Adult educators' competences. The principals' view: A comparative study of Komvux and Folk high schools in Sweden
2017 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
Due to the growing importance of lifelong learning, country examples of good practices are attracting more and more attention. Characterized by high participation rates and enjoying long tradition, the Swedish adult education is considered a thriving education system. Nevertheless, with regards to adult educators’ qualifications, low regulation is detected turning the Swedish case in an intriguing topic of investigation.
In this context the current study attempts to explore the competences of adult educators. More specifically, it constitutes an effort to detect the most significant among them, by examining the perspective of adult education centers principals, actors with major influence in recruiting and further training adult educators.
The study engages a qualitative approach, collecting data through semi-structured interviews with adult education centers principals. The findings are analyzed and compared based on predetermined units of comparison, consisting of municipal adult education centers (komvux) and folk high schools, two different types of education providers.
On the basis of the findings of this research study, it can be concluded that the locus was on competences related to teamwork and organizational learning. On the other hand, teaching competences, especially in the form of formal qualifications were not prioritized or set in the center of discussion.
Nevertheless, the lack of initial education programs specialized in adult learning affects the professionalization of adult educators in various unexplored ways and thus requires more research.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2017. , p. 86
Keywords [en]
adult educators, Sweden, Municipal Adult Education (MAE), Folk high schools (Folkhogskolor)
Keywords [sv]
Folkhögskolor
National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-144404OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-144404DiVA, id: diva2:1112335
Presentation
2017-06-01, 16:00 (English)
Supervisors
Examiners
2017-06-212017-06-202017-06-21Bibliographically approved