The collection of papers The Contribution of Research to the Improvement of Adult
Education Quality is published by the Institute for Pedagogy and Andragogy (Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade), University of Wurzburg and Dublin
City University. This collection of papers is a result of cooperation established
within the ESRALE (European Studies and Research in Adult Learning and
Education) project which, in the broadest sense, tends to foster cooperation between different parties in the study of adult learning and education on European
level. The editors of this collection are Prof Aleksandra Pejatović, Department for
Pedagogy and Andragogy, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Serbia,
Prof Regina Egetenmeyer, Institute for Education, Faculty of Human Sciences,
University of Wurzburg, Germany and Prof Maria Slowey, Higher Education Research Centre, Dublin City University, Ireland. This publication contains editors’
introduction which gives us a valuable description of this collection, 23 papers
which are dealing with different aspects and elements of adult learning and education, and short biographies of 38 authors.
The review of this publication can be accessed in at least two ways. First,
by defining areas and issues which are treated in it, along with the perspectives
from which it is done. Two, by reviewing the methodological settings presented
in papers. These two possibilities in themselves hint at the wealth of this publication. When it comes to the areas of adult education, this publication covers a variety of areas and problems, such as adult illiteracy, elementary adult education, vocational adult education, career and professional development, career guidance,
leisure education, educational policies, education for elderly, prison education,
HRD etc. All these issues are viewed through the prism of quality improvement
and research methodology. In the next few pages, a very short description of each
paper can be found.
First paper in the publication Transitions to Work and Higher Education:
Listening to What the Graduates Have to Say by authors Vanna Boffo and Gaia
Gioli places the question of the transition from education to work into three theoretical-conceptual giants: transitions, employability and social economy. Also,
by focusing on a very sensitive group – young adults, authors provide a number
of interesting perspectives on this topic, through the prism of improvement of the
guidance measures offered by European Universities.
Next paper Methodological and Conceptual Issues of Correlating Cognitive
and Educational Variables: Example of Relation between Working Memory and
Adult Illiteracy/Elementary Education by author Aleksandar Bulajić explores a very
specific topic-working memory with special emphasis on some methodological
and conceptual issues in research on working memory. Paper is based on strong
theoretical foundations, it considers some issues regarding working memory correlations with literacy and education in relevant research and it also highlights
some questions regarding the current research performed by the author.
The paper entitled Between the European Qualifications Framework and
Professionalism in Adult Education: Three Examples Concerning a Problematic Relationship by Regina Egetenmeyer deals with the issue of professionalization of
adult educators in Europe, taking the European Qualification Framework as a
starting point of analysis. By associating EQF with some other important approaches, the author questions its repercussion on the important issues of professionalization in adult education.
Training in Organisation, the paper by author Paolo Federigni gives us an
interesting perspective on adult learning through the lens of learning organization and its perspective on knowledge and learning processes. The author raises a
question of this wide area from a very inspirational points of view.
Quality in Higher Education Career Guidance: Procedures and Processes for
the Enhancement of Students’ Employability by Gaia Gioli, Nicoletta Tomei and
Carlo Terzaroli deals with a very current topic – career guidance in higher education, and does so through the lens of higher education quality improvement. The
authors give some very important proposals for the improvement of career guidance elements, with the aim of responding to the needs and demands of different
parties and different needs of these parties.