This diploma thesis is focusing on finding a new way of building a relationship between citizens and public academic institutions through the work of adult educators. It analyzes communication channels of academic institutions used for communication with the public and suggests new ones, based on the principles of knowledge mobilization theory. It draws how to bring elements of active civic participation into Czech society and this is based on deliberative concepts of democracy and principles of social critical theory. Attention is paid to the specification of the role of adult educator as a mediator of communication between civil society and the institution. Keywords adult education, civil society, public academic institutions, andragogy, participatory democracy, knowledge mobilization, deliberative democracy, critical theory

Title: Subjective evaluation of training courses in the field of inclusive physical education by Primary school educators Objectives: The main objective of the diploma thesis is to examine the subjective evaluation of inclusive PE training courses by the Primary school educators. Methods: The subjective evaluation of postgraduate education in the field of inclusive PE by the educators of Prague Primary schools was surveyed through empirical research, which was carried out within the Movement for Inclusion Project. An anonymous survey of our own design containing 22 survey questions was used to monitor the opinions and attitudes of Primary school educators. A total of 19 respondents (18 women and 1 man), who met the requirements for inclusion in the target research group, completed the survey via Google Forms. Results: According to the thesis, all participants in the research have perceived an increase in competencies for working with SEN (specific educational needs) pupils. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of full-time and distance forms of additional training were mapped. The participants (except three) agreed that they had studied the course books sent as part of distance training courses. Respondents consider the desire to enrich their existing knowledge to be the greatest...

Early childhood education (ECE) teachers often lack the experience and skills to provide children with supports necessary to foster academic and social skill development. Professional development can improve ECE teachers' skills, but ECE trainers often lack understanding of adult learning principles, known as andragogy. Knowles' conceptual framework of andragogy was used to explore the knowledge and use of andragogical principles of 8 ECE trainers selected via criterion-based purposive sampling. The research questions focused on ECE trainers' knowledge and use of andragogical principles. Three cases, each consisting of 2 or 3 live professional development trainings for early childhood educators, were used in this study. Data sources included (a) observations of ECE trainings, (b) semi-structured interviews with ECE trainers, and (c) content analysis of ECE training materials. Thematic analysis revealed that although participants were not formally trained in andragogy and were unfamiliar with the associated verbiage, most had a strong grasp of andragogy and used andragogical principles to drive the development and presentation of their training materials. The 3 main themes that emerged were (a) lack of training/background in andragogy, (b) training strategies employed, and (c) training design. Findings from this study provide an original contribution to the limited existing research on the professional development of early childhood educators and expand the existing body of research on andragogy. This study contributes to social change by revealing that trainers may benefit from formal andragogical training, which may then improve the education provided by ECE teachers to young children.

This applied dissertation is an instrumental case study based on diffusion of innovations theory designed to gather student opinions regarding videoconference (VC) technology use in facilitating courses to undergraduate degree-seeking nursing students. The author of diffusion of innovations theory, Rogers (2003), recommended that more qualitative studies be conducted in education. Rogers and Jain (1968) recommended these studies should be conducted from the aspect of “receivers of innovation diffusion” (p.1) to provide feedback instrumental to implementation of technological innovations in academe. Further, Rogers stated that multiple data points should be used during the process of trialing an innovation. Therefore, a current VC course was selected from the nursing curriculum of a public state college hosting one of the largest nursing programs in the southeastern United States in which to conduct the study. A total of 32 students participated divided equally between two sites: Main campus and Regional campus. Further divided, 22 personal interviews were conducted and two focus groups; one for each campus consisting 5 students each. Additionally, included in the data corpus were 40 hours of classroom observation plus, college provided end of course (EOC) summary statements. These data were triangulated to determine whether students would accept VC technology unchanged, accept with modifications, or reject VC technology based on first time exposure to the innovation during the 16-week semester. Student innovation decisions were: 6 students accepted unchanged, 14 students accepted with modifications, and 12 students rejected the innovation. Students who rejected the innovation were exclusively from the regional campus, which was the receiving site the majority of the semester. First and second-cycle analyses yielded 67 codes resulting in 5 categories, which further developed into 3 emerging themes: (a) Interaction with instructors, materials, and distant students are key elements affecting adoption decisions of students regarding VC technology; (b) Student adoption decisions are influenced by faculty members in their use of VC technology; and (c) Student opinions indicate that reinvention is necessary for VC technology to be fully adopted into the present nursing program. The five categories: Interaction, equipment, teaching methodology, instructor technology training, and student orientation provided ample detail from which to inform practice regarding recommendations for reinvention (modification) of VC technology during the implementation stage of Rogers’ five stages of the innovation-decision model. These modifications could assist the college in gaining parity between the two nursing sites, which reported an 18.53 percentage point difference in first time pass rates on the NCLEX-RN exam reported by the Florida Department of Health (Florida Health, 2015).

1 ABSTRACT The work deals in general with the acquisition and keeping of the necessary knowledge and skills needed for work in an industrial company with a high degree of automation of production operations. Attention is focused mainly on the issue of the entry level acquired at school and subsequently personnel development in lifelong learning. At the same time, the issue of determining career paths and competence matrices, on which the need for educational measures is based, is also taken into account. KEYWORDS Adult education, qualifications, andragogy, human capital, human resources management, corporate education, lifelong learning, employee development.

This master thesis project was based on the development and evaluation of an open learning material in thermal imaging for automation applications. The outsourcer – FLIR Systems – wanted a three-day course covering all necessary topics for infrared cameras in automation applications. These topics include thermography, optics, detectors, networks, protocols, and more. The open learning material was designed to function as a three-day, self-paced, distance course, and it was based on theories of andragogy, self-directed learning and transformative learning. The master thesis process was essentially divided into two phases: the development phase and the evaluation phase. The method for the development phase was based on a literature study. The literature on creating open learning material included ways of compensating for the lack of social interaction in distance courses, such as a friendly, warm narrator using the pronoun “I”, encouraging phrases, and self-assessment questions (SAQs). An SAQ is a framing of question intended to guide the learner towards self-assessment of his or her learning and knowledge. The vital part of the SAQ is the response, where not only the correct answer is given, but feedback on the wrong choices too. The development of the open learning material was an iterative process where discussion with supervisors at FLIR Systems and KTH Royal Institute of Technology led to improvements of the material. The evaluation phase consisted of two tests with test subjects. The first test was conducted by sending a sample unit of the material to test subjects around the world along with a questionnaire. The main objective was to test the tone and style of the material. There were variations in the result, but the majority found the material friendly and readable. The second test was an in-house test with three participants. Three sample units of the material was used, and the main objective was to test the usability of the material and the test subjects’ perceived learning process. The usability of the material varied with the three test subjects and depended on their technological prerequisites and reading comprehension in English. All test subjects responded positively to their perceived learning outcome. The following conclusions were drawn: the open learning material has the potential to promote autonomous and self-directed learners and can be used as a basis for further development – such as web-based courses and teacher-led classes. The open learning material as a whole and the results and analysis from the tests are included as appendices. / Detta examensarbete baserades på utveckling och utvärdering av ett öppet läromedel i termografi för automationstillämpningar. Uppdragsgivaren – FLIR Systems – hade uttryckt ett behov av en tredagarskurs som täckte alla nödvändiga ämnen för infraröda kameror för automationstillämpningar. Dessa ämnen var bland annat termografi, optik, detektorer, nätverk, protokoll med flera. Det öppna läromedlet var designat för att fungera som en tredagars distanskurs och det var baserat på teorier om andragogik, självstyrt lärande och transformativt lärande. Examensarbetets process bestod i huvudsak av två faser: utvecklingsfasen och utvärderingsfasen. Metoden för utvecklingsfasen baserades på en litteraturstudie. Litteraturen i skapande av öppet läromedel inkluderade tillvägagångssätt för att kompensera för bristen av social interaktion i distanskurser, så som en vänlig och varm berättarröst som använder pronomenet ”jag”, uppmuntrande fraser och självbedömningsfrågor (SAQ, Self-Assessment Question). En självbedömningsfråga är en frågeställning menad att leda den lärande mot självbedömning av hens lärande och kunskap. Den viktiga delen av självbedömningsfrågan är responsen, där inte bara det rätta svaret är givet, utan också feedback på de felaktiga svaren. Utvecklingen av det öppna läromedlet var en iterativ process där diskussion med handledare på FLIR Systems och Kungliga Tekniska högskolan ledde till förbättringar i materialet. Utvärderingsfasen bestod av två test med försökspersoner. Det första testet utfördes genom att skicka en provenhet av materialet till försökspersoner över hela världen tillsammans med en enkät. Huvudsyftet med testet var att testa tonen och stilen på materialet. Resultatet var varierande, men majoriteten av testpersonerna fann materialet vänskapligt och läsligt. Det andra testet var ett internt test med tre deltagare. Tre provenheter från materialet användes och huvudsyftet var att testa användbarheten av materialet och försökspersonernas upplevda läroprocess. Användbarheten av materialet varierade hos de tre försökspersonerna och berodde på deras tekniska förutsättningar och läsförståelse i engelska. Alla försökspersoner gav positiv respons om deras upplevda läranderesultat. Följande slutsatser drogs: det öppna läromedlet har potential att främja autonomt och självstyrt lärande, samt kan användas som en bas för fortsatt utveckling så som webbaserade kurser och lärarledda kurser. Det öppna läromedlet i sin helhet och resultat och analys av testen är inkluderade som bilagor.

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Chaque année de nombreux adultes font le choix de retourner aux études, notamment au sein des services de formation continue des cégeps. Ils y suivent des formations créditées menant à des diplômes reconnus leur permettant d’accéder rapidement au marché du travail avec des compétences renouvelées. Dans ce milieu, ces adultes se trouvent dans une nouvelle culture éducative différente de ce qu’ils ont vécu dans leur parcours scolaire initial. Du fait qu’ils sont plus âgés, souvent avec des responsabilités familiales, un capital scolaire et des expériences de travail variées, ces étudiants non traditionnels se distinguent des jeunes en continuité de formation, ce qui conditionnera leur nouveau parcours scolaire. D’autant plus que, pour ces adultes, le retour aux études constitue une rupture et une décision radicale eu égard aux conséquences socioéconomiques immédiates de ce choix. En plus de vouloir décrire et analyser les pratiques éducatives qui concourent à soutenir les parcours de formation et d’insertion sociale de ces étudiants, cette thèse veut, dans une perspective andragogique, décrire et analyser : comment l’expérience des étudiants et des enseignants influencent les pratiques éducatives; les dynamiques de reconnaissance dans le contexte de la formation continue chez les étudiants et chez les enseignants; et la manière dont les stratégies de mobilisation de l’autonomie et de la capacité d’apprentissage autodirigé des apprenants sont utilisées par les enseignants. Nous définissons l’andragogie comme une philosophie existentialiste et humaniste de l’éducation des adultes fondant une théorie critique qui vise l’émancipation et la réalisation de soi à travers l’éducation et la formation tout au long de la vie. Cette théorie place la personne au centre des préoccupations et fait de l'apprentissage un élément fondamental du devenir de l'individu et de son émancipation. Notre démarche de recherche est basée sur l’ethnographie critique de Carspecken (2013). Le travail d’enquête de terrain a été réalisé au sein d’un service de formation continue dans un cégep dans la grande région de Montréal qui accueille annuellement environ 1000 étudiants adultes. Son intégration à l’offre montréalaise en fait un lieu important de formation pour ces étudiants, notamment pour des individus qui ont des parcours migratoires, d’emploi et de formation variés. Notre enquête fut déployée en trois phases : d’abord nous avons observé les pratiques éducatives des chargés de cours en classe. Ensuite, nous avons réalisé des entretiens avec ces enseignants pour approfondir notre compréhension de leurs pratiques et obtenir leur point de vue sur l’éducation des adultes au cégep. Nous avons réalisé, de même, des entretiens avec des diplômés afin de connaître leur parcours et les mesures de soutien qui leur ont permis de réussir leur formation et leur insertion sociale. Finalement, nous avons réalisé des entretiens avec des étudiants actifs afin de connaître leurs parcours et contextualiser leurs expériences éducatives. Notre recherche a permis de brosser un portrait global des pratiques éducatives qui visent à soutenir les adultes dans leur parcours de formation et d’insertion sociale. Elle montre que, malgré les structures institutionnelles et le contexte des cégeps qui présuppose un modèle pédagogique, les enseignants de la formation continue inscrivent leur pratique dans le cadre andragogique tel que nous l’avons défini. De plus, nous avons constaté que c’est l’expérience antérieure des enseignants qui influence le plus leurs pratiques et conditionnent leurs actions en classe. Au début de leur carrière, c’est l’expérience scolaire antérieure qui domine, en effet, sur le plan de l’influence et après quelques années, c’est l’expérience de l’enseignement qui devient déterminante. Nous avons aussi montré que les parcours des étudiants sont riches et complexes, mais qu’ils sont majoritairement ignorés et méconnus des enseignants. Finalement, les résultats indiquent que le modèle pédagogique demeure prédominant dans les pratiques observées. Nous souhaitons présenter la formation continue collégiale comme un milieu éducatif et social légitime qui permet de soutenir les adultes dans leur projet de formation. À notre avis, celui-ci dépasse le simple cadre d’un retour sur le marché du travail, alors qu’il permet également aux individus de se transformer et de se réaliser sur plusieurs plans. / Every year, many adults choose to return to school, particularly through cégep continuing education services. There, they follow credited training courses leading to recognized diplomas, giving them rapid access to the job market with renewed skills. In this environment, these adults find themselves in a new educational culture, different from what they experienced in their initial schooling. Because they are older, often with family responsibilities, educational capital and varied work experience, these non-traditional students stand out from young people continuing their education, and this will condition their new educational path. All the more so as, for these adults, returning to school is a radical decision, given the immediate socio-economic consequences of this choice. In addition to describing and analyzing the educational practices that support these students' training and social integration paths. From an andragogical perspective, this thesis aims to describe and analyze: how students' and teachers' experiences influence educational practices; what are the dynamics of recognition in the context of continuing education among students and teachers; and what strategies for mobilizing learners' autonomy and capacity for self-directed learning are used by teachers. We define andragogy as an existentialist and humanist philosophy of adult education based on a critical theory that aims for emancipation and self-realization through lifelong learning. This theory places the individual at the center of its concerns and makes learning a fundamental element of individual development and emancipation. Our research approach is based on critical ethnography (Carspecken, 2013). The fieldwork was carried out in a continuing education department of a cégep in the greater Montreal area, which welcomes around 1,000 adult students annually. Its integration into Montreal's educational offering makes it an important training site for these students, particularly for individuals with varied migratory, employment and training backgrounds. Our investigation was deployed in three phases: first, we observed the educational practices of lecturers in the classroom. Next, we conducted interviews with these teachers to deepen our understanding of their practices and obtain their views on adult education at cégep. We conducted interviews with graduates to find out about their backgrounds and the support measures that enabled them to succeed in their training and social integration. Finally, we conducted interviews with active students to learn about their backgrounds and contextualize their educational experiences. Our research has enabled us to paint an overall picture of educational practices aimed at supporting adults on their path to training and social integration. Our research shows that, despite the institutional structures and the cégep context that presuppose a pedagogical model, continuing education teachers inscribe their practice within the andragogical framework as we have defined it. What's more, we've found that it's the teachers' prior experience that most influences their practices and conditions their actions in the classroom. At the start of their careers, previous school experience is the most influential, while after a few years, teaching experience becomes the determining factor. We have also shown that students' backgrounds are rich and complex but are largely ignored and misunderstood by teachers. Finally, the results show that the pedagogical model remains predominant in the practices observed. We wish to put forward collegiate continuing education as a legitimate educational and social milieu that supports adults in their educational project, which we believe goes beyond simply returning to the labor market, but also enables individuals to transform and realize themselves on many levels.

A critical cross-field outcome of Curriculum 2005 as introduced in South Africa is to work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organization, and community. This research aims at investigating challenges that impede adult learners from diverse backgrounds to work effectively as members of a team, group, organization and community. Informed by models of education in lifelong learning (intercultural, multicultural and anti-racist models of education which supplement andragogy), a qualitative inquiry which followed an active research approach was undertaken in selected adult learning centres in Soshanguve in Gauteng Province to explore the challenges of diversity during adult learning facilitation. Data was gathered from sixteen adult education facilitators from four adult education centres by means of in-depth interviews, follow-up interviews and observational fieldwork. Findings indicated that facilitators require additional knowledge and skills to achieve the objectives of the intercultural, multicultural and anti-racist models of education effectively; senior adult learners require particular attention from facilitators to prevent learner attrition in this age group; linguistic diversity problematises effective intercultural communication, especially where the facilitator is not proficient in learners‟ home languages; and awareness should be raised of the negative impact of inflexible attitudes towards certain aspects of diversity such as religion and sexual orientation on effective teaching and learning. However, positive adult education facilitation practices were also observed. Based on the findings of the literature review and the empirical inquiry recommendations for the improvement of practice were made. / ABET and Youth Development / M. Ed. (Adult and Continuing Education)

The major goal of the Bachelor of Adult Education degree is to equip officers with the prerequisite skills, knowledge and attitudes to design and deliver programmed instruction to different categories of learners as well as to equip them with skills to conduct research in the field of adult education practice. The present study undertakes to investigate the reasons for lack of patronage for the adult education degree at Zimbabwe Staff College (ZSC) by exploring the quality of the adult education degree programme in terms of its effectiveness, relevance, value and its ability to enhance the quality of life. An adult education degree programme should reflect the sociocultural realities and experiences of adult learners. Participatory approaches should inform the development and implementation of curriculum. The aim of the study is to inform decisionmaking aimed at programme improvement. Effectiveness entails adequacy and appropriateness of teaching methods and support services. Relevance is ensured by considering the policy framework, curriculum provision, learners‟ needs and non–participation in the programme. Value constitutes the ability to improve the economic, professional, social and political aspects of life. Using the qualitative case study design, seven students and two administrators were selected using purposeful sampling, which is informed by the non-probability theory of sampling, to participate in individual and focus group interviews, which were subsequently conducted and generated data for analysis. Available relevant documents were analysed. The major finding revealed that a lack of recognition of the adult education programme by superiors at ZSC was the major obstacle to participation. Lack of recognition was found to be attributable to the absence of any national lifelong learning policy, ZSC policy framework, institutional structural conditions, and non–participatory curriculum development process and also to other associated barriers. The non-existence of the national and local policies on adult education was found to be negatively affecting not only participation but also the quality of the content provision because a lifelong learning policy framework is supposed to be informing design and practice. Recommendations focus on revision of the policy framework and the way the policies are implemented at national and local levels. A review of the implementation of policy is imperative if the restrictions responsible for the invisibility of adult education in the country and adult education programmes at ZCS are to be removed. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)