The Himalayan region of India has a surprisingly fragile ecosystem due in part to its geomorphic characteristics. In recent years the Himalayan ecosystem has been disturbed in various ways by both human and natural processes. Large developments threaten ecosystems in the area modifying local land use and subsistence patterns. This has important implications for the sustainable livelihoods of the local communities. People in these areas are very concerned about the lack of inclusion in development decision-making processes and the negative effects of development on their livelihood. Protest actions are spreading throughout Himachal Pradesh, not only to stop developments but also to re-shape how developments are taking place. The village of Jagatsukh was selected for in-depth study. That is where people started to organize around the Allain Duhangan Hydro Project and also where the protest actions in relation to the Hydro Project actually started. The overall purpose of this research was to understand the role of protests as a vehicle for public participation in relation to decisions about resources and the environment and to consider whether such movements are learning platforms for action on sustainability.

The Himalayan region of India has a surprisingly fragile ecosystem due in part to its geomorphic characteristics. In recent years the Himalayan ecosystem has been disturbed in various ways by both human and natural processes. Large developments threaten ecosystems in the area modifying local land use and subsistence patterns. This has important implications for the sustainable livelihoods of the local communities. People in these areas are very concerned about the lack of inclusion in development decision-making processes and the negative effects of development on their livelihood. Protest actions are spreading throughout Himachal Pradesh, not only to stop developments but also to re-shape how developments are taking place. The village of Jagatsukh was selected for in-depth study. That is where people started to organize around the Allain Duhangan Hydro Project and also where the protest actions in relation to the Hydro Project actually started. The overall purpose of this research was to understand the role of protests as a vehicle for public participation in relation to decisions about resources and the environment and to consider whether such movements are learning platforms for action on sustainability.

The primary aim of this study is to investigate young people´s motives and expectations for participating in the action two “European Voluntary Service” (EVS) under the Youth In Action programme supported by the European Commission at the youth center Villa Elba in Finland. The study also aims to identify which competences the young people think they have developed through EVS. The study consists of one group interview and one focus group interview with ten EVS volunteers in total who accomplish short-term EVS and long term EVS during one month respectively nine months. The methodology is based upon a qualitative research approach and in order to reach a better understanding of the respondents’ motives for participating in EVS, the theories modernity, reflexive project of the self and the individualized society were chosen. The study is also based upon background information about EVS and earlier research. The results indicate that the EVS volunteers’ main motives for participating in EVS were: acquiring new skills, meet new people, and experience an adventure in another country. The most common competence developments turned out to be in the areas of language, social and initiative skills. Moreover, the study demonstrates that many young people in Europe face difficulties in getting into the labour market and becoming independent. The main reason is the economic recession which has severely affected the situation for young people in Europe and this is also confirmed by earlier research. Even though the respondents had positive opinions about their EVS project, criticism was raised towards the European Union´s ideas of creating a feeling of European Citizenship through programmes such as EVS.

Šiame darbe analizuojama suaugusiųjų užsienio kalbos kompetencijos svarba šiandienos visuomenėje. Aptariami probleminiai klausimai ir pristatomos užsienio kalbos kompetencijos raiškos fiksavimo galimybės. Pristatomas mokymosi aplanko metodas kaip galimybė spręsti užsienio kalbos kompetencijos raiškos fiksavimo problemą neformaliajame suaugusiųjų mokymesi. Tyrimo klausimas: Kaip fiksuoti neformaliai besimokantiesiems užsienio kalbos kompetencijos raišką? Tyrimo objektas: Užsienio kalbos kompetencijos fiksavimas neformaliame švietime Tyrimo problema: Neformaliajame suaugusiųjų mokymesi egzistuoja užsienio kalbos kompetencijos raiškos fiksavimo problema. Tiriamojo darbo tikslas: Sukuriant užsienio kalbos kompetencijos raiškos fiksavimo priemonę, įvertinti jos taikymo galimybes neformaliame suaugusiųjų mokymesi. Tyrimo uždaviniai: Atskleisti komunikavimo užsienio kalba kompetencijos ypatumus; apibrėžti mokymosi strategijų sampratas bei atskleisti jų svarbą plėtojant komunikavimo užsienio kalba kompetenciją; apibūdinti aplanko metodą bei jo taikymą; sukurti savianalize paremtą priemonę, leidžiančią suaugusiesiems fiksuoti užsienio kalbos kompetencijos raišką; įvertinti šios priemonės taikymo galimybes mokantis užsienio kalbos neformaliai. Tyrimo metodai: Remiantis Charles (1999) pedagoginių tyrimų tipologija pasirinktas veiklos tyrimo tipas. Tokia tyrimo metodologija pasirinkta atsižvelgiant į tyrimo problematiškumą... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Relevance of the Subject: Portfolio-based foreign language learning in non - formal education. It is a new trend of this learning method in Lithuania and in European Union. Problem of The Research Paper: Adult learners face the problem of the foreign language competence registration in non-formal learning. Subject of The Research Paper: The development of the foreign language competence. The Research Question: How should the development of the foreign language competence in non-formal adult learning be registered? Objectives of the Research Paper: to reveal the peculiarities of the foreign language communication competence; to define the conception of learning strategies and reveal their importance in developing the foreign language competence; to describe the portfolio method and its implementation opportunities; to create an instrument based on self-analysis which provides opportunities to register the development of the foreign language competence; to consider the implementation opportunities in non-formal foreign language learning. Main conclusions of the Research Paper are: The designed instrument based on self-analysis allowed students to register the language learning competence development. With the help of this instrument major characteristics of the foreign language competence development were revealed. It was also disclosed that the foreign language learning competence is developed through learning strategies. ... [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.

Titel: Varför YouTube? Title: Why YouTube? Författare: Björn Lindgren I den här studien har syftet med undersökningen varit att synliggöra varför några elever använder sig av YouTube i sitt lärande av sång och instrumentspel. Undersökningen började med en enkät med elever från ett musikestetiskt gymnasium i årskurs 3. Utifrån enkäten valdes fem frivilliga elever ut till att delta i intervjuer. Genom enkäten kom det fram att alla elever som använder YouTube i syfte att lära sig något på sitt instrument eller i sin sång främst bara lär sig specifika låtar, vilket också bekräftas i intervjuerna. Databearbetningen av intervjuerna visade på resultat som kunde delas in i fem olika kategorier/orsaker till varför elever vänder sig till YouTube, nämligen smidighet, självklarhet, mångfald, låtarna och skola. I resultatet förklaras hur YouTube upplevs som en plats där eleverna med självklarhet och enkelhet kan klicka sig fram till en instruktionsvideo som passar dem. Här lär de sig i sitt eget tempo, när de vill och när de har tid.

Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / Adult learners’ perception of factors that are internal to their perceived control of their lives can be challenging to overcome when making a decision to participate in learning. There are complex relationships between psychological, and social barriers to participation in adult learning. Psychosocial barriers can deter adults’ participation in learning programmes. Understanding the nature of such barriers can enable policymakers, educators and adult learners create strategies to reduce such barriers in order to increase adults’ participation in adult learning. This study investigated the research question: What are adult learners’ perceptions of psycho-social factors that undermine participation in adult education and learning? The psycho-social interaction model adopted as a conceptual framework allowed the study to contextualise and analyse the effects of socio-economic status on the adult learner’s decision and readiness to participate. The model provided the broad segments of the adult learners’ pre-adulthood and adulthood learning years and through a thematic analysis attempted to analyse psychosocial factors that emerged as barriers to participatory behaviour in learning. An interview guide was used during a semi-structured interview. The study investigated a group of adult learners attending a non-formal learning programme in Central Johannesburg, South Africa. The selection of participants included 6 males and 4 females between 21 years to 49 years of age. The study findings showed that the adult learners’ perceptions of family support as well as the learning environment support are key enabling factors, which assist the adult learner to develop learning capabilities. Negative experiences with prior schooling was also described as a psychosocial barrier to participation. Age was a socio-economic variable that influenced the type of stimuli participants identified as a psycho-social factor which influenced their decision to take up further learning. Adult learners felt confident to successfully complete their current and future studies however perceived their learning press as a motivating factor that impacted their decision to participate. Findings also suggested that experiences of adult learners are unique to their specific context and educational planning can integrate ways to address enhancement of learning experiences for a diverse learner audience in non-formal learning programmes. The study concluded that while adult learners acquire social competencies through accessing nonformal programmes, further learning support is necessary to overcome the social and psychological complexities needed to develop basic academic learning capabilities.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate how teachers in school and in leisure time center look at informal and formal learning. Informal learning is often associated with leisure-time while formal learning is generally linked to school. My questions also deal with the teachers’ view of each other’s activities from a learning perspective and visibility of informal learning. I have made an empirical study with qualitative, semi-structured interviews with three class teachers and three leisure teachers. The results of the study show that the informal learning in leisure time center is generally not perceived as learning. Concepts such as knowledge, learning, and teachers are associated with the school and formal learning. The study also shows that it is necessary for teachers to visualize informal learning.

Aim of this work was to determine teachers' ideas about how to encourage lifelong learning in primary school in year 3, so that students can continue learning throughout life. To get answers to my purpose, I used the following questions: What are the teachers' perceptions of the concept of lifelong learning? What are the main aspects teachers emerged as important in education, to encourage students to lifelong learning? Is there potential barriers to teachers for the promotion by the term of lifelong learning? The method used, is qualitative interviews and as a starting point I used the hermeneutic approach. Theoretical part included Ziehes modernity theory of learning and Vygotsky socio-cultural perspective. The results revealed that lifelong learning is interpreted on the basis of active teachers in many varied ways. Teachers' perceptions of the concept of lifelong learning have been very varied. The most of the teachers pointed out is that the term is about as a student has an understanding of what you do, that learning should be seen as something that goes on all the time throughout life and that desire and curiosity is close to the concept. The similarity between the teachers’ responses suggests that it is important that the student has confidence in his own abilities, and develop strategies for their future learning will live on. The key skills teachers highlights, concerns that the student be able to discuss, analyze, search various sources and be critical. Teachers have also shown that there are some obstacles in the promotion of lifelong learning. The biggest challenge is the lack of time, extensive knowledge requirement, and large groups of students. According to the teachers, the weak students who are the biggest losers, because there is not enough time to support the students.

Science centres are one of the best opportunities for informal study of natural science. There are many advantages to learn in the science centres compared with the traditional methods: it is possible to motivate and supply visitors with the social experience, to improve people’s understandings and attitudes, thereby bringing on and attaching wider interest towards natural science. In the science centres, pupils show interest, enthusiasm, motivation, self-confidence, sensitiveness and also they are more open and eager to learn. Traditional school-classes however mostly do not favour these capabilities. This research presents the qualitative study in the science centre. Data was gathered from observations and interviews at Science North science centre in Canada. Pupils’ learning behaviours were studied at different exhibits in the science centre. Learning behaviours are classified as follows: labels reading, experimenting with the exhibits, observing others or exhibit, using guide, repeating the activity, positive emotional response, acknowledged relevance, seeking and sharing information. In this research, it became clear that in general pupils do not read labels; in most cases pupils do not use the guides help; pupils prefer exhibits that enable high level of interactivity; pupils display more learning behaviours at exhibits that enable a high level of interactivity.