List of articles | Winter 2018-19
SIAE PROJECTS AND EVENTS
- Successful Fourteenth Days of Slovenian Guidance Centres 2018 (1/30/2019)
Fourteenth Days of Slovenian Guidance Centres (ISIO centres) were held between 26 and 28 September. I am pleased to sum up some impressions of a very successful promotional event of all 17 ISIO centres.
All ISIO centres promoted adult learning and education through various events and activities. They organised more than 140 of them, some occurred before the official date, while some even after the official conclusion and several events lasted a few days or even weeks.
The main theme of the event was the presentation of guidance activities in adult education and learning opportunities. With various animation and promotional activities, free workshops and presentations, counsellors in different cities and towns tried to bring adults and students closer to education and show them the positive sides of lifelong learning. Some centres also organised professional events on various topics of guidance for employees. This year various shopping centres also allowed us free hosting in their venues.
In 2018, the ISIO Nova Gorica Centre celebrated its 15th anniversary. The professional event by which they opened the celebration, was dedicated to employers in the region and provided them with information on the possibilities of free counselling and education for their employees.
A joint newsletter Info-ISIO 2018–2019 (in Slovenian) was published, which provides readers with useful articles and tips on education: i.e. about the possibilities of enrolment in formal and non-formal educational programmes and training courses, counselling support, provided by the ISIO centres, possibilities of validation of prior knowledge, possibilities of non-formal learning and education for different groups of adults and the prospects for co-financing of education. The central part of the journal is dedicated to presenting guidance activities for employees, which ISIO centres carry out throughout Slovenia together with their partners.
This year’s event was also marked by the intensive promotional activity of all organisations participating in the ISIO centres. This was particularly reflected in social networks, which led to an increased providing of information for adults. The event was also featured in national media, while the highest number of announcements were as each year at the regional level.
The centres report a very good number of visits and visitors’ responses. With such joint events, we increase the visibility of ISIO centres in local environments through the opportunities they offer to adults, while we at the same time promote educational and learning opportunities for different groups of adults. Adults, however, have certainly been encouraged to consider the possibilities of education and learning and the benefits that this brings them.
Andreja Dobrovoljc, MSc (andreja.dobrovoljc@acs.si), SIAE
- Tanja Vilič Klenovšek, a recipient of the Award of the Republic of Slovenia for outstanding achievements in the field of adult education (1/30/2019)
We were pleased to receive the news that our colleague Tanja Vilič Klenovšek, MA, was also among the recipients of the Award of the Republic of Slovenia for outstanding achievements and life’s work in the field of education for the year 2018.
Tanja received the award for outstanding achievements in the field of development of guidance activities for adults which has been her professional focus since the 1990s. On the basis of the identified needs for organised, comprehensive and quality counselling support for adults in education and learning, she co-designed the concept of ISIO, which gave rise to regional guidance centres for adult education (ISIO centres). With her efforts she helped that they, through almost twenty years of work, were systematically integrated in the field of adult education.
Throughout the development of the centres, she provided professional support for their operation, with great emphasis on the development of professional qualifications of the counsellors, which are the foundation of quality counselling services. She constantly supports their work by developing various tools and aids for their use in guidance activities. She also devotes her attention to developing different outreach approaches, through which various groups of adults from our society, including those most vulnerable, can be reached and involved in education.
Her activities in the international arena are also worth noting. At the beginning of her career, she cooperated mainly with the countries that were an inspiration to her. She studied various already developed approaches to guidance activities for adults. Later exchange of knowledge and experience became mutual. The activity that she developed was soon recognised in the European area and the model of consulting activity was soon transferred to practice in some countries of South-East Europe soon after its introduction. She is regularly invited to various international events and conferences, where she successfully represents consulting activity in the field of adult education.
Her knowledge of the adult education system is remarkable since she has been working intensively in the field of implementation of guidance activity in the education system, while at the same time she participated in the preparation of all the key documents in this field, both at the Curricular Reform of the late 1990s, the White Paper on Education (2011) and the Adult Education Act (2018).
And what could tell more of her work than concrete data?
- More than 200,000 adults were able to find information and guidance through the work of guidance centres.
- 155 counsellors, who also regularly perfect their skills at SIAE, are trained to work in ISIO centres.
- More than 320 different partners both from the wider field of education and human resource development, as well as local policy management cooperate through the ISIO centre partner network.
- More than 80 professional events were organised in the field of guidance activity.
- She co-authored 4 professional guides and over 30 different professional and promotional materials on guidance activity.
- ISIO centres and SIAE have participated in more than 20 international projects on the topic of adult education guidance.
Her commitment and professionalism are also indispensable at SIAE. As one of the four leaders of their units, she actively participates in the development of the centre. We, her colleagues highly appreciate her professionalism and willingness to participate in various activities. She is a warm colleague who is fond of company and with whom we love to socialise.
Let me conclude by saying a few words about Tanja as the head of the Guidance and Validation Centre at SIAE. We have been cooperating for more than 15 years, and during this time, her management has contributed to the professionalism and expertise of all the employees in the centre. She supports us all the time, enables our professional development, confronts us with professional challenges so that we can constantly enrich ourselves and experience personal growth.
Andreja Dobrovoljc, MSc (andreja.dobrovoljc@acs.si), SIAE
- Annual Adult Education Conference – an intersection point of programmes, generations and values (1/30/2019)
The Annual Adult Education Conference that was held on 23 and 24 October in Maribor intertwined interesting topics with three outstanding pinnacles. The first one was delivered by Dr Vesna Vuk Godina who gave an impressive lecture about knowledge as the greatest value. During the second one we were nicely lulled in the evening by Ditka and Gorazd Čepin with Feri Lainšček. The third pinnacle event was a panel on the integration of elderly men into the community. The extensive programme and informative speakers were aptly maneuvered by Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc.
The starting point for further development steps in the field of Adult Education in Slovenia were through their own presentations shown by Elvira Šušmelj (MESS), Andrej Sotošek, MSc (SIAE) and Elido Bandelj (CPI). The foundation for change was set by the Adult Education Act (2018). It stipulates the reorganisation of the Adult Elementary School programme and the development of publicly accepted programmes which was the main topic of the consultation, divided into the plenary and working part and reports of the 1st and 2nd Working Group. They touched on national and global challenges, connecting with employers, changes occurring both on the labour market and due to the ageing population.
The follow-up was built on this theoretical base. A fresh approach, engaging of the audience through the VoxVote application, has given the speakers interesting cues. Nonetheless, this is anonymous voting, therefore in a sense it replaced the possibility of a debate.
In the afternoon part of the first day of the consultation, we first listened to an interesting case of good practice. More than twelve partners cooperate in the Promotion, animation and learning help project, while the Consortium is divided into West Slovenia with four and East Slovenia with eight partners. Nova Gorica School Centre named their part of the project PanUp, and Novo mesto School Centre named their part Atena. Within the context of the project, numerous promotional and entertainment projects will be implemented, while the most hours will be devoted to learning help which is a welcome (new) activity for many participants in adult education. People should be constantly encouraged to engage in activities, which are good for them. The CMEPIUS co-workers are also aware of this. At the consultation, they presented some historical information, statistics on previous involvement in the international exchange and data on the types of activities. Everything occurring in this field can be monitored through the EPALE platform.
The plenary part of the presentation of renovation of the Adult Elementary School programme and development (new) publicly accepted programmes was followed by group work. The co-coordinators summarised that the group work supported the dilemmas of the working groups and opened some important topics that need to be taken into account in terms of renovation/changes.
In his address, the Minister of Education, Science and Sport Dr Jernej Pikalo pointed out the importance of education and lifelong learning. He confirmed that we are on the same wavelength. He continued by announcing the preparation of a new national Adult Education strategy.
The foundation of the Old Guys say yes to Community project, among other things, include findings that men in the third and fourth life period are less aware of the importance of lifelong learning. Slovenia participates in the EU Project with this title, therefore the invitation to participate in the presentation and panel was given to Dr Marta Gregorčič, who currently manages activities. During the panel discussion we heard that both the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities as well as the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food are aware of the problem. At the Ormož AEC and Slovenska Bistrica AEC they make every effort to attract (older) men as well through the study circles and other activities.
Andrej Zorko, the representative of the Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia, pointed out the importance of employee education, for which they strive within the context of Strengthening the social dialogue together with the AEC. Only competent employees can really apply themselves.
This was followed by contributions from the representatives of the OECD. Andrew Bell talked about the coordination of skills policies in the digital world. Ben Game who cooperated with the representatives of the Slovenian organisations in Skills strategy for Slovenia, and he presented eight proposed recommendations that arise from the second phase of activities.
The final contributions related to the integration within the project EAAL. Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc, the coordinator of the project in Slovenia summarised the background, funding and associated key events in 2018 with EU initiative, called Upskilling Pathways. We heard brief presentations from two EAAL consulting events, organised by the SIAE in cooperation with Association of Educational and Guidance Centres of Slovenia and Society of organisations for adult education at Secondary Schools. Tanja Vilič Klenovšek, MA, presented outreach work from the point of view of the EU Council Recommendation of Upskilling Pathways. She highlighted various forms of outreach work and the conditions for its effectiveness and performance.
In her closing address, Katja Dovžak, MSc, emphasised that the MESS supports education and counselling (also) for adults who take part in secondary and higher vocational education. The measures that we implement in Slovenia correspond to the recommendations of the Upskilling Pathways. Further development steps, linked to validation at national level, are the task of SIAE and CPI.
On the website of Annual Adult Education Conference 2018 you can view videos of all programme sets.
We see Annual Consultation on Adult Education 2018 as a mission and vision. Where are we? Well on track. Decision makers and policy makers, educators, learners, employers and trade unions – the mutual cooperation and connecting are growing under the auspices of the ESF. Where are we headed? On the upskilling paths into a learning society. One that is aware that a decision for knowledge is always fruitful.
Ana Peklenik (ana.peklenik@acs.si), SIAE
- At the Festival of the Third Age, we encouraged learning for life (1/30/2019)
“The afternoon, spent at the Festival of the Third Age, will remain forever imprinted in my heart. I was fortunate enough to meet wonderful and unique persons, including the SIAE Award Winner, Nada Mulej. From her, I also purchased a book titled Heal old wounds (in Slovenian). I read it in one sitting and the content has reaffirmed my belief that it is never too late to learn what we did not learn as children. We are fine the way we are; however, we are not at our best, and we can still change,” summed up her impressions Darja Smrkolj from Zagorje ob Savi, one of the SIAE Award Winners, who shared their stories on learning with the visitors of the exhibition stand of SIAE and partners at the 18th Festival of the Third Age that took place at Cankarjev Dom in Ljubljana.
In the first three days of October, this year’s festival attracted a whopping 17,500 visitors from all over Slovenia and three international delegations. The event was co-created by more than 3,000 individuals.
For the seventh time in a row, the SIAE was a part of this success story together with their partners. We offered the interesting content and methods of active ageing and intergenerational cooperation. Through interviews and examples of good practices we encouraged numerous visitors of all generations to take part in lifelong learning. Participants of the Third Age University at AEC and study circles from Slovenska Bistrica, Šmarje pri Jelšah, Kranj, Cerknica and Rakek Cultural Society Rak drew the attention by making a mosaic, medallions, gold plating of Baroque decorations, learning of bobbin lacemaking and playing the zither and singing folk songs. Those, who shared their childhood memories with us received the book of the study circle This is how I came into this world and stayed alive (in Slovenian) as a thank-you gift. We also presented the course of exploration of pilgrimage trails, and a herbalist and members of cooking workshops from Šmarje pri Jelšah prepared recipes for dishes with prunes and advice for maintaining health and well-being with the help of medicinal herbs. This was followed by the tasting of the dishes and ginger syrup and liqueur, which were appealing to the eye and delicious to the taste buds.
Nine SIAE Award Winners, who constantly learn on their own, are a constant inspiration and at the same time living proof that learning is life changing. In the role of the learners they have awoken in passersby the wish to learn and be active with their stories about the excitement about gaining new knowledge, writing books, integration of people with special needs in the world of mountains and different trainings, through singing and artistic creation.
Many elderly were interested in finding out where, how and when can they receive education. They received useful advice in our advisory corner, in which participated Slovenian Guidance Centres from Novo mesto, Žalec, Jesenice, Trbovlje and Ljubljana. We directed them for further guidance on AEC, third age universities and libraries and presented them with the link to the Overview of Adult Education Learning Offer in Slovenia, educational offerings (in Slovenian) and other SIAE projects as well as Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe – EPALE.
We also shared the festival events with our partners through our Facebook profile. Here you can also view a photo gallery from our joint presentation.
Mateja Pečar (mateja.pecar@acs.si), SIAE
- 15th Anniversary of Study Circles in Piran and Slovenj Gradec (1/29/2019)
The year 2018 will not only be remembered as the 25th anniversary of the Slovenian study circles, but above all by the richness of events, books and journals prepared by the institutions that carry out and offer these forms of non-formal learning. Recently, the MOCIS AEC in Slovenj Gradec and the Anbot Society in Piran celebrated the 15th anniversary of the study circle activity.
The Anbot Piran Society is extremely active and recognisable since it has transformed the town into a true learning local community. On the date of their anniversary they published a journal titled Everything is possible (in Slovenian), in which they illustrate their creative work in the coastal area in a colourful way.
Activities of the Anbot Piran Society of aficionados of cultural and natural heritage are aimed at preserving the cultural heritage. Their activities include individuals who are aware of the importance of lifelong learning, intergenerational connections and the expansion of voluntary work. The society is recognisable for the organisation of fairs of antiques, home crafts and gifts of nature in Piran, the conducting of study circles such as the Restoration, Istrian Wicker Baskets, Mosaic, Calligraphy, Street Decorations, themed exhibitions, special events on the days of European cultural heritage in Piran and various activities for children and adolescents as well as adults.
Natalija Planinc, the president of the society, not only strengthened the understanding of the heritage, but also transformed it from nostalgic perceptions into everyday efforts, which involve Piran professional and educational public and private institutions, the parish, citizens, the media and local politics. She has achieved that the events are aimed at both the locals and the visitors of Piran, while presenting cultural heritage not only as a tradition but as a part of a living culture. She always emphasises the value of voluntary and entertainment work inextricably linked to lifelong learning. As a mentor of study circles, she specially promotes collaborative learning and encourages residents of the municipality to work for the common good.
At the MOCIS AEC in Slovenj Gradec they commemorated the anniversary with the publication of the journal which combines short presentations of individual study circles that were organised into five themed “bouquets”. Many study circles have hitherto been intended for personal growth and artistic creation. All these activities are described in the journal. Especially interesting is the section Ecology, Cuisine and a Healthy Way of Life that connects nature and our everyday life. The participants most often choose the topics by themselves.
MOCIS conducts its study circles in nature by arranging displays, taking care of facilities and green surfaces in the town. They visit the elderly and the sick and cheer them up, for example, with beautiful thoughts written in calligraphic script. They prepared numerous brochures: Sacral Architectural Heritage of the Municipality of Slovenj Gradec (2014), a poster Flourishing Meadows of Slovenj Gradec Suburbs and Štrekna – an Iron Road Once, a Cycling Trail Today (2018). Part of circles dealt with nature and herbs, while some of them dealt with the preservation of cultural heritage. MOCIS realises their motto: “Let learning run through your life” through their work.
Both institutions work at an intergenerational level and ensure that the knowledge is transferred between generations. This way they achieve that values are passed down to younger generations.
The SIAE is proud of the year-long successful collaboration, therefore we sincerely congratulate everyone mentioned as well as others who were not mentioned by name and we hope that their work up to the present date is only a starting point of the work to be done in the future.
Dr Nevenka Bogataj (nevenka.bogataj@acs.si), SIAE
- Being a part of the National Month of Joint Reading (1/29/2019)
On the International Literacy Day, 8 September, this year for the first time a project National Month of Joint Reading came to life in Slovenia, which lasted until the end of the Week of the Child, 8 October 2018.
The all-Slovenian campaign for promotion and awareness-raising about the importance of reading, reading literacy and reading culture in Slovenia and across the Slovenian border is a joint initiative of the Slovenian Reading Association, the Reading Badge of Slovenia Association, Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth, Slovenian Writers Association, Maribor Library, Kranj City Library, Ljubljana City Library, the Slovenian IBBY Section, the Slovenian Public Libraries Association and Slovenian Library Association. With an honorary patronage of the President Borut Pahor and the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, it was carried out in collaboration with the MESS and SIAE.
A distinctive image of the project was given by artistic creations on the topic of joint reading by the winners of the Slovenian Biennial of Illustration: Suzana Bricelj, Zvonko Čoh, Jelka Godec Schmidt, Marjan Manček, Matija Medved, Andreja Peklar, Peter Škerl and Ana Zavadlav, calling to the curious from various promotional materials.
This year’s event was attended by 175 providers from Slovenia, Slovenians living in the neighbouring countries and from abroad. Slovenian reading culture and the importance of reading literacy both came to life through more than 500 different events aimed at children and adolescents, families, adults, professional workers etc., and they were also published and presented on the official project website, NMSB schedule 2018.
However, the NMSB did not only encourage readers to read since the project also represents an important building block in establishing a national network, which, on the basis of the proposal of the National Strategy for the Development of Reading Literacy with a vision of raising the reading culture and reading literacy of all inhabitants in Slovenia, with Slovenians living in the neighbouring countries and Slovenians around the world, has already been in the works in 2018.
At the end of the campaign we would like to endorse its continuation within the framework of the national campaign “Joint Reading” in the organisation of the Reading Badge of Slovenia Association – the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth with co-financing of the Slovenian Book Agency.
Diana Volčjak (diana.volcjak@acs.si), SIAE
- Round table in Honour of the Jubilee of Prof Dr Ana Krajnc (1/29/2019)
The festive event in honour of the life jubilee of Prof Dr Ana Krajnc, hosted by the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana, which was co-organised by the Slovenian Third Age University, has brought together younger and a little less young people, academics and practitioners, representatives of various institutions and influencers, adult education teachers and adult educators, professors and graduates, domestic and foreign participants. It is one of the few meetings in our field, where we have through publication of two substantial journals celebrated the work of the distinguished Professor Dr Ana Krajnc, “the ambassador of Yugoslav and Slovenian andragogy”[1].
In introductory speeches, Prof Dr Roman Kuhar, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Andrej Sotošek, MSc, Director of the SIAE and Alijana Šantej, President of the Slovenian Third Age University in Ljubljana, each from their point of view shed light on the work of the honoured academic. The individual important areas of her professional path were in more detail emphasised by the participants of the round table. Dr Petra Javrh (SIAE) and Prof Dr Sonja Kump (Faculty of Arts) spoke about research – the former on the importance of functional literacy research, while the latter highlighted the importance of the Centre for Development of University of Ljubljana that Dr Krajnc headed in the early 1990s, and was ingloriously disbanded in 1994 as a “dry branch that needed to be cut off”. With their contribution, Dr Zoran Jelenc (SAEA) and Jasna Čurin Pučko (Open University Zagreb) cut in the international arena and showed a wide horizon of Prof Krajnc outside our borders while taking care of our environment. Innovative ideas have attracted numerous imitators from nearby and distant neighbourhoods, which some participants at the event expressed with gratitude. Dr Dušana Findeisen spoke about the development of Slovenian Third Age University, in which, even today, after thirty-five years, they strive to overcome stereotypes about age, listen to people and goings-on in the society and respond to them.
With many supporters and colleagues, Prof Dr Ana Krajnc paved the way to many pores of the narrower and wider social space. It is no coincidence that the editors of the ‘One has to dare to defend one’s values: Liber amicorum’ journal chose for the cover illustration a leaf with minute veins, through which flow juices that contribute to its vividness.
The crowded hall also showed that such meetings are necessary. Moreover, they are precious mainly because historical memory is transferred to younger generations. This willingness to learn today seems logical to them and an obvious choice for adults which, however, was not so a few decades ago. And it was at that time that the very Prof Dr Ana Krajnc persuaded people that adults can learn and that they should believe in this. Nowadays we even believe that adult education is not just training for a profession and acquiring work-related knowledge, but that it far exceeds this framework.
Nevenka Kocijančič (nevenka.kocijancic@acs.si), SIAE
[1] This is recorded in a substantial publication titled Modern Paradigms of Exploring Adult Education and Learning and Education (in Slovenian). The publication of the monograph was also supported by SIAE, and several of our co-workers also contributed texts to it.
- National Promotional Campaign for Guidance for Employees (1/28/2019)
In October we launched a national promotional campaign of the Guidance for Employees project under the slogan Seize the opportunity of free counselling for employees (Professional support to information and guidance activities and validation of non-formal knowledge 2016–2022 – in Slovenian), whose goal is to address as many adults as possible and engage them in counselling for education.
In all towns and cities, where the project service providers are operating, the employees were being addressed through billboards, and in addition a radio and television ads that are played by the national media (RTV Slovenia) were prepared. The interview (in Slovenian) with the counsellor Biserka Plahuta from Velenje AEC that describes the case of counselling at the Skaza d.o.o. company, is published on the web portal of the RTV Slovenia Multimedia Centre.
The promotional campaign is supported by the new project website, www.zaznanje.si. During the promotional campaign, which ended in November, this website was primarily intended to inform the employees and employers regarding the services, which are available to them free of charge within the context of the project, while the Contact section includes contact information of all providers. We will continue to supplement and update the website. We would like to establish a website that will be aimed at individual employees as well as companies. It will provide as much information as possible with regard to different measures, opportunities for education and training for employees.
Urška Pavlič (urska.pavlic@acs.si), SIAE
- Redesigned English website of the Slovenian Institute of Adult Education (1/28/2019)
We kindly invite you to visit and use the redesigned English website of the Slovenian Institute of Adult Education: https://www.acs.si/en.
The operation of our centre is presented in ten fields (Fields of Work), within which we draw attention to the most current projects and activities. The best overview of everything that we do can be found in the so-called mega menu that opens when you place the cursor on the Projects section in the navigation bar.
Under the navigation menu on the right, you can find two icons on Facebook SIAE and You Tube SIAE channel.
In the Library and Resources section we feature SIAE Library. In the Digital Reading Room you can read a wide variety of professional publications issued by SIAE or which are closely related to our work.
News which we post can be displayed by content (professional events, other news, projects). Content filtering can only be used on the home page. At the bottom of the website are two sliders with shortcuts to relevant projects (Creating) and to institutions with which we cooperate or projects which we co-create.
We hope and wish that on our redesigned English website you will find information that you need, and contact information of people, who can help you with that.
Mateja Pečar (mateja.pecar@acs.si), SIAE
- The role of adult education is increasingly recognised among employers (1/28/2019)
Through the activities of the fourth phase of the EAAL project, we support the implementation of the European Council Recommendation Upskilling Pathways – New Opportunities for Adults. During the three EAAL consultation meetings, the last one was held in Ljubljana at the entrepreneurial breakfast entitled Does assessment of knowledge and skills development lead to more satisfied employees and employers? (in Slovenian), we have gathered stakeholders from different fields, mainly from the fields of adult education and the economy. The purpose of these meetings was to identify focal points and (potential) synergistic effects of cooperation. On the one hand, we were familiarised with policy measures, which pass into practice through calls and projects, financed primarily from the ESF. This has already introduced to us some cases which reflected the realisation of at least one of the three steps of the Upskilling Pathways: assessment of knowledge and skills that individuals already possess, development of learning opportunities tailored to the needs (of participants and the economy) and assessment and recognition of acquired knowledge and skills. All of these cases also strongly expressed the fourth dimension of the Upskilling Pathways which concerns the partnerships, coordination and cooperation of involved stakeholders to maximise the added value for everyone involved. Within this context, the local community plays a significant role.
Below I present a few events which will be presented on the EAAL Project e-portal as examples of good practice of realisation of Upskilling Pathways.
The Case from Ajdovščina: an analysis of the needs of the economy and InCastra
The very incentive role of municipal management has been highlighted at the aforementioned EAAL event, when Eva Mermolja, the director of Ajdovščina AEC, presented an analysis of the needs of the Ajdovščina economy for education and training of employees in the local community (in Slovenian). At the end of 2015, it was established which personnel was needed by the Ajdovščina companies up until 2025 and which skills they needed to have. From here the preparation of appropriate strategies for obtaining and strengthening both fundamental as well as professional skills is just a step away, while integrating into practice requires a lot more. To name a few: implementation of motivation programmes, consulting, design of plans for personal, vocational and professional development of employees and by all means the forms of training required to obtain the desired skills. The Ajdovščina AEC also plays a coordinating role, namely in the case of efficient management of older employees (45+) within the context of the project Comprehensive Support to Companies for Promoting Active Ageing in the Workplace (ASI). Demographic changes, rapid obsolescence of knowledge and the emergence of new professions, the need for intergenerational cooperation, and the like lead to the aforementioned.
Creating and implementing strategies are a long-term endeavour. However, in Ajdovščina they immediately decided to carry out InCastra – Ajdovščina Industry and Entrepreneurship Day. On the initiative of the Municipality and in cooperation with numerous partners, the Ajdovščina AEC organised a successful manifestation in 2017 and 2018. On the first day, the event was aimed at establishing contacts between schooling youth and companies – potential employers with guided tours and animation and education activities. On the second day, companies, societies and other partners, more than 40 participated this year, were able to introduce themselves face to face, at stands and through interaction with numerous participants.
In the presentation brochure of last year’s InCastra (from 21 to 22 September at Ajdovščina Airport) the mayor, Tadej Beočanin, wrote: “The future of the municipality is built on the experiences of the rich past, while at the same time we are upgrading the tradition with modern and high-tech activities.” As a visitor on the second day, I clearly felt these two dimensions of the Ajdovščina vision. However, I was particularly delighted with the pride and will for progress that I perceived in the event creators and visitors of all generations.
Investing in the training of older employees, Slovenj Gradec
“It is when I ventured on the path of personal progress, my personal growth started. It was in the same way that I also approached the training of my employees,” said Tanja Skaza, CEO of the Plastika Skaza company and an accomplished manager. She attracted heads of departments and their production workers to reading books and exchanging views about the novels, they have read.
This time Tanja was the key speaker at the 2nd Expert Consultation for employers which was organised by MOCIS, Slovenj Gradec AEC on 27 September under the title The Influence of Employee Training on Company Growth. On behalf of employers which MOCIS and partners address through ESF projects, the speaker was able to assure that companies were looking forward to free opportunities for upgrading the skills and knowledge of their employees. However, she sees key challenge in motivating, and even more so, in inspiring older, lower educated employees. In addition, she believes that setting an example is the most efficient model, and that is why she invited participants, especially human resource managers, to set an example for co-workers by taking part in continuous education. As an on-going (and ultimate?) goal of investing in own knowledge and skills, Tanja has repeatedly pointed out a happy and purposeful life.
At the event, MOCIS presented the first results of ESF projects aimed at advising and assessing as well as acquiring basic and professional skills in the Koroška Region. There are some shifts in this field, while the connections with employers are getting stronger. For MOCIS the biggest challenge is the shift in the mental orientation of the 45+ target group. This group needs constant encouragement or role models from their own environment to take the offer.
Sometimes it takes a lot of time for a mental shift to take place, but sometimes the tumultuous modern environment simply shoves us in this direction. The labour market is no longer an unconquerable fort and the number of unemployed – at least where sought-after professions are concerned – is low or non-existent, while the employers strive to obtain and keep high-quality workers (also by investing in them). Opportunities for obtaining current and fundamental skills are more numerous than ever. Because of all of this, almost everyone has a reason to feel self-confident, enthusiastic and to actively participate in designing their own life and career path. And with these optimistic thoughts I left Koroška Region, for which I wish, to keep (also through described efforts) more of their people on their sunny side of Koroška Region mountains.
This was also on the agenda of the Expert Consultation with the title Challenges of Company Performance, Profitability and Future that was organised by the Novo mesto AEC in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce of Dolenjska and Bela krajina on 28 September. In this way, they and their partners wanted to assess the involvement of companies in consulting and employee training activities within the framework of both ESF projects. An additional motive for the exchange of views was the development of guidelines for drafting new programmes, with which they applied to the current MESS tender.
In the form of a world café, about 30 participants took part in a lively exchange of views on the above, as well as aspects of the partnership between employers and educators, and the transfer of skills into practice. Once more, the importance of basic and general skills has been confirmed, since many specific, vocational skills are provided by many companies and institutions themselves. The engagement of company representatives as well as the ESS, the Novo Mesto Regional Office, was also commendable. They act as the link between employers and educators. Since they have to operate in fierce market conditions and require qualified staff to do so, the need for a quick, flexible response of the latter to the needs of the employers was highlighted. The quality of educational services and their providers has been recognised as the highest imperative.
According to Gregor Sepaher, the Director of Novo mesto AEC, the meeting was an opportunity to strengthen contacts and cooperation. The awarding of acknowledgements to nine ambassadors of learning that have been selected through the tender procedure within the context of this year’s Lifelong Learning Week added a celebratory note to it. The inspiring cases of exemplary individuals and groups working on their own and common good added a touch of softness to the consultation, while the final round table put us back on solid ground.
As the author of the article, I participated in the discussion with the presentation of the EAAL project, which I see as an opportunity to increase the visibility of existing efforts in adult education, as well as to identify any gaps and challenges. The participants of the round table came from different backgrounds. However, we all advocated the necessity of developmental orientation, an indispensable partner of which is lifelong learning. If the identification of needs once marked the beginning of any process, monitoring of trends, their understanding and co-creation of changes and related needs are now more important. Yet there would not be any round table if there was no call for more humanity in everything we do.
Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE
- Professional standards for Special Libraries (1/27/2019)
The National Council for Library Services published the Professional Standards for Special Libraries (In Slovenian). The SIAE Library is also ranked among them, therefore we closely monitored both the adoption process as well as the public hearing. The Special Libraries section in Slovenian Library Association has provided a few reservations which were taken into account in the final version.
Standards for special libraries are the fruit of a year-long effort by numerous experts. Namely, libraries of various disciplines can differ greatly, therefore it was difficult to find common characteristics and provide a framework which all of us could follow. In the (special) library both the traditional library services as well as the modern library information services are carried out. Both types are presented in the document.
The new standards form a framework for monitoring work, position, communication, material conditions etc. in special libraries.
Ana Peklenik (ana.peklenik@acs.si), SIAE
LIFELONG LEARNING WEEK
- We Selected the 2018 Award Winners (1/29/2019)
The Commission for awarding SIAE Awards gathered on 12 December and selected this year’s Awards Winners. We grant awards to promote inclusion in learning. We are very proud of all 213 recipients because we believe that learning has a significant impact on our health, employability, how well our children are learning and how much money remains at the end of the month. That is why we choose individuals, groups and institutions that can serve as a perfect role model to others. Only empowered individuals will be able to change themselves and the world for the better. 2018 SIAE Awards will be awarded to two female individuals, one group and two institutions.
Due to illness Mirjana Debelak had to leave her work at the secondary school. She found her calling in adult education. This way she can work with different contents and various target groups, mainly the vulnerable, and she learns a lot from them as well.
Nataša Horvat is a Romany who moved to Slovenia as a teenage mother and learnt the power of learning in her thirties. Since then she constantly takes part in training, is employed, and takes care of her Roma community on the local and national level in various fields.
The Lipovci study circle has been operating for four years. Mainly older men, but also a few younger ones meet, socialise and learn together. With sustainability-oriented basket weaving traditions we can change ourselves as well as our natural and social environment.
Iskraemeco d.d. is a well known company, focused towards challenges the future brings. Therefore, they train their employees as well as suppliers, buyers and partners in the areas of quality, sustainability, performance, safety at work etc.
Jože Udovič Library in Cerknica is a sanctuary for local residents who are hungry for knowledge and culture. With innovative approaches which are based on personal contacts it is quickly becoming a creative centre of progress that encourages people and organisations towards greater commitment.
Let learning become your lifelong habit as well, so that you can further your personal growth.
Darijan Novak (darijan.novak@acs.si), SIAE
- The Preparation of the Lifelong learning week 2019 (1/29/2019)
At the end of the year we completed the tasks of LLW 2018 and prepared the final report on its implementation, but at the same time we are already preparing and planning the LLW 2019.
A public call for tenders for the co-financing of adult education programmes and activities in the year 2019 which, among other, concerns the coordination of LLW and realisation of the LP, was completed in early January. We met with coordinators at the first preparatory meeting. On the LLW website we published all the necessary instructions and recommendations for coordination as well as other documents aimed at the providers. In addition to the planned number of subcontractors and events, the co-financing of coordinators will be significantly influenced by the content presented in the LLW (and LP) coordination activities plan.
We are looking forward to fresh ideas which will be realised by coordinators and their partners. The next opportunity for this will be at the LLW network preparatory meeting. We will dedicate a few words to the last year’s Learning Festival, but mostly we would like to hear about the plans, ideas and proposals of providers.
Erika Brenk (erika.brenk@acs.si), SIAE
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
- The Profi-Train international project in full swing (1/31/2019)
Reflections on professionalisation of educators that develop skills in adults in the work environment
In the beginning of October in Thessaloniki, Greece the third meeting of the Profi-Train international project was held and the SIAE experts participated as project partners. The project is basically intended for consideration and evaluation of methods and options of professionalisation of educators, who teach skills at the workplace. There is a problem all over Europe in providing professional growth of experts, who devote themselves to working with vulnerable groups, especially those that cooperate with companies at workplaces. There are specific products planned within the project for testing and evaluating of the concept of training and human resources professional development. It will be composed of three parts: a Guide for independent learning, thematic modules for educator training and some kind of European guide for various stakeholders, which will emphasize the importance and describe different ways of fundamental skills training of employees in the workplace. The SIAE associates are, among other things, responsible for the conceptual design and coordination of creating training modules for educators.
As it turned out already at the first two meetings of the international group of experts working on the project, despite the differences in the development of the countries and their economies, it is virtually everywhere across Europe possible to detect a similar problem: the inclusion of poor and low skilled employees in the VET is low, and the risks for their unemployment are high. Current professional debates more and more put these employees as an internal potential of companies, which will become an extremely important source of ensuring competitiveness, at the centre of attention also in the developed countries, such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A cooperation with the companies and the possibility of on-the-job training for educators is now becoming a key as well as strategically important. The practice shows that in order for the strategies to be effective for continuing the education of poor educated and low skilled employees, the learning programmes must be professionally designed and the educators’ approaches truly innovative. The project’s ambition is also to identify and develop transferable and flexible ways of professional training of teachers for their comprehensive professional development.
At the third meeting of experts, the partners presented the emerging Manual for self-study. It will be completed and ready to be tested in practice in spring. The composition of the Manual is interesting: it will actually provide a holistic view also for the beginner in this field, and each chapter contains practical examples, didactic suggestions and various experiences from quite different European working environments. The added value of this Guide will be a short presentation of the relevant conceptual and theoretical principles, which ensure the reader with independent studies. The reader will be able to find quality resources in the listed literature, on the basis of which he will be able to deepen his knowledge regarding individual questions. The ambition of the project partners is for this not to be only one of the many tutorials, but the fundamental source for deepening and exploring this rather specific field.
At the meeting, Slovenian experts presented their contribution to the Manual. It’s about the implementation, since we are preparing a chapter on implementation of training for the development of skills at the workplace. This chapter is equipped with didactic and methodical aspects, while special attention is intended for providing a knowledge transfer, which in this context is a particularly sensitive point. The chapter is dedicated to the reflection on what the educators must learn in order to ensure a transfer of a truly good quality. It also discusses the question on what kind of professional development there must be in order for an educator to see this work as a chance for growth and development, and not as a professional strain in the impossible and difficult circumstances pushing him towards the burnout.
The next meeting of the partners will be held in Ljubljana in May 2019.
Dr Petra Javrh (petra.javrh@acs.si), SIAE
- The results of the Reshape international project in the shape of a video (1/31/2019)Biannual international project called Let’s Transform the Future: Education and training for migrants and refugees (RESHAPE the future), in which SIAE participated as a partner organisation, ended as early as August of 2018, but the results of the project are now also available in the form of a video presentation of the project.
The project was aimed at finding approaches in education and training for refugees and migrants for their effective integration into the new environment. The video presents the results of the project and the topic, individual contextual highlights for effective integration of migrants and refugees into the new environment as well as the overall key findings and recommendations of the project. It was conducted between September 2016 and August 2018, and six European countries participated: Finland (Keski-Uudenmaan koulutuskuntayhtyma – KEUDA, the lead partner), the Netherlands (Alfa-college), Slovenia (SIAE), Italy (Istituto Formazione Operatori Aziendali – IFOA), Sweden (Mångkulturella Finska folkhögskolan) and Denmark (Tietgen).
At five international education meetings, the included organisations presented different aspects of the education and training of migrants and refugees:
- Recognition of prior knowledge of the migrants and refugees (Denmark)
- Training for professionals, who work in educational and training programmes for migrants and refugees (Slovenia)
- Informing and consultation for migrants and refugees (Netherlands)
- Encouraging entrepreneurship in migrants and refugees (Italy)
- Ensuring quality education and training for migrants and refugees (Sweden)
As other achievements of the project we can highlight the analysis of the situation dealing with the topic of individual international seminar, systematical documentation of best practices in migrant and refugees education and training in individual country, and proposals design on how they could be implemented in adult education in the other partner countries. Also a final conference was held where experiences and project results were presented.
The latter of the project are available in a professional contribution containing the presentation of findings, identified good practices and recommendations for their implementation into the own work.
Jasmina Orešnik Cunja (jasmina.oresnik.cunja@acs.si), SIAE
- The Regional Committee for Quality within the SERTO association established (1/31/2019)
There was an inaugural meeting of the Regional Committee for Quality held between 14 and 16 October in Belgrade, Serbia, established in the context of SERTO professional association. We, the representatives of the SIAE Dr Tanja Možina and the Director Andrej Sotošek, MSc, also participated in the meeting.
In 2012–2013, the Adult Education Society of Serbia in cooperation with the Swiss Federation for Adult Learning developed a project called Professionalisation in Adult Education in South East Europe. In cooperation with the network of educational organisations for adults, it was pilotly implemented and tested in the period of 2014–2016. One of the results of the project was a regional professional association of SERTO – A Professionalisation and Quality of Adult Education, designed as a platform to support the process of the Adult Education professionalization. The strategy of the association is focused on improving the quality of the Executive Committee with the broader goal of creating a unique quality education space for adults. The second goal is to strengthen the capabilities of adult education providers in the region for monitoring and improving the quality of services. More information on SERTO association is available on the association’s website.
In the context of the SERTO association, the following has been developed: the qualifications standard for the coach in adult education as the procedure for accreditation of coaches and educational programs. Implementation of these processes in Serbia is expected in the following period. At the inaugural meeting in Belgrade, the Regional Committee for Quality – comprised of experts from various South East Europe countries – was established and set within the system. The Commission is composed of:
- Dr Šefika Alibabić, Department of Pedagogy and Andragogy, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade (president),
- Dr Zoran Velkovski, Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Philosophy, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje,
- Dr Tanja Možina, Slovenian Institute for Adult Education, Ljubljana,
- Dr Moran Koludrović, Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split.
The task of the Commission is to provide professional support as a professional supervision over the implementation of the accreditation procedures.
The Regional Committee for Quality will operate as a professional, counselling and control body. It will be focused on achieving the objectives of the association and the improvement of all elements of the SERTO quality system.
Dr Tanja Možina (tanja.mozina@acs.si), SIAE
- European Vocational Skills Week this time in Vienna (1/30/2019)
In 2018, the European Vocational Skills Week (EVSW) took place for the third time. There were around 1,400 events held in the last quarter of the year in different locations throughout Europe. The central event of EVSW was a conference on the status and progress of VET hosted by Austria between 7 and 9 November. This country took over the presidency of the EU Council in the second half of the year 2018, and is one of the leading countries regarding VET. The conference was intended for a reflection on the changing role of the VET subsystem according to demographic and technological factors, and challenges in the labour market. “Vocational education and training should be the first and not only the second choice of the young (and adults)”, said Marianne Thyssen, an European Commissioner responsible and a strong promoter of EVSW (and VET).
“To have a clear look into the future, it is important to know the past.”
These are the words that Mara Brugia from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) started her introduction with and said that based on the analyses of trends between 1995 and 2015, they’ve defined three potential development paths of VET. These have become a common thread of further contributions, as so called pluralistic, distinctive and marginalised scenarios stirred up the imagination and the speakers. They either defended equally and dynamic integration of VET into the chain of lifelong learning or they spoke in favour of the protective attitude towards this educational subsystem. It was delightful to see that the VET was not associated only with young people, but its importance for adults was also exposed when looking for the paths of improving their competences. They also emphasized that VET should not be limited to vocational competences, but must also ensure basic and other general competences and train not only for work, but life in general. Many speakers addressed the diversity of national concepts and practices of the VET. Dichotomies, such as general vs. specific, stable vs. flexible, excellence vs. social inclusion, the same solutions for all vs. tailor made learning paths, etc. also determine the current thinking and functioning in the VET. Therefore, the word was not only about the past and the future, but also about the present.
Read more about the conference in the highlights of day 1 and day 2 (in Slovenian) published in EPALE blogs.
Adult education is a must.
I’ve been following EVSW content for three years and I dare say that paradigmatic changes happened. If adult education was of marginal importance in the previous two years, almost all key speakers addressed it this time. All the representatives in this field had the opportunity to defend our mission in a working group about the future of continuing VET as well as in the EC-OECD forum about the future of adult education. The latter confirmed that the visibility of this area has lately been bigger than ever. Disappearance of certain occupations, constant emergence of new ones that require different skills… A holistic view of the employee – a person who in addition to narrow professional skills will be able of critic and creative thinking, having the right attitude towards work and others…
All of this means that adult education is important, it reaches all aspects of our life and functioning, therefore more and more is expected of it.
This was confirmed also by Shyamal Majumdar, guest from India and the UNESCO-UNEVOC. He mentioned the Global Sustainable Development Goals (GSDG) until 2030 adopted by the UN in 2015. The fourth of the 17 goals is intended to provide quality education for all. Majumdar urged the participants to think holistically and take into account economic, social and transformative importance of learning. In all cases, skills are essential, so it’s not enough only to develop the VET, but it is meaningful to connect all the subsystems of education and create synergy in order to make the GSDG vision a reality (i.e. eradicating poverty, reducing inequality, ensuring progress and the protection of the environment for present and future generations).
The EVSW was concluded with the testimonies of EVSW ambassadors and the 2018 awards for excellence in VET. The ambassadors and award winners were without a doubt the most effective advocates of the range and importance of the VET, which also applies to adult education. Next year the EVSW will be hosted in Helsinki, Finland between 14 and 18 October.
Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE
- What is coming up in the area of validation by 2030? (1/28/2019)
Skills Assessment and Validation – Peer Learning Activity 2018 (the EAAL project)
My colleague Tanja Vilič Klenovšek and I attended the activities of exchanging experience titled Peer learning activity for National Coordinators on Skills Assessment and Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning within the EAAL project on 4 and 5 December. The event in Bonn was hosted by the National Agency for Education for Europe at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training from Germany, and attended by 40 experts from 23 European countries.
Exchange of experience among the participants and countries during the meeting was substantial, because the participants had the opportunity to ask questions, express their opinions and share truly rich and varied experience after each contribution was presented. Discussions were held in the form of world café.
What are the key findings? According to Cedefop, the validation process is composed of already known four phases (identification, documentation, assessment, certification), and the last phase leads to formal certification of competences obtained in a variety of ways. Cedefop also points out that the validation procedures in adults should fulfil other purposes – empowerment, personal growth, gaining reputation. It is therefore necessary to define procedures in a way to allow the adults to enter and exit in any phase (formative nature), while these procedures should be consistent with established formal process. While we could not ignore the important role of a consultant here, which in formative processes outgrows the initial advising of the individual, this is about the new dimensions in terms of mentoring, motivating, validating etc.
What is coming up in the area of competence validation by 2030? The two key aspects are intertwined, namely the focus on standards on one side and the individual on the other, or the labour market perspective on one hand and an individual’s development perspective on the other. An orientation to individual leads to individualised formative validation procedures, which leads to the empowerment of adults and includes the assessment of key and transversal competencies. An individual can obtain a certificate, which is not equivalent to formal ones, and the validation procedures reach the assessment phase. In the assessment, the use of a combination of different techniques is promoted and these techniques correspond to the formative nature of validation, and the basis for implementation of the validation procedure are defined qualitative criteria. Enforcement of such validation procedures brings a new role for educational organisations. Professional workers in adult education will have to be additionally trained and ensure process quality in all stages of the process.
Vera Mlinar (vera.mlinar@acs.si), SIAE
RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS
- Publication of the SIAE self-evaluation study on the suitability of the processes and effects of expert external evaluations in adult education (1/31/2019)
The SIAE issued another extensive self-evaluation study regarding the suitability of the processes and effects of expert external evaluations in adult education. The study authors are Dr Tanja Možina, Sonja Klemenčič and Jasmina Orešnik Cunja.
We’ve developed an approach of the expert external evaluation (EEE) in 2011, thus as an upgrade the two SIAE incentives: Green Quality Label and SIAE recognitions for quality development in Adult Education. The EEE is intended for an expert external validation of the quality of the Adult Education in educational organisations in selected areas of quality. They promote the conservation of achieved standards and introduce improvements and quality development. The organisation thus upgrades an existing internal quality system. The basic outcome of this process is a qualitative feedback to the organisation about the Adult Education, where it is doing well and where the potential for its future development lies.
In the 2012–2016 period, 13 educational organisations got included in EEE regarding Adult Education. We were systematically monitoring the implementation the whole time. The approach and methodology were complemented and upgraded after the annual final evaluation workshop with all involved.
We estimated that five years of expert external evaluations in adult education is long enough to assess the adequacy of procedures and accessories used. First and foremost, we wanted to test the effects of them in included educational organisations. The study presented the results of the 2017 self-evaluation, and we also considered the role, future development and placement of this kind of external evaluations into the system of Adult Education in Slovenia.
The self-evaluation also included directors and EEE coordinators from twelve educational organisations that participated in 2012–2016, and expert external evaluators (there were three questionnaires prepared, one for each entity involved). The opinions and views of individual entities about the issues in question were compiled with the online survey method between 27 June and 31 July 2017. 29 people participated, so here we once again thank them for their contribution.
Jasmina Orešnik Cunja (jasmina.oresnik.cunja@acs.si), SIAE
- Essays in honour of Prof Dr Ana Krajnc (1/31/2019)
To honour a high life anniversary of the most prominent Slovenian scientist in the field of adult education, the Scientific Publishing House of the Faculty of Arts of Ljubljana University published a comprehensive monograph entitled The Modern Paradigms of Research and Adult Learning and Education (2018).
The publication published essays of eminent experts, professionally engaged in adult education and learning, thus continuing the efforts of Prof Dr Ana Krajnc. The contributions bring various themes regarding the research in adult education, measurement instruments, key and general competences, various roles that are taken by adult educators, writing about the factors that affect the individual and his decision to get educated. Some authors find the development aspect of various important elements in adult education and projects at the forefront, which are well developed in our country since the breakthrough of adult education.
Therefore, this journal is not only a formal anniversary publication, but a manual and an important source for professionals, students and other stakeholders interested in adult education and related areas of expertise. As written down in the editorial by the former minister of education Dr Maja Makovec Brenčič, knowledge is “a value and the foundation of development both now and in the future”. The honorary professor Dr Ana Krajnc was aware of it already five decades ago, therefore such publication is a nice gift for her. The journal is also available (in Slovenian) in the SIAE Library and in an e-form on the website of the Faculty of Arts Book Store.
Edited by: Ana Peklenik (ana.peklenik@acs.si), SIAE
- Digital Literacy and Communication in Foreign Languages and Language Competences booklets (1/31/2019)
At the SIAE, we’ve prepared two booklets in the ESF project called Adult Competences Development 2016–2022. The booklets are a part of the collection titled Descriptors of Basic Skills, and apply to the core capabilities of Communication in Foreign Languages and Language Competences and Digital Literacy. This way, we are continuing the work of a previous ESF project called Literacy Development, Assessment and Recognition of non-formal Learning, where we also prepared, in cooperation with the teachers practitioners, booklets with descriptors for Basic Competences for Communication in the Mother Tongue, Learning to learn, Self-initiative and Entrepreneurship, and Mathematical Competence and Basic Skills in Science and Technology.
In the scope of this project, we proceed with descriptors for the remaining four basic competences – Communication in Foreign Languages, Digital Literacy, Social and Civic Competences, and Cultural Awareness and Expression. The descriptors for eight basic competences will connect into the collection at the end of the project. The booklets of Communication in Foreign Languages and Digital Literacy are already finished, and the other two will be prepared in 2018–2020 period together with the teachers. The descriptors will contribute to easier monitoring of individual’s progress and will help the adults’ educators in more transparent evaluation of knowledge, gained through the informal routes.
In designing descriptors for selected areas of basic competences, we’ve chosen a method of action research, which requires close cooperation of experts with the practitioners – teachers and mentors. It’s about connecting a profound expert work with mutual learning. A working group ensures the practitioners with an opportunity to get to the core of the theoretical foundations of their work with people and at the same time explore and research individual competence in their direct educational practice. Then, they are able to connect their findings with a theory in the framework of the group’s operations. The experience shows that this is one of the most precious forms of professionals’ learning, within which the practice and theory are constantly intertwined. Here, the colleagues learn about this whole cycle of action research as a method that can be applied to their work in any field. The result of the group’s work are of course descriptors of specific competency, which arise on the basis of real situations and people’s needs, and are tested in the process of the action research.
Both new booklets, as well as the other four (in Slovenian) are available on the Literacy website.
Katja Bider and Diana Volčjak (diana.volcjak@acs.si), SIAE
EPALE
- We’ve learnt a lot at EPALE workshops (1/31/2019)
The EPALE National Support Services Slovenia organised two workshops in the past month to pass the knowledge to the platform users to help them prepare even better contributions for publication. At the same time the knowledge that participants and adult educators obtain at these workshops are also useful in their everyday work.
During the first workshop, which was conducted in two parts, we learned how to record and edit a short video. The first part in the form of a webinar provided the participants with a theory about shooting and preparing a video. In the second part of the workshop a week later, the participants met in person and put what they had learned into practice. Interesting videos were created: A New Year greeting card, project presentation and an invitation to visit an organisation’s website. The workshop was moderated by the director, writer and producer Marko Kumer Murč.
At the second EPALE workshop, the participants learned how to create texts that arise interest, increase the responsiveness and achieve our purpose. What should one know before writing a text, “how we set bait” and how to call a reader to act are some of the questions we have dealt with. Read more about the workshop in this article (in Slovenian).
Maruša Bajt (marusa.bajt@cmepius.si), CMEPIUS
- Who are the winners of 2018 of Quality Apples Awards? (1/31/2019)
Quality Apple Awards are given for the achievements in the field of international education and training by CMEPIUS.
On Wednesday, 5 December, the Union Hotel in Ljubljana hosted the 13th award ceremony of the above mentioned awards. They cover the categories of school, vocational and higher education, and adult education, plus a prize for special achievements in international cooperation.
Quality Apple Award in the category of adult education was received by Rogaška Slatina AEC with their Erasmus+ project that upgraded the way of teaching with the use of modern technology and Montessori adult teaching methods. The institution became recognizable as a professional and reliable organisation at home as well as abroad.
The awards were given by the state secretary at the MESS Martina Vuk. The event was moderated by Anja Hlača Ferjančič, with musical performances by the girls from Litija Elementary School and the Takeover band – current and former high school students of High School Celje Centre.
We sincerely congratulate all the recipients of the Quality Apples Awards.
Maruša Bajt (marusa.bajt@cmepius.si), CMEPIUS
- EPALE Conference – an Opportunity to Reflect on the Path Trodden and New Challenges (1/30/2019)
Together with representatives of the EPALE national and Central support service, adult educators, EPALE ambassadors, policy-makers and other stakeholders from all over Europe, there were more than 230 of us that gathered in Budapest on 15 and 16 October. Members of the EPALE group from Slovenia that functions under the auspices of CMEPIUS visited the event with the illustrious title Growing together – fostering an inspiring adult learning community. Many topics were covered, and there were many opportunities for interaction as well.
The conference had two key thematic highlights. The first concerned the European adult education policy after the year 2020 and its co-financing, while the other concerned further implementation of the EPALE platform. This is already a central virtual environment for the exchange of information, news, resources and opinions in the European Community of educators of adults and other interested parties, and it will become much more in the future.
EU Adult Education Policy Will Soon Obtain New Development Impulses.
European education policy, its current circumstances and plans for the future were presented by Dana Bachmann, the head of a European Commission unit, which is, among others, also competent for adult education. She emphasized the importance of national coordination of the implementation of the European Agenda for Adult Learning (EAAL) and recommendations for Upskilling Pathways – New Opportunities for Adults. In Slovenia, the efforts for EPALE and EAAL are closely linked, therefore we were pleased with the confirmation of this policy. We live in times of change when the strategies set for 2020 are running out, and in the following year the leadership of European Commission will also change. With the aim to continue to contribute to the establishment of a common European education area in the future, they make great efforts to form a new vision for adult education and learning after the year 2020 at the level of EC. They also invited us, the EPALE Conference participants, to participate. According to Bachmann, the political will to enforce our areas of work exists, however effective action at all levels is required. We discussed in working groups how to encourage it in various conceptual fields. I personally participated in a group for validation of previously acquired knowledge, in which we recognized EPALE as a suitable space for the exchange of successful practice cases.
In three years of operation, EPALE confirmed its role.
There was also a panel discussion on how EPALE can support events in the field of adult education in the future, while the Central support service spoke about new functional dimensions of the platform. Efforts in cooperation with the European Basic Skills Network (EBSN), for example, bring a common learning space EPALE, where we as an adult education community will be able to gain and upgrade our competences. The platform will be generously supported also in the future.
The second conference day was fully dedicated to the future of EPALE. The platform has flourished in three years, it has gained more than 45,000 members and thus find its place on the European level as well as in the individual member states of the EU. How to proceed? We listen to the presentations of national support services from Poland and Malta to be inspired. In both cases, they used different, modern approaches to promote not only the use of the platform, but the education of adults in general, successful learning, different events and other aspects.
Afterwards, the six working groups discussed innovative ideas and platform development in the coming years, when its existing functionalities should be reinforced and exceeded. I participated in a group, in which they presented the options of the eTwinning platform in the case of Hungary. It could set an example of enforcing EPALE as the virtual space for project collaboration. The idea is interesting, but the members of the team stressed technical deficiencies of the app, which is hosted on the EC server. The organisers – Hungarian National Support Service for EPALE and the competent body of the EC – received similar feedback from other working groups. The EC representatives promised to take them into account to the greatest extent possible.
Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE
SLOVENIAN ADULT EDUCATION SCENE
- They are laughing at him, because he’s different, but he laughs at them, because they are all the same (1/31/2019)The Erasmus + KA1 “Multiculturalism is our advantage”.
The number of immigrants in Jesenice, which due to the language and cultural barriers have a hard time integrating into their new environment, has grown in recent years. Therefore, the need for certain activities emerged in the local environment, which on the one hand help us to develop skills and competences for social integration of immigrants in the new environment, and on the other hand improve skills and competences of all the inhabitants for an intercultural dialogue.
Jesenice AEC wants to follow the needs of our environment in this area, so in the context of personnel mobility in the Erasmus + KA1 adult education we implement a project titled “Multiculturalism is our advantage”, in which the professional staff attend structured courses abroad.
In October, I attended the structured course entitled “Intercultural Communication in Education” in Split. 12 participants had the opportunity to look inside themselves and answer the questions: Do I know how to communicate? Am I properly trained for interpersonal and intercultural communication? Am I patient and tolerant? Do I even know what intercultural communication means?
Communication is so widespread in various forms and associated with our lives, that it is often taken for granted. The course of communication in a way often gets our attention only when it’s not successful or the problem emerges in understanding; and these occur even more often in intercultural communication. Cultural, religious and other differences are sometimes difficult to accept, and that is why the intercultural dialogue is so important for mutual respect. People make their views on the basis of experience, past, culture and expectations. There is no correct view in judging others. The work in the field of edult education can be successful only if it is characterized by a multicultural sensitivity and intercultural dialogue, which is why this area is very important for adult educators.
It is not always easy to understand diversity. How come that someone’s way of thinking is different from ours, that he finds other values to be more important, that he puts other things first? There are as many views, opinions, attitudes as there are people, and each has the right and also a duty to respect this diversity.
Diversity is exactly where a source of progress and development of a fairer society is hiding. It opens a new way of thinking, which really contributes to durable solutions. Socializing with various people supports our tolerance. Listening carefully to the others, their opinions, arguments. At the same time, let us pass on our vision to develop and strengthen multiculturalism in others. It is necessary to develop a high confidence in our views and tradition. All persons, who are confident in themselves, will not perceive diversity as a threat.
When communicating with other nations, other cultures, cultural differences, different values and beliefs are not the ones that always cause problems, but sometimes the language is a problem. Language problems in intercultural communication cannot be completely avoided, but we can make sure that the impact on the success of communication is as little as possible. How? We need to use simple language, regardless of who we talk to. Many people try to use “big” words in order to be more intelligent and make an impression, but it makes it more difficult to communicate.
The list of intercultural competence the lecturers, mentors or other workers in adult education have to adhere to, is long. It is important to try and develop them, since different values and lifestyles are of great importance. We can help a lot in establishing open interaction, exchange and mutual interconnection. We’re not all the same, but may be treated equally.
The Erasmus+ K1 is really an excellent opportunity for personal and professional growth of an individual. The mentioned structured course enriched the participants with findings that respecting diversity is the key to success. The participation of professional staff of the Jesenice AEC in structured courses promotes the strengthening of core competencies and the use for identifying and avoiding stereotyping and prejudice in education, as well as the use of methods for strengthening tolerance and intercultural dialogue for the development of intercultural skills.
Read the blog of the professional workers and also highlights from other courses.
Polona Knific (polona.knific@lu-jesenice.net), Jesenice Adult Education Centre
- Three men with a capital letter (1/31/2019)
We diversified the autumn activities of the Multigenerational Centre Zasavje with many interesting and practical lectures for the soul and the immediate use in everyday life. We hosted three big men – not regarding their height, but concerning their knowledge, wisdom and courage.
The first one, Marko Juhant, very plasticly and clearly explained the development needs of children from birth until puberty to almost 120 participants (mostly parents, pedagogues, teachers). So what did we learn? That education is a complex and responsible work – but we already knew that. But we too often take responsibility instead of letting the children do that, work instead of them instead of with them – this is what we are often not aware of. He says that he has never met a stubborn child, only persistent ones. Teens must resist and continuously check what is real and what isn’t… We the parents need to be different and normal, with our own faults. We the adults must know how to deal with the young. So many simple wisdoms he delivered in one evening.
Boundless love with clear boundaries was the subject of father Karel Gržan, a very special guest, a priest, a doctor of literary studies, a writer who wrote over 50 books, and especially a Man who dedicated his life to giving: to the poor, helpless, suffering and addicts. He is a personified grace and all who were present felt it. Boundless love with clear boundaries means respect, responsibility and humility according to him. From now on, we may use three magical, but incredibly effective words and phrases more often: please, thank you and sorry. Among other things, he pointed out: “If today you take home only a finding that each one of us is weird, wonderful, miraculous in his uniqueness and that the point of our lives is in compassionate cohabitation, that it should not be taken too seriously, that it is good to laugh… we have achieved the goal of this evening.”
He shared many deep, wise and very true thoughts with over 100 visitors. A winning combination: 5 to 1 – It means that you tell a friend five good things and one bad one. Do not take life too seriously, happiness is composed of tiny joys on the path of life, happiness basically means contact with another human being. I believe that the evening left a deep mark on most of those present.
A library in Zagorje was completely full in both the events as we joined forces – Zasavje AEC and a Library of Mile Klopčič in Zagorje ob Savi, and proved that together we are stronger.
The last of the three men, Jani Prgić, we had the privilege to listen to in Trbovlje. His lecture titled A Positive Discipline fascinated a full hall of the Youth Centre. It was about the program / system in which we straighten positive relationships with great firmness and kindness. It was designed by researchers of the Positive Discipline Association. The system develops various strategies, which help us to respectfully achieve a desired action or change of action. It can be used for the construction of various relations, especially bringing up children. The strategies are derived from the strength and kindness, kindness to yourself (e.g. it is not kind to me that I always do the dishes, this is unacceptable for me). It is included in the use of certain respectful gesticulations, phrases, in which remain solid and firm (e.g. when a child is stubborn because he wants to watch cartoons). The response of adult is important: stay kind and determined, use multiple strategies – understanding, but persistence; hug and rejection of a child’s wishes at the same time…
The program is designed as a training, which helps us to understand the background, understand the problem and think outside the box.
Anja Lenart (anja.lenart@zlu.si), Multigenerational Centre Zasavje, Zasavje Adult Education Centre
- Deaf persons serving guests in mountain lodges (1/31/2019)
All-Slovenian volunteer campaign, which connects, stares down the fear and breaks stereotypes, unified the two worlds: the world of the deaf and the world of the hearing. Deaf persons have shown that they are here, that they are able to work and be equally included in society, and the hearing experienced the culture of the deaf. They excitedly expected action, since they didn’t exactly knew what awaited them. The motto of the campaign, to be inclusive, reflected at every step of the way.
A whole year passed from an idea to the campaign realization. At the pilot training of mountaineering for persons with special needs, Miloš Ganić said during a break that the deaf could serve guests in mountain lodges. Later in the evening, suggestions for suitable locations were on the table. After the first meeting of the working group for the elaboration, composed of the hearing, the deaf and an interpreter, the campaign started to be formed. We designed, together with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Clubs Association, who took over awareness-raising via media.
In early September, volunteers attended a one-day relaxed and playful training. Also, the mountain lodges staff attended the training by the use of sign language. Some took the challenge very seriously and fluently gesturing everything on the menu.
On Saturday, 22 September at 10.30, a gala opening of the campaign took place with a touch of homeliness and excitement at selected locations. Every speaker added his own touch. The feeling that the next two days will be really special was the right one. The event has exceeded everyone’s expectations. It was not only about serving the guests, the volunteers included animation, presented the way of life of the deaf and sign language. They worked enthusiastically, conscientiously and responsibly. They used their ingenuity and adapted to changes. Everyone in the group made his own contribution to the success of the events on the Saturday and Sunday.
Cooperation had been in the foreground, the key was mutual assistance, even though the work was distributed. Three volunteers were serving guests, two of them handled the animation and taught the sign language. They also provided the accompanying programme. There were gestures of the Slovenian sign language shown on the posters. They published a notice about a photo competition Inclusive in the mountains and raise the awareness on the International Day of Sign Languages.
The mountain lodges smelled like tea, familiarity and mountain relaxation. The most important was the conversation between the hearing and the deaf. After the first uncertain attempts, they were encouraged and approached the guests with a smile and a friendly gesture to welcome them. There were many deaf visitors, who were excited to make orders in sign language. They felt at home and accepted. They were relaxed and no one was sitting at the table lonely. Some of them visited the mountain lodge for the first time only because of the campaign and took the mountain trails because they were curious how to communicate in sign language.
Two interpreters made sure that communication was running smoothly. They approached if anyone’s communication got stuck. Visitors were interested in particular in how to order in sign language. They also asked about the life of the deaf. Kids were asking them why they can’t hear anything, how one becomes deaf and whether it can be fixed. The smaller kids were training their fingers with sign language, and bigger kids also with the one-hand alphabet. They quickly learned the gestures and were asking their parents if they knew what a certain gesture meant. At the table, they themselves tried to use a one-hand alphabet, they were really interested in it all.
Visitors had a communication roller waiting for them at the tables. If they put the blue colour upwards, they wanted to order or pay. When received their order, they placed the roller horizontally on the table for sending the message: “I’m enjoying it.” One of the guests suggested that such a roller would be needed in other restaurants, too.
Thanks to everyone who supported us.
Jurček Nowakk (pin-opp@pzs.si), a Working group ‘Mountaineering for persons with special needs’ at the Alpine Association of Slovenia