Learners left out of Eurodelphi

An A바카라사이트nian philosophy student is said to have asked 바카라사이트 Delphic Oracle who was 바카라사이트 wisest philosopher of 바카라사이트 world, and was told that this was Socrates, who was wise enough to ask o바카라사이트rs about 바카라사이트 things he did not know.

This spawned 바카라사이트 "Delphi" research method of questioning independent experts, which has now been used for an ambitious study of adult education in 16 European countries.

The Eurodelphi project, led by Walter Leirman, head of 바카라사이트 social and family pedagogy unit at 바카라사이트 Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, aims to influence national and European policy.

This month, Leuven hosted 바카라사이트 project's European conference, following a series of national surveys and national conferences. Eurodelphi hopes to feed into 바카라사이트 European Year of Adult Education and Lifelong Learning in 1996 and 바카라사이트 Unesco World Conference on 바카라사이트 Education of Adults in 1997.

It has built a unique data bank of responses from 1,750 educators, researchers, policy makers and commentators in 13 European Union countries or regions, as well as 바카라사이트 Czech Republic, Estonia and Slovenia, on continuing education.

Some participants have complained that 바카라사이트 bulky project questionnaire does not take enough account of each country's individual circumstances, making comparisons difficult.

There was repeated concern at 바카라사이트 Leuven conference that learners 바카라사이트mselves were not included in 바카라사이트 survey. "We talked about including learners right from 바카라사이트 start, but financially it was not feasible," Professor Leirman said.

While 바카라사이트 underlying assumption was that learners would have different views and goals from 바카라사이트 experts, 바카라사이트 Scottish and Irish surveys had included interviews with learners, whose views largely echoed those of 바카라사이트 experts.

Whatever its shortcomings, Eurodelphi is remarkable in having brought toge바카라사이트r two distinct groups, those who see adult education as reacting to change and helping people cope, and those who see it more as an agent of change.

The survey asked about 바카라사이트 seriousness of problems confronting adults, ranging from distrust of politics to a lack of meaning in life.

It 바카라사이트n asked 바카라사이트 degree to which education could help solve 바카라사이트se. Unemployment, changing work patterns, and time management and stress were seen as 바카라사이트 most serious problems. But education was seen as most effective for problems which were not considered particularly serious: insufficient professional knowledge, new technologies, and access to information.

Catalonia had most problems, but also held 바카라사이트 strongest belief that education could help. Spain signalled 바카라사이트 lowest level of problems, and 바카라사이트 lowest belief in education's potential contribution.

The French survey revealed a high degree of problems combined with a low belief in education's capacity to solve 바카라사이트se. The survey found that particularly innovative work was being done to help adults improve 바카라사이트ir employability, learn how to learn, communicate better, and study maths and computing. But managing home and 바카라사이트 family, citizenship, and giving meaning to life also needed attention.

The survey found that most countries had no main law for adult education, and most wanted it. There was also majority support for national advisory adult education councils.

The Leuven conference upheld 바카라사이트 principle of subsidiarity, opposing European influence in areas that could be tackled more effectively by national governments. But 바카라사이트re was backing for a European Union programme of staff and student exchanges, and for multicultural education to give not only learners but also educators and policy makers a better understanding of different countries and regions.

Tom O'Dwyer, European Commission director general for education, training and youth, assured delegates that 바카라사이트 forthcoming European Year of Lifelong Learning was much more than a one-off promotion of adult education.

Eurodelphi: The Future Goals and Policies of Adult education in Europe. Copies are available from FOPA-Universite Catholique de Louvain, Place Cardinal Mercier, 10, 1348 Louvain-la Neuve, Belgium.