Maria N. Gravani

Adult learning principles in designing learning activities for teacher development

The research reported in this paper is an investigation of the application of adult learning principles in designing learning activities for teachers’ life-long development. The exploration is illustrated by qualitative data from a case study of adult educators’ and adult learners’ insights and experiences of a teacher development course organised by a Greek university. Analysis focuses on the andragogical notion of design, i.e. selecting the combination of learning units and learning formats that most effectively accomplish the objectives of a programme. Findings of the study are somehow optimistic in that they do indicate, however imperfectly, that adult learning principles might be further applied in designing learning activities for teacher development, and make some tentative recommendations for Greece and elsewhere.

Digital Literacy in a Lifelong Learning Programme for Adults: Educators' Experiences and Perceptions on Teaching Practices

The study presented explores aspects of adult learning on digital literacy in the context of a lifelong learning programme for social cohesion in Greece. The article outlines the framework of the digital literacy subject and underlines its associated objectives regarding adults’ knowledge and competence in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The exploration draws upon the experiences and perceptions of eight adult ICT educators. The findings reveal that the educators tried to use flexible instructional practices that were adjusted to adult learners’ needs and interests. Common effective instructional practices used were: ICT competence sessions, interdisciplinary and multi-literacy lessons, ICT-based projects, individual instruction sessions. Additionally, the article reveals the difficulties that adults faced in the course of developing ICT literacy skills. The article ends with implications for the design of adult digital literacy courses in lifelong learning programmes, and for the preparation and development of the ICT educators in the years to come.

Adult learning in a distance education context: theoretical and methodological challenges

The study aspires, by giving voice to the experiences and perceptions of adult learners and their educators, as they embark on distance learning courses delivered by the Open University of Cyprus and the Hellenic Open University to unveil the adult learning and ‘fine-grained’ processes at work during the organization and delivery of the courses, with the ultimate aim to underline the factors influencing these processes. The project complements previous research and attempts to extract from the findings ideas and practices that could contribute to the re-organization of distance courses that facilitate adult learning. It has as its main units of analysis 16 adult learners and 8 educators, and rests on a research framework that views certain programme elements as being vital in unveiling the processes of adult learning. It harnesses a phenomenological approach and qualitative research techniques. The study contributes to a better theoretical understanding of the processes of adult learning and the mediating role of the distance learning context, in comparison to other previously explored contexts.

Underpinning Principles of Adult Learning in Face to Face (f2f) Meetings Employed by Distance-Teaching Universities.

The study presented in this article explores the application of the principles of adult learning in the face to face (f2f) meetings organised within the context of blended learning courses. The study adopts a case study approach, employing qualitative data collection through semi-structured interviews with participants in four thematic units in two distance learning programmes: Greek Civilisation (undergraduate) and Education Studies (graduate) organised by the Open University of Cyprus and the Hellenic Open University. The research draws on andragogy and illustrates the experiences and perceptions of 16 adult learners and eight tutors with regard to: the design of the f2f meetings, the educational techniques and means used, the participation, and the perceived usefulness of such sessions. The article concludes by highlighting the limited use of the adult learning principles in designing and implementing f2f meetings during the distance learning programmes explored. Recommendations for the design of f2f sessions in consideration of adult learning are made.

Reinstating the Invisible: A Proposed Framework for European Learning Collectives

This is a review of the main issues and challenges as these appear in the book, but also a presentation of a revised framework for a European Area of Lifelong Learning from the people and for the people.

Teaching Computers to Adults: The Case Study of the State Institutes of Further Education in Cyprus

Digital literacy for adults has developed into an important dimension of ICT-related policies worldwide. Although research argues that adults need digital skills, limited evidence has been directed to digital literacy teaching approaches for adults and the associated pedagogy. The study explores which core features of effective adult learning were addressed within the context of digital literacy courses offered by the State Institutes of Further Education (SIFE) in Cyprus. Semi-structured interviews conducted with two groups of Greek-Cypriot adults enrolled in these courses indicate that while certain aspects of adult learning, e.g., optimal climate for learning, other principles related to the consideration of learners’ needs and input in the development of learning contracts were limited in effect. Since this can mainly be attributed to the nature of the courses which were designed from top-down and remained openly ECDL exam-oriented with pre-fixed content, repercussions are drawn with regards to alternative paths to adult digital literacy, organized on the basis of learners’ expectations, profiles and needs.

Use of Technology at the Open University of Cyprus (OUC) to Support Adult Distance Learners: To What Extent Is Being Informed by the Learner-Centred Education (LCE) Paradigm?

The chapter discusses the extent to which technology used at the Open University of Cyprus supports adult teaching and learning and promotes learner autonomy. It uses the concept of learner-centred education, which shares common principles with adult learning theories and constructivists approaches to learning and findings from a qualitative study to critically discuss the educational tools/eClass eLearning Platform and the degree to which it supports a more learner-centred approach to learning. The chapter has revealed that technology used at the OUC is not being informed to a great extent by the LCE paradigm, due to the centralized system, fixed curriculum, predefined aspects of the units, failure of the platform to grasp the authenticity of learning in social settings and establish intimate relationships among participants. Nonetheless, it does indicate some positive aspects of LCE implementation that relate to opportunities it gives for interaction and collaboration. The study makes a clear point that technology is useful, but as a tool that is not cultural and political neutral, in order to support adult learners in distance education, needs to be used in a context that favours learners’ autonomy and respects their needs and experiences.

Empowering vulnerable adults through second-chance education: a case study from Cyprus

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether and through what mechanisms vulnerable adults are empowered through a second-chance education programme. At the same time, the paper aims at unveiling the obstacles hindering learners’ empowerment process and making suggestions for the improvement of the educational programme fostering further empowerment of the learners. To achieve the objectives set by the research, a hybrid methodological design was applied combining hermeneutic phenomenology and critical discourse analysis. Data collection was performed using three tools: semi-structured interviews, reflective journals and document analysis. The results led to the emergence of a multilevel empowerment scheme of vulnerable adults in the programme. The empowerment mechanisms that emerged were as follows: (a) empowerment through participation as a self-value, (b) empowerment through the reconstruction of past experiences, (c) empowerment through the strengthening of their social capital and (d) empowerment through literacy skills. At the same time, the study shed light on a number of factors that inhibit the process of learners’ empowerment, which unveil structural and operational weaknesses of the programme as well as of the policies pursued by the State.