Professionalisation in the field of adult education and learning in the territory of former Yugoslavia

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the professionalisation of adult education and learning in the territory of former Yugoslavia. The rationale behind the paper is based on the presumption that the process of professionalisation represents a reflection of social conditions, tradition, culture, development of higher education institutions, the scientific/knowledge base for a certain field on the main elements of the profession. Our aim is to critically discuss professionalisation in the field of adult education and learning with a threefold focus (on the profession, representing the sociological dimension, on professionalism, representing the philosophical/ethical dimension, and on professionalisation, representing the andragogical dimension). The findings indicate that in the territory of former Yugoslavia significant but insufficient progress has been made when it comes to shaping the field of professional practice and in the professional preparation of andragogues/adult educators at universities, including improvement in continuing professional development. On the other hand, when it comes to establishing professional associations, licensing, and the development of professional code(s) of ethics, the process of professionalisation has been very moderate and slow.

V prispevku razpravljamo o profesionalizaciji izobraževanja in učenja odraslih na območju nekdanje Jugoslavije. Pri tem izhajamo iz predpostavke, da proces profesionalizacije odseva družbene razmere, tradicijo, kulturo, razvoj institucij visokošolskega izobraževanja, znanstvene/spoznavane temelje določenega področja na osrednjih elementih te stroke. Naš cilj je kritično razpravljati o profesionalizaciji na področju izobraževanja in učenja odraslih s poudarkom na treh elementih: stroki, ki predstavlja sociološko dimenzijo, profesionalizmu, ki predstavlja filozofsko/etično dimenzijo, in profesionalizaciji,ki predstavlja andragoško dimenzijo. Ugotovitve raziskave kažejo, da je bil na območju nekdanje Jugoslavije dosežen pomemben, vendar še vedno nezadosten napredek v procesu profesionalizacije, kar se tiče oblikovanja polja strokovne prakse in strokovne priprave andragogov/izobraževalcev odraslih na univerzah, kar vključuje tudi izboljšave na področju trajnega strokovnega razvoja. Na drugi strani pa je pri vzpostavljanju strokovnih združenj, pridobivanju strokovnih dovoljenj in razvoju strokovnih etičnih načel postopek profesionalizacije zelo omejen in počasen.