The aim of this essay is to analyze how students are constituted as subjects in local curricula. The theoretical perspective is grounded in Michel Foucault’s notion of governmentality and power/knowledge and his critique of a sovereign subject. From this theoretical perspective I use Foucault’s concept of formation of objects and Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe’s idea of subject positioning as tools for a discourse analysis. The analyzed documents are local curricula from fourteen Swedish municipalities. The documents are divided in to two equally sized groups based on the political governing in the municipality. The analysis presents five themes by which statements that constitute students as subjects can be categorized. These five themes are; lifelong learning, desire, essential traits, students responsibility and life and health. The differences between local curricula from political right wing and political left wing governed municipalities are rather small, but there can be seen differences in the technologies of liberal governing. The subject that is constituted in local curricula is primarily a self-governing subject who governs it self in relation to a expertise knowledge.

Formal classroom learning is a lifelong pursuit. Many older adults return to school to advance their careers, learn new skills, or simply for personal fulfillment. As such, methods for improving learning should be considered in relation to both younger and older learners in order to properly assess their ultimate usefulness. A technique that has been demonstrably effective at improving learning and memory in younger students is testing. Testing improves memory more than mere exposure to material (e.g., restudying), a benefit known as the positive testing effect. However, recognition tests, where learners are exposed to correct and incorrect information (e.g., multiple-choice tests), also introduce false information to test-takers. While evidence shows that testing improves memory for tested material, this can include the incorrect material presented on recognition tests manifested as increased reproduction of incorrect answers (lures), a phenomenon known as the negative testing effect. These effects of testing, however, have only been studied in younger learners. Older learners, on the other hand, may show decreased positive testing effects and increased negative testing effects because of poorer long-term episodic and source memory, perhaps making them less receptive to the positive effects of testing and more susceptible to the negative effects of testing. Therefore, this study examined the positive and negative effects of testing on learning in 60 younger university students aged 18-25, 60 younger community adults aged 18-25, and 60 older community adults aged 55-65. This research also scrutinized how individual differences, including intelligence, previous knowledge, initial performance, and source memory were related to the positive and negative effects of testing. All groups showed positive testing effects, but these were larger for younger adults, for individuals with higher initial performance, and for people with more previous knowledge of the topics. Additionally, though no age group showed reliable negative testing effects, they increased for individuals with lower initial performance and previous knowledge and, surprisingly, for learners with higher nonverbal reasoning and verbal intelligence scores. These findings have important implications for the education of people of all ages and show that testing can be a beneficial learning tool for both younger and older learners.

This thesis explores women's learning in unpaid household work through the lenses of impairment and disability. Informal learning from this standpoint is a perspective that is not yet integrated into the adult learning literature. The impetus for the study came from dissatisfaction with the social undervaluing of unpaid housework and carework, and the largely unrecognized learning behind the work, which is predominantly done by women. Disability and impairment provide unique lenses for making visible what people learn and how they learn in this context. Those who have or acquire impairment in adulthood need to learn how to do things differently. For this study I have taken a segment of data from a 4-year, 4-phase project on Unpaid Housework and Lifelong Learning in which I participated. The participants in this segment are women and men with disabilities who took part in 2 focus groups (11 women), an on-line focus group (20 women), and individual interviews (10 women and 5 men). Learning is explored through three different themes: first, learning related to self-care; second, learning to accept the impaired body; and third, strategies and resources used in the learning process. Analysis of the data shows that the learning that happens through unpaid household work is multidimensional, fluid, and diverse. Learning is accomplished through a complex 4-dimensional process involving a blend of the body, mind, emotions, and the spiritual self. Furthermore, what participants learned and how they learned is influenced by the sociocultural context in which it takes place. Learning, when seen as a 4-dimensional process, provides a framework for challenging traditional Western cultural beliefs about what counts as learning and knowledge. Such beliefs have cultivated the viewpoint that learning is individualistic, cognitive, and based on reason. I contest these beliefs by disrupting the binaries that support them (e.g., mind vs. body, reason vs. emotion). Participants used both sides of the binaries in their learning processes, negating the oppositional and hierarchical categories they establish. The concepts in the binaries still exist but the relationship between them is not oppositional, nor is one concept privileged over another, either within or across binaries.

This thesis explores women's learning in unpaid household work through the lenses of impairment and disability. Informal learning from this standpoint is a perspective that is not yet integrated into the adult learning literature. The impetus for the study came from dissatisfaction with the social undervaluing of unpaid housework and carework, and the largely unrecognized learning behind the work, which is predominantly done by women. Disability and impairment provide unique lenses for making visible what people learn and how they learn in this context. Those who have or acquire impairment in adulthood need to learn how to do things differently. For this study I have taken a segment of data from a 4-year, 4-phase project on Unpaid Housework and Lifelong Learning in which I participated. The participants in this segment are women and men with disabilities who took part in 2 focus groups (11 women), an on-line focus group (20 women), and individual interviews (10 women and 5 men). Learning is explored through three different themes: first, learning related to self-care; second, learning to accept the impaired body; and third, strategies and resources used in the learning process. Analysis of the data shows that the learning that happens through unpaid household work is multidimensional, fluid, and diverse. Learning is accomplished through a complex 4-dimensional process involving a blend of the body, mind, emotions, and the spiritual self. Furthermore, what participants learned and how they learned is influenced by the sociocultural context in which it takes place. Learning, when seen as a 4-dimensional process, provides a framework for challenging traditional Western cultural beliefs about what counts as learning and knowledge. Such beliefs have cultivated the viewpoint that learning is individualistic, cognitive, and based on reason. I contest these beliefs by disrupting the binaries that support them (e.g., mind vs. body, reason vs. emotion). Participants used both sides of the binaries in their learning processes, negating the oppositional and hierarchical categories they establish. The concepts in the binaries still exist but the relationship between them is not oppositional, nor is one concept privileged over another, either within or across binaries.

In this paper we analyze development problems and tendencies of virtual education. Separately it’s emphasized the situation with distance education (DE) in Lithuania. The structure, principles and facilities of LieDM network are briefly described. In the first part of the paper main attention is paid to the technological aspect. Examples of different methodologies are overviewed as well as existing norms and standards. In detail we overview the requirements of recorded video presentations and solutions using different media formats and software products. In the second part the specific situation of DE application in Klaipeda University is analyzed. We make the requirement specification and the description of application area. Finally we make a design of the virtual learning management system using procedures of system engineering.

Darnaus vystymosi švietimo prielaidos BPD 2.4 priemonės projektuose. Raktiniai žodžiai: darnus vystymasis, darnaus vystymosi švietimas, BPD 2.4 priemonė, mokymasis visą gyvenimą. Darnaus vystymosi siekis – užtikrinti tinkamą asmens gyvenimo kokybę, siekti visuomenės gerovės ir saugumo, išmintingai derinant ekonomikos, socialinės raidos bei aplinkos apsaugos uždavinius. Išsilavinimas yra vienas svarbiausių faktorių, nuo kurio priklauso žmogaus ir visuomenės pasirengimas ir motyvacija spręsti daugialypes darnaus vystymosi problemas. Švietimui, visuomenės informavimui, įvairių sričių specialistų kvalifikacijos tobulinimui čia tenka ypatingas vaidmuo. Kadangi visuomenės darnaus vystymosi koncepcija yra dinamiška, jos įgyvendinimo modeliai yra nuolat plėtojami priklausomai nuo įgytų žinių ir patirties: darnus vystymasis yra nuolatinio mokymosi vyksmas. Todėl visos veiklos, prisidedančios prie mokymosi visą gyvenimą kokybės gerinimo, sykiu kuria prielaidas darnaus vystymosi nuostatoms įgyvendinti. Magistro baigiamasis darbas susideda iš keturių dalių dalių: Pirmoje dalyje apibrėžiamas švietimo vaidmuo įvairaus lygmens darnaus vystymosi strateginiuose dokumentuose. Antroje - nagrinėjamos mokymosi visą gyvenimą strateginės nuostatos, atskleidžiamos jų sąsajas su Lietuvos švietimo prioritetais. Trečioje - nurodomi tyrimo metodai ir suformuluojami tyrimo kriterijai. Ketvirtoje – pateikiami BPD 2.4 priemonės „Mokymosi visą gyvenimą sąlygų plėtojimas“ projektų paraiškų analizės... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Prerequisites for sustainable development of education in the projects of SPD 2.4 facility. Key words: Sustainable Development, Education for Sustainable, SPD 2.4 Facility, Lifelong Learning. The goal of sustainable development is ensuring the proper quality of individual life, seeking for public safety and welfare by wisely coordinating economic, societal development and environmental tasks. Education is one of the key factors determining the preparation and motivation of individual and society on solving the multifaceted problems of sustainable development. Education, public notification, and qualification improvement of specialists in various fields here plays a special role. As the concept of sustainable development of society is dynamic, its models of implementation are being continuously advanced depending upon the level of gained knowledge and experience: sustainable development is a process of continuous learning. Therefore every activity contributing to the quality improvement of lifelong learning likewise generates prerequisites for implementation of sustainable development provisions. The Master Final Thesis consists of four parts: The first part contains a description of education in strategic documents of sustainable development of different levels. The second part contains the analysis of strategic provisions of lifelong learning and their links with Lithuanian educational priorities. Methods of research and research criteria are specified in the third part... [to full text]

Mokymosi visą gyvenimą samprata šiuolaikinėje visuomenėje reikalauja naujo traktavimo būdo: tai ne tradicinis kvalifikacijos kėlimas, o naujas žinių vadybos būdas. Nagrinėjamas industrinio kapitalo virsmas į žmoniškąjį kapitalą, kuris vaidina vis svarbesnį vaidmenį. Europos Sąjungos strateginiai dokumentai, reglamentuojantys mokymosi visą gyvenimą yra orientuoti į žiniomis pagrįstus modelius, tačiau šalys narės skirtingai įgyvendina šias koncepcijas (nagrinėjama Europos šalių geroji patirtis). Struktūrinė Europos Sąjungos fondų parama atvėrė galimybę sustiprinti mokymosi visą gyvenimą efektyvumą, tačiau paramos panaudojimas Lietuvoje žmoniškųjų išteklių plėtrai buvo daugiau chaotiškas (strategiškai neapgalvotas), nenukreiptas į modelių struktūrines permainas. / Conception of Lifelong learning in contemporary society demands new approach: its not traditional training in service, but new method of knowledge management. Industrial capital converts to human capital, what plays more important role. Strategically documents of Europe union, which regulate lifelong learning, are orientated to knowledge based models, but European countries implement these models in different ways. Structural support of EU funds made an opportunity to strengthen/enhance the effectiveness of lifelong learning in Lithuania, but the use of support was chaotic and not directed to changes of models structure.

SENSTANTI VISUOMENĖ: KONKURENCINGUMO VEIKSNIAI IR PRIEMONĖS EUROPOJE SANTRAUKA Informacinėje visuomenėje demografinių procesų dinamika paspartino senstančios visuomenės procesą ir pakeitė visuomenės amžiaus struktūrą. Technologijų pažanga, globalizacija ir demografinis senėjimas keičia Europos visuomenę ir skatina politikos kūrėjus atsižvelgti į įvairius skirtingų kartų poreikius. Europoje, kurioje labai ryškios senėjimo tendencijos ypač jaučiami socialiniai ir ekonominiai pokyčiai: globalinės užimtumo, kompetencijos bei gebėjimų naudotis informacinėmis technologinėmis stoka, sveikatos, politinės ir bendruomeninio aktyvumo galimybės. Senstančios visuomenės augimas yra kompleksinė problema, kuri pasireiškia nacionaliniu, regioniniu, įmonių ir individualiu lygmeniu. Stiprinant senstančios visuomenės konkurencingumą ir socialinę sanglaudą, remiantis strategijomis kuriamos efektyvios priemonės siekiant kokybiško integravimo į socialinę bei ekonominę politiką. Tezė Europoje senstančios visuomenės problemos sukelia sudėtingus socialinius ir ekonominius pokyčius, kuriuos itin svarbu tikslingai įvertinti ir numatyti, kad būtų galima laiku imtis veiksmų, kurių tikslas – suformuoti naujas realijas, atitinkančias, senstančios visuomenės globaliojo konkurencingumo sampratas. / AGING SOCIETY: FACTORS AND MEANS OF COMPETITIVENESS IN EUROPE SUMMARY Dynamics of demographic processes in information society has accelerated the process of aging society and changed the structure for the age of society. The advancement of technologies, globalization and demographic aging change the European society and encourage the policy makers to regard the demands of different generations. Social and economic alterations are especially felt in Europe where there are very vivid aging tendencies: global employment, a lack of competence and ability to use information technologies, health, possibilities of political and communal activity. The growth of aging society is a complex problem which asserts in national, regional, enterprise and individual level. The effective measures are created by strengthening the competitiveness of aging society and social cohesion as well as referring to strategies in pursuance of integration to social and economic politics. Thesis Problems of aging society in Europe initiates complicated social and economy changes which must be thoroughly appraised and predicted in order to take timely measures aimed at formation of global competitiveness concepts for the aging society which fit to new reality.

The non-formal adult (25-64 year olds) education in public and private teaching sectors on the basis of social and human capital, including both learners’ and non-formal education organizers’ situation is analyzed in this dissertational research. The specific purpose of this dissertation is seen through the reality that non-formal adult education is more oriented towards the expectations of employers for their employees’ better qualification(s) while placing the possibilities for personal growth and self-expression aside (i.e. escaping from human capital and putting the social capital into the first place). Also, the manifestations of social stratification in these processes are captured as well, by stressing such aspects as: the education of adult learners, the age factor and the sectors where adults work. While implementing the dissertational research, main statements to be defended were explored and confirmed as well: i) human capital remains more oriented towards social capital accumulation in the public and private sectors of non-formal adult education; ii) the differences between non-formal adult education public and private teaching sectors are rather slight. / Disertacijoje analizuojamas neformalusis suaugusiųjų (25-64 metų amžiaus) švietimas žmogiškojo ir socialinio kapitalo aspektu valstybiniame bei privačiame mokymo sektoriuose besimokančiųjų ir neformalųjį švietimą organizuojančių institucijų lygmenis. Formuluojama problematika, kad neformalusis suaugusiųjų švietimas, kaip vienas svarbiausių asmens sėkmingo veikimo visuomenėje, tenkinant jo/jos pažinimo, lavinimosi bei saviraiškos poreikius garantų, yra daugiau orientuotas į esamų darbdavių lūkesčius darbuotojų kvalifikacijai tobulinti/kelti, akivaizdžiai atsiejant individo saviugdos/asmenybės tobulėjimo bei saviraiškos galimybes (kitaip tariant, atitrūkstama nuo žmogiškojo kapitalo į pirmąją vietą iškeliant socialinį). Taip pat šiame procese pastebimos ir socialinės stratifikacijos apraiškos, ypač išskiriant besimokančiųjų grupių išsilavinimo, amžiaus bei sektorių, kuriuose dirbama, aspektus. Tyrimo eigoje buvo išanalizuoti bei patvirtinti ir ginamieji teiginiai, kad: a) neformaliajame suaugusiųjų švietime valstybinio ir privataus mokymo sektoriuose žmogiškasis kapitalas išlieka orientuotas į socialinio kapitalo kaupimą ir b) skirtumai tarp neformalųjį suaugusiųjų švietimą vykdančių valstybinio ir privataus mokymo sektorių yra nežymūs.

Disertacijoje analizuojamas neformalusis suaugusiųjų (25-64 metų amžiaus) švietimas žmogiškojo ir socialinio kapitalo aspektu valstybiniame bei privačiame mokymo sektoriuose besimokančiųjų ir neformalųjį švietimą organizuojančių institucijų lygmenis. Formuluojama problematika, kad neformalusis suaugusiųjų švietimas, kaip vienas svarbiausių asmens sėkmingo veikimo visuomenėje, tenkinant jo/jos pažinimo, lavinimosi bei saviraiškos poreikius garantų, yra daugiau orientuotas į esamų darbdavių lūkesčius darbuotojų kvalifikacijai tobulinti/kelti, akivaizdžiai atsiejant individo saviugdos/asmenybės tobulėjimo bei saviraiškos galimybes (kitaip tariant, atitrūkstama nuo žmogiškojo kapitalo į pirmąją vietą iškeliant socialinį). Taip pat šiame procese pastebimos ir socialinės stratifikacijos apraiškos, ypač išskiriant besimokančiųjų grupių išsilavinimo, amžiaus bei sektorių, kuriuose dirbama, aspektus. Tyrimo eigoje buvo išanalizuoti bei patvirtinti ir ginamieji teiginiai, kad: a) neformaliajame suaugusiųjų švietime valstybinio ir privataus mokymo sektoriuose žmogiškasis kapitalas išlieka orientuotas į socialinio kapitalo kaupimą ir b) skirtumai tarp neformalųjį suaugusiųjų švietimą vykdančių valstybinio ir privataus mokymo sektorių yra nežymūs. / The non-formal adult (25-64 year olds) education in public and private teaching sectors on the basis of social and human capital, including both learners’ and non-formal education organizers’ situation is analyzed in this dissertational research. The specific purpose of this dissertation is seen through the reality that non-formal adult education is more oriented towards the expectations of employers for their employees’ better qualification(s) while placing the possibilities for personal growth and self-expression aside (i.e. escaping from human capital and putting the social capital into the first place). Also, the manifestations of social stratification in these processes are captured as well, by stressing such aspects as: the education of adult learners, the age factor and the sectors where adults work. While implementing the dissertational research, main statements to be defended were explored and confirmed as well: i) human capital remains more oriented towards social capital accumulation in the public and private sectors of non-formal adult education; ii) the differences between non-formal adult education public and private teaching sectors are rather slight.