educational Association during its era of political education from the 1920s until the 1960s. Workers’ education took the concept sivistys from 19th century projects for people’s education, and thus tied workers’ education tightly to the broader field of Nordic popular adult education. In fact, the Finnish workers’ educational movement received more influence from Nordic people’s education than international socialist theories and programs for workers’ education – of which the use of the concept sivistys is a clear example.

Potential of Peer Guidance to Empower Migrants for Employment

Peerness is a common approach to learning, especially in Nordic adult education, but is increasingly adopted by European Union (EU)-funded projects that aim to improve migrants’ employability. This article discusses action research that evaluated an ESF-funded project, run by a Finnish popular adult education association in collaboration with vocational adult education institutes, NGOs, and a trade union. The project trained migrants to become peer group guides and empower migrant-background participants for employment. The training prepared guides to become experiential experts, but increased the distance between the participants and themselves. The guidance could even strengthen the otherness of participants when the peerness was based solely on sharing a migrant background. Voluntary peer guidance may reinforce this separation, but dependence on ESF funding also shapes mainstream adult education; therefore, the empowerment of migrants should build on collaboration between experiential experts and guidance professionals as part of the regular adult education system.

Empirical and genealogical analysis of non-vocational adult education in Europe

Non-formal, non-vocational adult education (NFNVAE) is a low-cost, low-threshold learning activity that generates many benefits for individuals and society, and it should play a more central role in educational policy. NFNVAE’s challenge is that it lacks clear concepts and definitions and is, therefore, less systematically covered in statistics, research and surveys. This article seeks to tackle these problems by providing (1) a mapping of NFNVAE courses in 10 European countries and (2) a conceptual framework for NFNVAE. The mapping is based on survey data (n = 8,646) that contain information on 14,063 courses, which were coded into 24 categories and three general types: civic, liberal and basic skills education. Popular adult education courses (in the radical meaning of the term) were not found among these data; therefore, further mapping is needed. The genealogical analysis shows that ideological discourses and cultural practices should be taken into account when different concepts are used to describe NFNVAE. Especially the concept “popular” needs more clarification, since it is frequently used to refer to several different traditions, for example the Nordic “folkbildning”, which is a civic education system, and therefore differs from Latin American popular adult education, which is a radical, non-governmental movement. Open image in new window

Southern-European signposts for critical popular adult education: Italy, Portugal and Spain

This paper focuses on three Southern European countries, Italy, Portugal and Spain, to explore examples of projects that provide signposts for a critical popular education that contributes to an ongoing democratic process – one whereby citizens are developed as social actors and members of a collectivity rather than simply passive producers/consumers. This approach would serve as an alternative to the traditional ‘top-down’ and current hegemonic economy-oriented discourses. In so doing, the paper seeks to redress an imbalance in the English language adult education and learning literature that often overlooks alternative discourses to the mainstream on and from this part of the world.

Popular Adult and Labor Education Movement in Sweden—History, Content, Pedagogy

AbstractIn Sweden, workers’ education—Arbetarbildning—is part of the all-embracing popular adult education movement that assumed its organizational consolidation in the late 1800s. Popular education—Folkbildning—is a culturally determined practice of social communication with roots in the Reformation and the Enlightenment, playing a decisive role in the shaping of the Swedish labor movement in the late 1800s, the history of which is intertwined with democratization and the transformation of Sweden into a highly developed welfare society. The pedagogical and ideological configuration of labor education in Sweden is surveyed from a historical perspective through the lenses of the Workers’ Educational Association (ABF) and the labor movement's most powerful branches: the Social Democratic Party (SAP) and the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO). Workers’ education was utilized as a political strategy for a just and equitable society, via successive reforms, based on knowledge and initiated and supported by well-informed citizens.

Sistematización in urban disaster risk reduction

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of sistematización’s use as a research tool in the operationalization of a “neighborhood approach” to the implementation of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in informal urban settlements. Design/methodology/approach – The first section highlights sistematización’s historical origins in Latin America in the fields of popular adult education, social work, and rural development. The second explains why sistematización was made a required component of project implementation. The third section addresses the approach to sistematización used. The final discusses how this experience both contributes to sistematización’s theoretical development and practical application as a methodology. Findings – The introduction of “sistematización” as a research tool facilitated real-time assessment of project implementation, providing timely information that positively influenced decision-making processes. This on-going feedback, collective learning, and open-exchange of know-how between NGOs and partner institutions allowed for the evaluation of existing practices and development of new ways of collaborating to address disaster risk in complex and dynamic urban environments. Practical implications – Sistematización transcends the narrow focus of traditional monitoring and evaluation on final results, emphasizing a comprehensive understanding of processes and contexts. Originality/value – Its use in the implementation of DRR initiatives in informal urban environments is particularly novel, highlighting the capacity of the methodology to be tailored to a variety of needs, in this case, bridging the gap between NGOs, local governments, and vulnerable communities, as well as between urban, development, and disaster risk management planning.

Migration and adult education: social movement learning and resistance in the UK

The article is based on data and evidence from a project of 'activist research' in migrant and refugee social movements in South Yorkshire U.K. The article argues that migrants' social movements have been neglected as important in the development of popular adult education in the U.K. The history of migrants' social movements from 1945 is sketched to demonstrate social movement influences on the content and ideological assumptions of state provision of adult education. The history also suggests a similar trajectory to 'old' contentious social movements like trades unions. The current research in migrants and asylum rights movements reported in the article suggests that migrants social movements are active and proficient in developing popular adult education initiatives including critical analysis of racist political and power discourses. The importance of these movements is demonstrated in a case study of a high profile campaign against the privatisation of asylum housing in Yorkshire by the world's largest security company G4S.

Quien Sabe Mas Lucha Mejor

This article looks at popular adult educators’ care of the self practices within social movements in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It answers the following questions: How is popular adult education practiced amongst educators in social movements? What can studying popular adult educators’ care of the self practices offer the field of adult education? To answer these questions, I look to adult educators’ practices of sacrifice and self-naming; remembering historical tragedies; and educator, classroom, and community support within the Union of Popular Organizations’ political formation school and popular adult education schools.

Lifelong learning policy in two national contexts

This article describes and discusses the development of lifelong learning policy in two EU member states, Denmark and Portugal. The purpose is to show how different societal and historical contexts shape the development and implementation of lifelong learning policies, even though these policies have significant common elements. As a basis for the discussion an inventory of policy elements is presented. Denmark and Portugal have been chosen as examples of smaller EU member states with different historical, social and cultural characteristics. Developments and policies in the two countries, including the links with EU education policy, are described. The discussion includes comparison drawing on the inventory of policy elements. A main conclusion is that the different historical trajectories of the two countries remain very important for present-day education and for the advancement of lifelong learning policy. Early development of public primary education and popular adult education has provided a strong foundation for lifelong learning policy in Denmark while in Portugal not only institutional provision but also popular demand for lifelong learning has had to be built up relatively recently. EU education policy has had much more impact on lifelong learning policy in Portugal than in Denmark, because Portugal has had to depend much more on economic support from the EU social fund.

Visions unite through the concept of democracy: The school and the Popular Adult Education

With a point of departure in the concept of democracy, this article aims to show how Swedish Popular Adult Education influenced the content of the established school system in Sweden. The Popular Adult Education and established school systems are studied through their relation to democracy, based on curricula, as well as on visionary and political steering documents. In accordance with conceptual history, the study shows how Popular Adult Education and the established school, with their different spaces of experience and references to separate traditions, gradually became accommodated through a common horizon of expectations about the importance of democracy. When this coalescence appeared, an administrative shift could be identified and the Popular Adult Education Movement was partially disarmed.

Organising, educating, and training: varieties of activist learning in left social movements in Sheffield (UK)

The article is based on activist research working in an anti-deportation social movement, and on sixteen interviews with both experienced and less experienced activists between 2009 and 2011.The anti deportation social movement made up of a range of organisations, is identified as a left social movement situated in an historic producer proletarian culture of manual work in coal and steel. South Yorkshire, a heartland of twentieth century social democracy, developed a tradition of workers' popular adult education integrated with a range of left social movements. Popular adult education institutions emerged post 1945 which ‘educated’ a wide range of labour movement organisers—politicians, union officers and leaders. The institutions were often formed out of popular adult education initiatives by students of past programmes and staff who were themselves politicians, trade union advisers and activists in left social movements.South Yorkshire was de-industrialised in the 1980s and 1990s and since 2000 has become a destination for refugees, and migrant workers from Central Europe. The anti-deportation social movement is based on experienced activists drawing on the experience and values of a ‘society of purpose’ in South Yorkshire and expressing a ‘politics of outrage’. The organisations within the social movement exploit what remains of the popular adult education traditions but also deploy a range of antiracist and political education methods. Asylum seekers and refugee activists involved in the movement pursue ‘really useful knowledge’ for personal, political and collective liberation. The article sheds light on the interrelationships between organising and educating, and the importance of re-historicising and politicising social movement theories.

ICT - an ally and an alien The role of ICT in Swedish popular adult education organisations

This article is focused on Swedish folk high schools and study associations as organisational settings (and not explicitly at teaching efforts and educational activities). It concerns results from a research project about introducing and implementing information and communication technology (ICT) in these value based organisations. Our research has mainly been conducted through interviews with people engaged on different organisational levels. In this article empirical results are analysed in relation to actor-network theory (ANT). Human and non-human actors are linked together in a web of relationships referred to as an actor-network. Interaction among actors, contradictory roles of ICT and relations to essential values in these organisations are discussed.

Folkbildning i (av)koloniseringens skugga. Demokrati, nationella mytologier och solidaritetens paradoxer

In Sweden and among Swedish popular movements there has long been a great willingness to share experiences from establishing the “Swedish model” of welfare and democracy to countries in other parts of the world. In this sharing of experience popular adult education has had an important role. Over the years, there have also been several attempts to spread the “Swedish model” of popular adult education, i.e. study circles and folk high schools. In this article, we analyze the large-scale project of establishing Folk Development Colleges (FDC:s) in Tanzania in the 1970s and 1980s,by emphasizing the ways in which Swedish popular adult educators have described the FDC project. Theoretically, the article is based on a postcolonial framework, highlighting the continuing importance of the legacies of colonialism in today’s society. One of the main conclusions in the article is that in the process of “exporting” the idea of popular adult education to other parts of the world, there is an on-going formation of national self-images in contrast to images of “the Other”, where there is a constant risk of reproducing ideas from a colonial past.

Citizenship Education Practices of Politically Active Teachers in Porto Alegre, Brazil and Toronto, Canada

Previous articleNext article No AccessCitizenship Education Practices of Politically Active Teachers in Porto Alegre, Brazil and Toronto, CanadaJohn P. MyersJohn P. Myers Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Comparative Education Review Volume 51, Number 1February 2007 Sponsored by the Comparative and International Education Society Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/508641 Views: 115Total views on this site Citations: 17Citations are reported from Crossref History © 2007 by the Comparative and International Education Society. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Michele Schweisfurth, Matthew A. M. Thomas, Amy Smail Revisiting comparative pedagogy: methodologies, themes and research communities since 2000, Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education 52, no.44 (Aug 2020): 560–580.https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2020.1797475Nafees M. Khan Slavery in Secondary History Textbooks from the United States and Brazil, Peabody Journal of Education 96, no.22 (Apr 2021): 150–165.https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2021.1905338Frank Reichert, Judith Torney-Purta, Weihong Liang Teachers’ organizational participation: Profiles in 12 countries and correlates in teaching-related practices, Theory & Research in Social Education 48, no.44 (Aug 2020): 552–582.https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2020.1795764Tricia Niesz, Aaron M. Korora, Christy Burke Walkuski, Rachel E. Foot Social Movements and Educational Research: Toward a United Field of Scholarship, Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education 120, no.33 (Mar 2018): 1–41.https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811812000305Gustavo E. Fischman, Luis Armando Gandin The pedagogical and ethical legacy of a “successful” educational reform: The Citizen School Project, International Review of Education 62, no.11 (Feb 2016): 63–89.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-016-9542-0David Zyngier, María Delia Traverso, Adriana Murriello ‘Democracy will not fall from the sky.’ A comparative study of teacher education students’ perceptions of democracy in two neo-liberal societies: Argentina and Australia, Research in Comparative and International Education 10, no.22 (Mar 2015): 275–299.https://doi.org/10.1177/1745499915571709Salma Gehad Waly Reflections of EFL university instructors on teaching and learning after the revolution in Egypt, Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues 6, no.11 (May 2013): 4–14.https://doi.org/10.1108/17537981311314673Mark Ginsburg, Maria Jose Bermeo, Karishma Desai, Katy De La Garza Multilogue on the Preparation, Practice and Politics of Teachers, (Jan 2012): 1–16.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6209-077-4_1Mary Richardson Assessing the assessment of citizenship, Research Papers in Education 25, no.44 (Dec 2010): 457–478.https://doi.org/10.1080/02671520903045566S. Tøsse Popular Adult Education, (Jan 2010): 162–168.https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-044894-7.00025-7Louise B. Jennings, Gylton B. Da Matta Rooted in resistance: women teachers constructing counter‐pedagogies in post‐authoritarian Brazil, Teaching Education 20, no.33 (Jul 2009): 215–228.https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210903096047Mark B. Ginsburg, Sangeeta G. Kamat The Political Orientations of Teachers, (Jan 2009): 231–241.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73317-3_14Terri Seddon, Phoebe Palmieri Teachers' Work, Power and Authority, (Jan 2009): 463–479.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73317-3_30Gustavo E. Fischman, Luis Armando Gandin Pedagogies of Inclusion: Lessons from Escola Cidadã, (Jan 2009): 65–80.https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230622920_5 Joan G. DeJaeghere Citizenship as Privilege and Power: Australian Educators’ Lived Experiences as Citizens DeJaeghere, Comparative Education Review 52, no.33 (Jul 2015): 357–380.https://doi.org/10.1086/588759Tristan McCowan Curricular transposition in citizenship education, Theory and Research in Education 6, no.22 (Jul 2008): 153–172.https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878508091109John P. Myers Democratizing school authority: Brazilian teachers’ perceptions of the election of principals, Teaching and Teacher Education 24, no.44 (May 2008): 952–966.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.09.012

Citizenship Education Practices of Politically Active Teachers in Porto Alegre, Brazil and Toronto, Canada

Previous articleNext article No AccessCitizenship Education Practices of Politically Active Teachers in Porto Alegre, Brazil and Toronto, CanadaJohn P. MyersJohn P. Myers Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Comparative Education Review Volume 51, Number 1February 2007 Sponsored by the Comparative and International Education Society Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/508641 Views: 123Total views on this site Citations: 18Citations are reported from Crossref History © 2007 by the Comparative and International Education Society. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Michele Schweisfurth, Matthew A. M. Thomas, Amy Smail Revisiting comparative pedagogy: methodologies, themes and research communities since 2000, Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education 52, no.44 (Aug 2020): 560–580.https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2020.1797475Yishin Khoo Narrative Inquiry: A Way-Seeking Framework to Re-Search Teachers’ Knowledge of Educating for Citizenship, (Dec 2022): 15–42.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18078-1_2Nafees M. Khan Slavery in Secondary History Textbooks from the United States and Brazil, Peabody Journal of Education 96, no.22 (Apr 2021): 150–165.https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2021.1905338Frank Reichert, Judith Torney-Purta, Weihong Liang Teachers’ organizational participation: Profiles in 12 countries and correlates in teaching-related practices, Theory & Research in Social Education 48, no.44 (Aug 2020): 552–582.https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2020.1795764Tricia Niesz, Aaron M. Korora, Christy Burke Walkuski, Rachel E. Foot Social Movements and Educational Research: Toward a United Field of Scholarship, Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education 120, no.33 (Mar 2018): 1–41.https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811812000305Gustavo E. Fischman, Luis Armando Gandin The pedagogical and ethical legacy of a “successful” educational reform: The Citizen School Project, International Review of Education 62, no.11 (Feb 2016): 63–89.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-016-9542-0David Zyngier, María Delia Traverso, Adriana Murriello ‘Democracy will not fall from the sky.’ A comparative study of teacher education students’ perceptions of democracy in two neo-liberal societies: Argentina and Australia, Research in Comparative and International Education 10, no.22 (Mar 2015): 275–299.https://doi.org/10.1177/1745499915571709Salma Gehad Waly Reflections of EFL university instructors on teaching and learning after the revolution in Egypt, Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues 6, no.11 (May 2013): 4–14.https://doi.org/10.1108/17537981311314673Mark Ginsburg, Maria Jose Bermeo, Karishma Desai, Katy De La Garza Multilogue on the Preparation, Practice and Politics of Teachers, (Jan 2012): 1–16.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6209-077-4_1Mary Richardson Assessing the assessment of citizenship, Research Papers in Education 25, no.44 (Dec 2010): 457–478.https://doi.org/10.1080/02671520903045566S. Tøsse Popular Adult Education, (Jan 2010): 162–168.https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-044894-7.00025-7Louise B. Jennings, Gylton B. Da Matta Rooted in resistance: women teachers constructing counter‐pedagogies in post‐authoritarian Brazil, Teaching Education 20, no.33 (Jul 2009): 215–228.https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210903096047Mark B. Ginsburg, Sangeeta G. Kamat The Political Orientations of Teachers, (Jan 2009): 231–241.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73317-3_14Terri Seddon, Phoebe Palmieri Teachers' Work, Power and Authority, (Jan 2009): 463–479.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73317-3_30Gustavo E. Fischman, Luis Armando Gandin Pedagogies of Inclusion: Lessons from Escola Cidadã, (Jan 2009): 65–80.https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230622920_5 Joan G. DeJaeghere Citizenship as Privilege and Power: Australian Educators’ Lived Experiences as Citizens DeJaeghere, Comparative Education Review 52, no.33 (Jul 2015): 357–380.https://doi.org/10.1086/588759Tristan McCowan Curricular transposition in citizenship education, Theory and Research in Education 6, no.22 (Jul 2008): 153–172.https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878508091109John P. Myers Democratizing school authority: Brazilian teachers’ perceptions of the election of principals, Teaching and Teacher Education 24, no.44 (May 2008): 952–966.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.09.012

Facilitating Transformative Learning Groups: Reflections on Mexico and Highlander

Introduction In the mid 1990s, the authors participated in two trips to learn about facilitating group transformative learning in differing cultural contexts. The first trip was to Guanajuato, Mexico, in order to engage in the systematic process of learning about popular adult education there. Popular education in Mexico is well developed and our host, Felix Cadena, is considered to be one of the leading experts in this methodology in all of Latin America. Popular education in the Mexican context is influenced by Paulo Freire's work. After studying the implementation of transformational learning strategies all across SouthAmerica, Cadena (1991) developed, through dialogue with those who had been struggling with empowering the disenfranchised, a systematic approach to implementing transformational learning or praxis. His approach, which draws on the work of others, emphasizes community enhancement through self-sufficiency It integrates the respectful dialogue of individuals in the community working in cooperation to solve community problems. It is through the process of identifying and solving problems that people and communities are empowered. Rather than solutions being driven by a pre-conceived theory, solutions to practical problems are based on peoples' experience as they grapple to try to solve problems for themselves. However, it is Cadena's belief that unless praxis is implemented in a systematic way, the process can break down and agreed upon goals and objectives may not be reached. The second journey to the Highlander Center (Highlander) was held as an international conference with representatives from Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Highlander is one of the most well--known residential popular education organizations in the United States. In the decades since 1932, activists have gathered to reflect upon and prepare for activities designed to address historically well-known social, environmental, and economic problems facing the people of the South, including, but not limited to, the Southern labor movements of the 1930s, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1940s- 1960s, and the Appalachian people's movements of the 1970s-1980s. Highlander's work is dedicated to the eradication of human suffering through the facilitation of participatory social and educational strategies designed to help all people. The purpose of these educational experiences was to learn more about the methods as well as issues related to implementing transformative learning strategies from a cross-contextual perspective. We reflect upon our experience as well as the documentation collected by the group's memory committee on both trips in order to provide guidance to those wishing to implement these strategies, if they feel they are appropriate to their own context. The memory committee consisted of three members who were responsible for taking notes and organizing all materials collected on our journey Hopefully, our experience can provide general guidance for those who work with adult educators in many settings. In order to study transformative learning in Mexico, the Popular Adult Education Group (PAEG) of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, was formed. PAEG actually adopted the principles of popular education--systematization--to facilitate our learning about its principles when we journeyed to Mexico. Systemization is engaged in by purposefully organizing individuals into groups to regularly share personal reflections upon the day's activities in order to evaluate the group's progress toward the collective goal(s) and to facilitate communication among its members. At Highlander, the atmosphere was more collegial and participatory, with less rigorous emphasis on participatory pre-planning, reflection, group process, and experience. It is our contention that what we learned from our experience in Mexico was deeper and more profound because of the meticulous attention paid to facilitating group process through systematization (Cadena, 1991), which was thoroughly and successfully implemented. …

Self-evaluation by Adult Education Centres in eastern Finland

In Finland self-evaluation has recently become a focus of interest both in the Adult Education Centres, representing popular adult education, and in other sectors of education. One of the goals is to make the findings of such evaluation available to all parties concerned in order to increase mutual understanding and improve the flow of information between the players. Another aim is to give direction to the development of these activities. Three Adult Education Centres in eastern Finland took up the challenge and initiated a project for planning self-evaluation. The project received funding from the National Board of Education. As a result of their joint efforts, the staff of the Adult Education Centres described here produced a system for planning self-evaluation. The first fruits of the project can already be seen, but the real opportunities and benefits it offers will only be realized in the future.

Popular adult education in Finland 1890‐1939: a critical reinterpretation of the ‘people's enlightenment project’

(1997). Popular adult education in Finland 1890‐1939: a critical reinterpretation of the ‘people's enlightenment project’. History of Education: Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 353-374.