Class Theories of Adult Education and Training

This Curricular Unit aims to present and discuss the key theoretical references that structure the field of Adult Education and Training, also analyzing the evolution of policies and practices in this field at the national, European, and global levels.

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Description of Contents Theories of Learning (theoretical support and applications in the context of Adult Education and Training) Malcolm Knowles and Andragogy John Dewey and Learning as the (re)construction of Experience David Kolb and Experiential Learning Peter Jarvis and a Holistic Model of Adult Experiential Learning Peter Alheit and Biographical Learning Marie-Christine Josso and Experiential Training Jack Mezirow and Transformative Learning Paulo Freire and the Pedagogy of the Oppresse Policies and Practices of Adult Education and Training in Portugal, Europe, and the World: The UNESCO International Conferences on Adult Education (CONFINTEAs); From Lifelong Education to Lifelong Learning; Formal, non-formal, and informal learning; The National Qualifications System and the QUALIFICA Programme.

In the theoretical classes, where the subject is presented by the teacher, resources such as the projection of films and images will always be used to provide a more concrete approach to the content presented. Students will have an active participation, organized in groups: to work on texts in the classroom, presenting and discussing them; to prepare and teach a class on a topic of their choice, from the course content.  

Barros, Rosanna (2011). Da Educação Permanente à Aprendizagem ao longo da Vida. Genealogia dos Conceitos em Educação de Adultos. Lisboa: Chiado Editora. Freire, Paulo (1972). Pedagogia do Oprimido. Porto: Afrontamento.   Imaginário, Luís (2004). "Andragogia". Revista Formar, 46-50. Jarvis, Peter (1989). Sociología de la educación continua y de adultos. Barcelona: Cooperativa El Roure.  Josso, Marie-Christinne (2007). "A transformação de si a partir da narração de histórias de vida". Revista Educação. Porto Alegre.  Knowles, Malcolm. (1970).The modern practice of adult education: andragogy versus pedagogy. New York: Association Press. Kolb, David (1984). Experiential learning. Experience as the source of learning and development. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.  Mezirow, Jack. (1991). Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.