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6 Int'l Soc. Work 1 (1963)

handle is hein.journals/intsocwk6 and id is 1 raw text is: THE TRAINING OF ADULT EDUCATORS Report of an International Conference under the auspices of the European Ofice of Popular Education December 9-16, 1961 in Brussels, Belgium and Bergen, Netherlands . . . by R. Gerard T 'aIS Conference on the professional preparation of Adult Educators included about forty participants from Germany, Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Nor- way, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Sweden. The majority represented organizations for Popular Educa- tion. Only a few came from schools of social work or associations of social workers. One of the latter represented The International Federation of Social Workers. The first two days of the conference, at Brussels, wcre devoted to general information on the European Community, and the different economic and social questions under study there. The discussion was ex- tremely general, and as time was limited, exchanges of news among participants were minimal. Most of the conference members would have liked more precise information. This was particularly true of the English delegates. In the light of England's possible entry into the Common Market, they would have liked an opportunity to discuss certain aspects which were new for them. One statement, however, had direct bearing on the subject. This was Possibilities for Cooperation be- tween the European Community and the Organizations of Popular Education by M. Moreau, chief of the division of The Young University Information - Popu- lar Education -- Common Press Service. Following this introduction, a work period was con- ducted at Bergen, the Netherlands where the quiet of the small town favored intensive work. One day was devoted to three excellent presentations: one by Miss de Bock, manager of the Social Studies Institute of Ghent on the importance of professional training for adult educators and the general analysis of its nature; a second, by Professor Tenshave from the Pedagogic Social Institute of Amsterdam University on the theory and methods of training adult educators: and a third, describing the experience in giving such training at the University of Manchester under the direction of Mr. Legge. Three discussion groups considered the following subjects: a) The general lines of a training program for all adult educators regardless of the setting in which they will practice; 2) The cultural framework of a training program for adult educators; 3) Differences in training for adult educators re- quired by differences in level and function; 4) Standards for admission for candidates for train- ing and the specific methods in which they must be trained. Adult education varies among different countries and has such different aspects that one cannot establish a universal program of equal value to all. Such efforts as the High Popular Schools, for example, have no equivalents in Latin countries. English programs in the Universities are unique. This influenced the dis- cussion which was kept to a general level and focussed on the cultural content of the programs. Each country has its own dominant culture. The influence of a special religious denomination which is important in the Netherlands, is less significant in Italy or Sweden. Not all countries have professional adult educators and a distinction between adult education aimed at imparting specific information, and the less systematic popular education aimed at increasing social status, is needed. The representation in the conference of two differ- ent disciplines: adult education and social work, pro- duced very interesting expressions of points of view on objectives and methods. Social group work was the object of lively discussion. Here, too, the need for social work (and social group work) to be seen in their national context was emphasized. The same words have different meanings for the several countries represented. There was agreement on the personal qualifiation' required for an adult educator: intelligence, maturity. curiosity, open-mindedness, seeking for better balance and greater understanding of the world of men. Basic knowledge, on which to build further, should include psychology, pedagogy, and methods of human relations.

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