Change-oriented adult learning and education for digitalisation and democracy

The FuturelabAE final conference was organised back to back with EAEA General Assembly 2021.

The recording of the conference is available in Youtube.

Read the article on the conference: From a repair shop to a collaborative workshop – fostering change-oriented education

Programme

10:00 Welcome and short introduction to the FuturelabAE project

           Gina Ebner, EAEA

10:15 Keynote presentation: Adult education and democratic life in a time of crisis

Dr. Fergal Finnegan, the National University of Ireland, Maynooth

10:45 Q&A and plenary activity

11:00 – 11:15 Break

11:15 Presentation of the FutureLabAE guidelines

Thomas Fritz, VHS Wien

11:25 Learner and trainer testimonials

Olivier Magnin, la Ligue de l’Enseignement 60, Coordinator of the project “Les veilleurs de l’info”

11:45 Discussion in the plenary

12:05 – 12:15 Break

12:15 Presentation of the FutureLabAE recommendations – EAEA

          Francesca Operti, EAEA

12:25 Panel discussion with policy-makers

Babrauskiene Tatjana, European Economic and Social Committee
Niamh O’Reilly, AONTAS
Carlo Scatoli, European Commission

13:05 – 13:15 Closing remarks

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Download the programme: Change-oriented adult learning and education for digitalisation and democracy (pdf)

Keynote speaker:

Dr. Fergal Finnegan

Fergal Finnegan is a lecturer at the Department of Adult and Community Education, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Before becoming an academic he was a community adult educator and literacy worker and these experiences have strongly shaped him. Finnegan’s research interests include biographical methods, social class, access and equality in higher education, transformative learning, and democratic education as well as critical realism and Pierre Bourdieu. Finnegan is an active member of the European Society Research on Education of Adults (ESREA) and currently a co-convenor of the network on Active Democratic Citizenship and Adult Learning. He is one of the editors of the Journal of Transformative Education and also the European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults.

Recent books:
Power and Possibility: Adult Education in a Diverse and Complex World
Doing Critical and Creative Research in Adult Education 
European Perspectives on Transformation Theory
Access and Participation in Irish Higher Education

Trainer testimonial:

Olivier Magnin

Olivier Magnin is Director of Image’In, Pole Education on Image, Media and Information at la Ligue de l’Enseignement. He joined the branch of Seine-Saint-Denis at the la Ligue de l’Enseignement after his studies in the Design and implementation of cultural projects and the implementation of actions within the network of French Institutes in Morocco. Sensitive to the values of popular education and eager to contribute to the innovation and renewal of image and media education, he was the coordinator of the project “Les veilleurs d’info”.

Panelists:

Tatjana Babrauskiene – Head of International Relations, Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Union

Tatjana Babrauskiene is a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). Here she represents the International secretary of FLESTU (Federation of Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Unions) and she is part of the EESC Workers’ Group. She is currently the rapporteur of the EESC opinion on the “European Agenda for Adult Learning 2030”.

Niamh O’Reilly – CEO of the National Adult Learning Organisation in Ireland (AONTAS)

Niamh O’Reilly is an educationalist with expertise in educational equality, learner voice, community education, policy analysis, organisational development and governance. Her work at a European level includes acting as the designated national coordinator of the European Agenda for Adult Learning in Ireland.

Carlo Scatoli – European Commission

Carlo Scatoli is Senior Expert Skills and Qualifications in the European Commission, Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. He has been active in the policy area of skills and vocational training since the mid-1980s. After joining the Commission, he has been responsible for Europass, the European Qualifications Frameworks, ECVET, and other networks, tools and projects in the areas of guidance, validation and lifelong learning.