A Window to the World: AONTAS Adult Education Summit 2023 welcomes adult learners, educators, and anyone with an interest in adult learning in the island of Ireland and across Europe for new perspectives on adult and community education.
The Summit will:
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- present findings and recommendations from this year’s National Further Education and Training (FET) Learner Forum in a research report ‘Learners’ Voices Across Ireland’, and demonstrate the importance of Further Education and Training research for social policy and the future of Ireland.
- share new ideas and findings from the New European Agenda for Adult Learning (NEAAL) programme Inclusive Recovery and Transformation: Adult Learning Post-Covid-19 (2022-2023). AONTAS are the national coordinator for this European programme in Ireland.
- be an opportunity for adult learners, educators, policymakers, and academics to come together and discuss the current adult learning environment and to share best practice.
- offer fantastic learning opportunities through a range of workshops on Learner Voice, sustainable development, and new approaches and leadership in Further Education and Training.
- showcase the value and importance of adult learning for Irish society and community development.
Register here
Workshops
Listening to Learners’ Voices Across Ireland: Challenges and Solutions for FET Learners
This workshop provides a space for Education and Training Board staff to share best practice for some of the important challenges that emerged from AONTAS research through the National FET Learner Forum. Attendees will learn about solutions that you can use in your own work, to better support adult learners.
Learner Voice as a Catalyst for Change
This interactive workshop will explore the profound significance of Learner Voice in shaping the future of adult education and how it can be a catalyst for positive change in our society. The workshop will consider strategies and approaches for ensuring that learners’ perspectives and recommedations are not only heard but actively considered and integrated into decision-making processes. This workshop is a platform for learners to share their experiences, with insights from our Learners as Leaders programme, showing exactly why every learner’s voice matters.
Adult Learning and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): How Can Adult and Community Education Providers Contribute?
This workshop will explore how adult Learning and the SDGs are linked, and highlight tools available for adult and community education practitioners across the island of Ireland. The SDGs are an urgent call by all countries in a global partnership for collective action relating to inequality and climate change. AONTAS are an appointed SDG Champion with a particular focus on Goal 4, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. Participants will learn about the benefits of starting an SDG programme with adult learners.
Creative Arts and Adult Learning: What’s It All About?
The workshop explores the benefits of creative arts methodologies for learners, how to facilitate engagement and creativity in class, and where adult learning practitioners can find resources. It will develop participants’ understanding and confidence in practical tools for setting up and facilitating a creative arts class.
