Revisiting the Map of the Territory

The purpose of this study was to revisit the article The Map of the Territory, written twenty years ago. The analysis is based on a review of major journals, conference proceedings and some key books. The review reveals how the landscape is being shifted by paradigmatic changes in the social sciences and the broadening of the boundary of adult education practice. The separation of empirically and normatively informed arguments is seen as a major problem for the drawing of the ma

Adults’ Readiness to Learn: Questioning Lifelong Learning for All

Lifelong learning for all has become a major policy objective in the industrialized world. This study, which is based on analysis of IALS data, indicates several disturbing trends in the present distribution of lifelong learning. The differences in readiness to learn as an adult can be explained by the long arm of the family and the long arm of the job. A main conclusion is that Lifelong learning for all is conditional on a working life organized in a way that promotes the use of literacy, and a society where people are encouraged to think, act, and be engaged

Adult Learning in Canada in an International Perspective

This paper examines adult learning in Canada in an international perspective. The paper explores the level of inclusiveness and observes the relative importance of the state, employer and individual in the structuring of learning opportunities

Adult Education Research:Exploring an Increasingly Fragmented Map

Against the background of internal developments of adult education as a field of study, and new external conditions for research, this article examines how the configuration of adult education research has been evolving, particularly over the last decade. Our analysis draws on a two-pronged approach: a reading of four seminal articles written by adult education scholars who have conducted bibliometric analyses of selected adult education journals; as well as our own review of 75 articles, covering a one-year period (2012–2013), in five adult education journals that were chosen to provide a greater variety of the field of adult education in terms of their thematic orientation and geographical scope than has been the case in previous reviews. Our findings suggest that the field is facing two main challenges. First, the fragmentation of the map of the territory that was noticed at the end of the 1990s, has continued and seems to have intensified. Second, not only practitioners, but also the policy community voice their disappointment with adult education research, and we note a disconnect between academic adult education research and policy-related research. We provide a couple of speculations as to the future map of adult education as a field of study and point to the danger of shifting the research agenda away from classical adult education concerns about democracy and social rights. (DIPF/Orig.

An African perspective on the ILO conventions on minimum age: the case of Ethiopia

The ILO Minimum Age Conventions, adopted from 1919 - 1973, got their form in the post World War I context of industrialization, urbanization, social instability and a growing trade union movement, and were modelled on the late 19th century European labour legislation. It was a time of heavy unemployment, and the workers perceived child labourers as competitors on the labour market. Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries of the world with a population of 90 million and a median age of 17.5 years. Primary education has been expanded and now reaches about 75% of the relevant age-group, while only 15% continue into secondary education. The contribution of the younger generation to productivity is essential and child labour is the prevailing norm. In the Ethiopian Constitution adopted 1995, the rights of children were addressed: the right to life, to education and to protection from labour exploitation. Ethiopia is signatory to the ILOConvention 138 and its national law has set the age-limit to 14 years. Ethiopia is a beneficiary of the World Bank's lending program to strengthen market economy, which has implications for children's employment and working conditions. During 2012 we did a study interviewing children working in the agricultural sector to discern how the globalisation of economy and human rights norms affect their lives. The situation for child agricultural workers in Ethiopia is an illustration of how child workers as agents are finding ways to manage within the legal and economic structures based on experiences from the West

Inferring muscle functional roles of the ostrich pelvic limb during walking and running using computer optimization

Owing to their cursorial background, ostriches (Struthio camelus) walk and run with high metabolic economy, can reach very fast running speeds and quickly execute cutting manoeuvres. These capabilities are believed to be a result of their ability to coordinate muscles to take advantage of specialized passive limb structures. This study aimed to infer the functional roles of ostrich pelvic limb muscles during gait. Existing gait data were combined with a newly developed musculoskeletal model to generate simulations of ostrich walking and running that predict muscle excitations, force and mechanical work. Consistent with previous avian electromyography studies, predicted excitation patterns showed that individual muscles tended to be excited primarily during only stance or swing. Work and force estimates show that ostrich gaits are partially hip-driven with the bi-articular hip–knee muscles driving stance mechanics. Conversely, the knee extensors acted as brakes, absorbing energy. The digital extensors generated large amounts of both negative and positive mechanical work, with increased magnitudes during running, providing further evidence that ostriches make extensive use of tendinous elastic energy storage to improve economy. The simulations also highlight the need to carefully consider non-muscular soft tissues that may play a role in ostrich gait

Les politiques publiques et le développement d’un système d’éducation postsecondaire en Colombie-Britannique

L’article décrit des changements survenus dans le système d’enseignement supérieur de la Colombie-Britannique (Canada) durant les quarante dernières années. Il y a eu, d’abord, une diversification et une expansion du système tant sur le plan des inscriptions que des institutions d’enseignement supérieur. On a constaté aussi que les institutions non universitaires ont eu tendance à dériver vers un modèle universitaire. On signale l’émergence de formations en relation avec l’emploi comme en témoigne la création d’universités financées presque exclusivement par le secteur privé et orientées vers la satisfaction des besoins du marché. Enfin, le gouvernement de la Colombie-Britannique s’oriente actuellement vers l’utilisation d’indicateurs de performance dans le système d’enseignement supérieur et un financement fondé sur le rendement institutionnel.This article describes changes made to the higher education system in British Columbia (Canada) over the last forty years. Firstly, there was a diversification and an expansion of the system in terms of enrolment and number of higher education institutions. As well, non-university institutions tended to develop towards a university model. The development of training institutions in relation to employment was observed in the creation of universities financed almost exclusively by the private sector and aimed at satisfying the needs of the market. Finally, the government of British Columbia is currently developing performance indicators for use in the higher education system and financing based on institutional achievement.El artículo describe los cambios llevados a cabo en el sistema de enseñanza superior de la Colombia Británica (Canadá) durante los últimos cuarenta años. Hubo allí, en principio, una diversificación y una expansión del sistema educativo tanto en el plano de las inscripciones como en el de las instituciones de enseñanza superior. Se ha podido constatar también que las instituciones no universitarias han tendido a derivar hacia un modelo universitario. Se pone en evidencia también la emergencia de formaciones relacionadas con el empleo, como lo atestigua la creación de universidades financiadas casi exclusivamente por el sector privado y dirigidas hacia la satisfacción de las necesidades del mercado. Finalmente, se señala que el gobierno de la Colombia Británica se orienta actualmente hacia el empleo de indicadores de desempeño en el sistema de enseñanza superior y a un financiamiento fundado sobre el rendimiento institucional.Der Beitrag befasst sich mit den Veränderungen im Hochschulsystem der kanadischen Provinz Britisch-Kolumbien während der letzten 40 Jahre. Zunächst gab es eine Phase der Diversifikation sowie der Expansion, sowohl im Bereich der Immatrikulationszahlen als auch im Bereich der institutionellen Auffächerung. Dabei fällt auf, dass auch die nicht-universitären Institutionen die Tendenz hatten, sich an das Universitätsmodell anzupassen. Es wurden Berufsausbildungsprogramme geschaffen, und dies in Universitäten, die finanziell fast ausschliesslich von der Privatwirtschaft finanziert wurden und die sich an den Erfordernissen des Arbeitsmarkts orientieren. Gegenwärtig orientiert sich die Regierung von Britisch-Kolumbien an den Leistungsindikatoren des Hochschulbereichs. Auch die Finanzierung der Hochschulen ist von institutionellen Leistungskriterien abhängig