EPALE - Platformă electronică pentru învățarea adulților în Europa

• Qué ejemplos podría compartir que fomenten la ciudadanía en los programas de educación de adultos? ¿Podría destacar enfoques pedagógicos innovadores que promuevan la ciudadanía activa?

  La gran ventaja de quienes ejercemos la docencia en educación de adultos es la capacidad de observación: percibimos qué aporta cada alumno en su 'mochila vital' (Life's Toolkit) para su desarrollo académico. Por ello, considero que los planes de estudio deben adaptarse a la situación personal con flexibilidad constante, ofreciendo alternativas presenciales y semipresenciales que valoren su bagaje previo para que el alumno se sienta seguro y útil. El adulto acude a estos centros por necesidad de promoción laboral; nuestra labor es crear vías de solución abiertas que generen bienestar en sus expectativas profesionales, económicas y sociales.

   

• ¿Qué colaboraciones (por ejemplo, con la sociedad civil, las autoridades locales o las organizaciones comunitarias) resultan más eficaces para reforzar la dimensión democrática de la educación de adultos?

  Existe una conexión necesaria entre las expectativas del alumnado y las competencias que requiere el mercado de trabajo en la Unión Europea. Esta relación debe construirse sobre un firme compromiso con los valores democráticos, donde el binomio derecho-deber sea el pilar de la formación. Proponemos, por tanto, un modelo educativo donde la cohesión social no sea solo un objetivo, sino la base misma del aprendizaje, dando respuestas eficaces a la necesidad de crear ciudadanos activos, útiles y plenamente integrados en el sistema socioeconómico.

A crucial topic! Adult education has an immense responsibility to support democratic engagement and dialogue in these challenging times.

Let me recomment the following publication of DVV International upon the topic of how ALE max be support the development of democracy through a recently accomplished project called Bildung: 

Democracy-and-Bildung.pdf

Let me hereby provide responses upon the above indicated questions:

1.) Special adult learning programmes for adults to be based on community and citizenship skills:

A specific example would go to adult learning through programmes of Learning Cities and Communities participation-focused knowledge transfer and skills development to improve critical and reflective thinking, collaboration, but also to promote intercultural and intergenerational partnership building from basic education to VET related tandem-forms of skills development.

Stakeholder collaboration is a key issue for success of such programmes to be tailored to needs and expectations of adult learners and their communities.

2.) Another dimension of lifelong learning ecosystems as learning cities and communities is the roles and responsibilities to provide effective forms of outreach and engagement work towards underrepresented social groups of adults, people with vulnerable backgrounds to develop resilience, care and solidarity towards them with the use of transformative learning and related methods as innovative pedagogy/andragogy.

3.) In order to strengthen democratic allignments and will of collaboration can be formed and develop through grass-route initiatives of communities of learning based on trust, mutuality, respect, equity ansd inclusion.

In my understanding, civil society organisations have a strong potential in such docus, e.g. Folkhighschools have been doing a lot in that to create and run effective forms of lifelong learning to briddge in between formal, non-formal and informal learning and their settings so as to collect and share.

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of our whole team, we would like to thank you for your contributions and insights. I truly think that today's discussion raised valuable - as always. 

Although the moderation stops now, feel free to continue the discussion to make the most of this opportunity!

I am delighted to share the excellent resources that were mentioned during the video stream in the morning. Feel free to engage with and circulate them in your professional network. 

In the discussion with Nils, the following resources were referred to:

• DARE Network - link to the network's website
• DIGIT-AL - the project identifies approaches, topics and tools, how to include and address the thematic field of digital transformation in adult education.
• LICEAL - the project links citizenship and employability to support adult learners, particularly those who face difficulties in the labour market and social marginalisation, to develop social, civic and relational skills
• Competendo - This project developed a toolbox offering and sharing experience, methods and inspiration for competency based learning in communities, schools, organizations, and non-formal groups or institutions.

We referenced the following sources with Aoife and Margaret from NALA:

• National Adult Literacy Agency, Ireland - the official website of the Agency
• Factsheets of NALA on literacy and numeracy 
• References to policies and strategies
  • Further Education and Training Strategy
  • Adult Literacy for Life strategy (whole-of-the-government approach)
  • Community Education Framework
• Questions Matter (NALA - workbook for learners)
• Facts Matter (NALA - guide for practitioners)
• www.vote.ie (Dublin Adult Learning Centre - lots of resources)
• Storytelling for Connecting Communities (AONTAS - handbook for practitioners)
  
   

Dear Colleagues, 

It has been very inspiring to read the comments today. In addition, I would like to draw your attention to the European Basic Skills Network's upcoming conference which has a very relevant title for our discussion here i.e. Basic Skills for Life, Work and Democratic Participation in Times of Transformation. 

The conference takes place in Lisbon, Portugal between 17-19 June. 
The call for contributions is still open. 

Join us and share your results, and insights for a professional community that is dedicated to basic skills training and policy! 

Our recent EITA-winning project Dialogue In Adult Learning focused on taking dialogue skills to everyday contexts and treated dialogue as a basic skill and also focused on the basic skills of dialogue. There are so many great initiatives and resources for facilitating that we decided to focus on the individual and the communities they interact with in their daily lives (neighbours, parents, volunteers, work and so on).

We realised in the project that many people throughout Europe lack the skills and confidence for participating in a dialogue. They are not a given, but more like a muscle that needs constant training. One of the speakers at our final event called it a civic duty for those who are more used to dialogue to include those who aren't. Your immediate community, even your family, is a place to start. Our results were very encouraging.

https://innovative-teaching-award.ec.europa.eu/projects/dialogue-adult-…

One recurring challenge we have fazed relates to blind spots. We know what we know, but we do not know what we don't know. To manage to exit our own bubble of understanding we need to engae with those thinking differently, but we also need to address the elephant in the room, which is that disenfranchised people are often not heard, are seen as ”clients”, or otherwise ”victims” of society. By engaging in discussion with all strata of society, and by listening instead of immediately pointing to solutions we may become better at understanding the complexity, and we may be able to improve our learning offers. Also this sounds simple, but is surprisingly hard in reality.

I like and have used the Finnish tool ”Timeout”, or ”Erätauko” in Finnish. It’s a simple set of rules to guide hard conversations, and it has been widely in use for quite some time in Finland by now, so the concept is tested and true. In its core it is about listening, respecting the other, and not aiming to ”win” a discussion. Sounds simple enough, but these days, simple is needed. And it does take some time to implement well.

There are now also trainings for conversations facilitators. The tool and content is available in Finnish, Swedish and English. Have a look at https://www.timeoutdialogue.fi/

Thank you for joining the videostream today.

Now, let us turn to the forum discussion! We propose the following questions (nevertheless feel free to share your insights with any other regards of the theme). 

• What examples could you share that build on citizenship in adult learning programmes? Can you highlight innovative pedagogical approaches promoting active citizenship?
• What partnerships are most effective in strengthening the democratic dimension of adult learning?

A concrete tool used in Sweden is the democracy ladder. As far as I am aware, the presentation is currently only available in Swedish, but you can of course use a translation service to get the gist of it. 

https://www.skolverket.se/kompetensutveckling/stod-i-arbetet/demokratis…

In short Demokratistegen is a seven-step, school-wide model for preschools, schools, adult education, folk high schoolsand study associations to strengthen democracy and human rights. Developed by Skolverket and Forum för levandehistoria, it combines a guidance platform (Skolverket) and a resource bank (Forum) with materials on topics like safety, equality, critical thinking, antisemitism and democratic conversations.

Seven steps:

Introduction — inform and anchor the work with all staff.

Map — survey how staff, children and students experience the environment and teaching.

Analyze — identify development areas from the mapping.

Set goals — leadership decides and anchors goals.

Plan — use the resource bank to plan activities and secure approval.

Implement — carry out chosen measures.

Evaluate — review results and decide next steps.

The process typically takes 2–3 terms, is self-guided but offers optional coaching from Skolverket or Forum, and requires school leadership to appoint a working group; contact via demokratistegen@skolverket.se.

I find this to be a very useful and inspirational set of tools.

In the German-speaking Community of Belgium, the platform Demino offers an inspiring example of how active citizenship can be meaningfully embedded in adult learning ecosystems.

Rather than focusing on isolated initiatives, Demino brings together a wide range of actors involved in civic and political education – from adult education providers and schools to civil society organisations. By making these initiatives visible and accessible in one place, the platform helps to create a connected and dynamic learning landscape.

What makes this approach particularly relevant for adult learning is its strong emphasis on dialogue, participation and real-life relevance. Learning formats are often designed as spaces for exchange, where critical thinking, perspective-taking and democratic engagement are actively practised – not just taught.

In a small and highly networked region like East Belgium, this collaborative approach is further strengthened by close partnerships and short communication channels. It enables actors to respond quickly to societal challenges, experiment with new formats and reach diverse target groups.

Demino illustrates how visibility and networking can significantly enhance the democratic dimension of adult learning:

• by connecting stakeholders
• by making opportunities easier to access
• and by fostering cooperation instead of fragmentation

It is a concrete example of how adult learning can contribute to democracy not only at the level of policy, but as a shared, lived practice on the ground.

Demino presentation on EPALE

Discover the Demino platform

It seems to me that we who work in adult education have a tendency to feel good about ourselves and our democratic values, yet we see increasing polarisation in societies. What do we do? We maintain our high opinion of ourselves as the torchcarriers of democracy. Sure, I do it too. But it seems to me we are somehow stuck in this position. We are the good guys; we want what is best for all, and we consider education to be a cornerstone of an open and just society. So why then are things going sour? I think we must also look in the mirror, as well as standing up for democracy. What are we missing? What are we contributing to? What are we blind to? My understanding of adult learning (and the tradition I come from) used to be quite open to self-reflection and critical analysis. Sometimes I feel we are merely defending our position. What do you think?

Innanzitutto, per promuovere la cittadinanza attiva nell'educazione degli adulti è necessario coinvolgere le persone attraverso una educazione non formale che mette al centro dell'azione didattica prima la pesona e poi il programma. In tal modo ciscuno può esprimersi e nel contempo acquisire non solo nuove conoscenze ma anche soft skills utili per una vita di relazione. Ritengo che solo attraverso un dibattito, moderato dall'insegnante, si possa raggiungere la consapevolezza di un vivere civile con le sue regole. Un'attività utile è data dal DEBATE attraverso il quale le persone hanno l'ooportunità di approfondire specifiche tematiche per poi confrontarsi, secondo delle precise regole, con gli altri. Cittadinanza attiva è anche saper riconoscere le fake news, anche in questo caso è possibile  promuovere dei percorsi educativi ad hoc con l'utilizzo di strumenti informatici. Ma l'esperienza più gratificante è una mobilità Erasmus+ in cui avviene l'incontro con 'il diverso': in questo tipo di contesto cadono molti pregiudizi che rendono i partecipanti consapevoli e consci che la diversità è una ricchezza.

 think I can't change the world outside, but I can try to change my world. A few years ago, I decided to work on the power of the words I used every day in my life. 

Easy, no! Complex, yes!

 Today, I'm reaping the benefits of this change and have decided to create a local learning community to shape a new language. 

I tend to think that adult education is one of those areas where it is not difficult to achieve a strengthening of the democratic dimension, because everyone is more or less thinking in the same direction. What are your thoughts?

In a time when democratic values are increasingly under pressure—shaped by polarisation, digital disruption, and global instability—adult learning has a crucial role to play. Not only in developing skills for employment, but in fostering critical thinking, dialogue, and meaningful participation in democratic life.

In this context, making a difference does not necessarily mean acting on a large scale. It starts with building everyday capacities—such as information discernment, the ability to engage with complexity, and the willingness to enter into dialogue.

Social media are not the problem in themselves, but environments shaped by attention dynamics and emotional reactions. Distinguishing between disinformation and unintentional misinformation is essential: it shifts the focus from blame to skills. An ethical use of social media is therefore not about moralizing, but about habits—verifying, pausing, and comparing perspectives.

This is where adult learning becomes a space for practising active citizenship. Approaches such as dialogue-based learning, work on controversial issues, and community-based activities help move from knowledge to participation.

A concrete example is the RIA (Research-based Impact Assessment) network, a European initiative coordinated by the German Erasmus+ National Agency and involving 21 National Agencies and research institutions. The Italian National Agency contributes alongside the others to this joint effort, which this year focuses on assessing the impact of Erasmus+ on civic engagement, common values, and participation in democratic life.

Equally important are collaborations with civil society, local authorities, and community organisations: these are the spaces where learning becomes real participation and where adults can experience agency. 

Strengthening democracy today depends on whether people are equipped—and enabled—to participate critically and actively in complex realities.

Posebno je značajno što se ističe potreba za razvojem kritičkog mišljenja, dijaloga i aktivnog građanstva kroz programe cjeloživotnog učenja. Uključivanje evropskih politika i primjera dobre prakse dodatno naglašava važnost saradnje između obrazovnih institucija, civilnog društva i donosilaca odluka. Ovakve inicijative mogu značajno doprinijeti izgradnji informisanog, odgovornog i aktivnog društva.

U vremenu kada svijet svjedoči brojnim političkim tenzijama, ratnim sukobima i dubokim društvenim podjelama, često se postavlja pitanje da li su građani nemoćni pred velikim globalnim procesima. Ipak, upravo kroz obrazovanje, informisanost i aktivno građanstvo ljudi mogu jačati demokratske vrijednosti i doprinijeti stvaranju pravednijeg i stabilnijeg društva.

Pēc pieredzes nākas secināt, ka pieaugušo vidū, pilsoniskums bieži balstās pašu pieaugušo izpratnē par saviem pilsoņa pienākumiem un labumiem, ko iegūst pilsonis realizējot savas tiesības. Tāpēc ir svarīgi stiprināt izpratni par to kā katrs pilsonis var īstenot savas tiesības gan vietējā, gan starptautiskā mērogā. Noteikti, pieaugušo mūžizglītības programmās un apmācību procesos, būtu iekļaujama un atkārtoti uzsverama katra atbildība par iesaisti aktīvā pilsonībā un jāakcentē veidi kā to var īstenot - iesaistoties pilsoniskās aktivitātēs kopienās, izprotot vēlēšanu procesus un to nozīmi un galvenais veicinot kritisko domāšanu informācijas uztverē un lēmumu pieņemšanā par jebkuru jautājumu, kas ietekmē pilsoniskos procesus un sabiedrības līdzdarbību tajos. Pēc pieredzes varu secināt, ka kopienā ir svarīgi sabiedrību iesaistīt kopienas jautājumu risināšanā un sadarbībā ar valstiskām un nevalstiskām organizācijām savu pilsonisko interešu aizstāvībā un īstenošanā. Jo tas ir visjūtamākais un personiski skarošākais interešu lauks. Un ja cilvēki iemācās īstenot savas pilsoniskās tiesības sev tuvu esošā teritorijā, un ja vēl šīm darbībām ir pozitīvs rezultāts, viņi kļūst atvērtāki arī plašākām interesēm un darbībām. Turklāt jāmāca, ka šiem iesaistīšanās procesiem ir jākļūst par ikdienišķu ieradumu, nevis īsām kampmaņām, kuras parasti beidzas ar neko, jo nenotiek sistemātisks pēcdarbs stiprinot iegūtās pozīcijas vai sistemātiski aktualizējot jautājumus, kuru risināšanai ir vajadzīgs ilgstošs laika periods. Cilvēkiem ir jāskaidro procesu secība gan politikā, gan kopienas saimniecisku jautājumu risināšanā, jo diemžēl mūsu birokrātiskā dokumentu aprites sistēma ir lēna un ilglaicīgi tiek risināti sabiedrībai sasāpējuši jautājumi - piemēra VES parku izbūves procesi lauku teritorijās Latvijā, vēlēšanu sistēma par partijām nevis personībām utt.  Cilvēkiem ļoti jātrenē kristiskā domāšana un vēsturiskā atmiņa par politiķu rīcībām, solījumiem un reālajiem darbiem, kā arī dialogu veidošanas prasmes gan savstarpēji kopienā, gan komunicējot ar ārējiem partneriem. Svarīgi ir panākt dialogu veidu, kurā strukturēti visas puses dzird viens otra viedokli un mēģina atrast vispusēji pieņemamus risinājumus, nevis kāda no tām nostājas spēka pozīcijā, jo tā ir vieglāk gūt virsroku par oponentu- tātad jātrenē konstruktīvu sarunu prasmes un prasmes šīs sarunas atbilstoši dokumentēt, sniegt atbildes pēc būtības, nevis slēpjoties aiz dažādu likumu un noteikumu pantu uzskaites ( ar ko bieži nodarbojas pašvaldības un valstiskas institūcijas) atbildēt tā, ka cilvēks izlasot vispār nesaprot ko viņam atbild, un cilvēkiem jāmāca atrast informāciju meklētāju programmās un saprast kura no tām ir maldinoša platforma vai informācijas vietne, bet kura uzticama un patiesa.