REPORT:  WORKSHOP A3

Adult Learning Documentation and Information:  Building the Network

 

Coordinators:  Eva Kupidura, Lisa Krolak, Susan Imel

 

Issues/Tasks

 

            ALADIN, the Adult Learning Documentation and Information Network, emerged from a CONFINTEA V workshop, which focused explicitly on adult learning documentation and information.  A group of people representing both the potential users and the currently most active adult learning documentation and information centres took stock of the present situation in the different regions of the world and concluded that the organization of an interactive knowledge management system was urgently needed in this domain.  The Documentation Centre of the UNESCO Institute for Education was asked to lead and coordinate such initiative.  Since then, a worldwide survey was conducted and 90 documentation and information centres were identified to be members of ALADIN.  A directory and a website featuring those members have been launched.  At the World Assembly, the workshop, “Adult Learning Documentation and Information:  Building the Network,” focused on strengthening and developing the ALADIN network. 

 

Main Perspectives

 

Main perspectives emerging from the workshop included the following:

 

·        Provide broader access for everyone to relevant information on adult learning

·        Strengthen the existing network—ALADIN—of adult learning documentation and information centres by connecting them electronically

·        Promote the development of dynamic information centres where people can work together for popular action

·        Foster and support grassroots documentation efforts by raising awareness and building local capacity

·        Recognize the value of grassroots material and activities

·        Expand new ways and methods of documentation to include popular forms such as oral histories, arts, case studies, folklore, and so forth

Conclusions and Recommendations

 

General Recommendations

 

    1.  Develop a comprehensive training approach that includes—

• Fellowship opportunities to enable persons to set-up adult learning documentation centres in their own countries
• Training of trainers who can provide training in setting up adult learning documentation centres and documenting grassroots activities
• Development of training materials on setting up documentation centres and documenting grassroots experiences that can be adapted to local situation

 

2. Create a listserv of ALADIN members to provide a forum to exchange ideas, pose questions, and share experiences

 

Recommendations to the ICAE

 

3. Cooperate with UIE in strengthening ALADIN, particularly by—
• Using existing ICAE networks to identify additional ALADIN members, especially in those areas where none have yet been identified
• Linking to National Adult Learners’ Weeks to raise awareness about ALADIN and the need to increase grassroots documentation efforts

 

4. Raise awareness about existing grassroots documentation efforts through articles in ICAE and ICAE member publications.