The digital change should not be limited to a few people only. This is why “Digital Participation for All” was chosen as the central motto of the XIV German Adult Education Conference, 9 – 10 June in Berlin. The more than 900 German Community Learning Centers (“Volkshochschulen, VHS)”want to offer digital Know-How to as much citizens as possible. Europe’s biggest Congress for Non-Formal Learning with 1500 participants from 40 countries was dedicated to sharing and learning.
Numerous key note speakers and experts highlighted various aspects of the digital change in lectures and working groups. The event demonstrated that the expertise for digitalization is concentrated not only in universities, scientific institutes or big companies. Community Learning Centers and their associations provide important experiences as well.
The VHS network focuses especially on Blended Learning, a combination of traditional learning formats and individual online learning. Successful examples of blended learning tools for literacy, equivalency programs and German as the second language were presented. One example is the award-winning platform www.ich-will-lernen.de for equivalency programs.
The congress opened with a speech of Mr Joachim Gauck, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, who expressed his great respect to the efforts of the VHS. He stressed that every society needs a strong non-formal education system, well equipped, financed and at a high quality. Only this system will be able to react flexible an efficient to the needs of the people, especially in crisis situations, as the current refugee crisis in Germany.
The Federal Minister for Education and Science, Prof. Dr. Johann Wanka stressed that well educated “citizens can shape the digital revolution and identify the chances of this new area”. The Federal Minister for Labour and Social Security, Ms Andrea Nahles, advocated for an understanding of continuing education, that is limited not only to vocational skills, but includes important key competencies and soft skills. Continuing Education should not be limited to unemployed, but should be a component of the whole work life. Ms Nahles underpinned the right to learn and the important of a professional guidance and validation system.
Experts estimate that in 2020 99 percent of the global population will be linked to the internet, compared to 54% today. But technical connectivity is not the whole story. A fair share of knowledge is needed as well: “In our country we have people, who life in remote areas and totally depend on the nature. This congress gave me a lot of ideas, how we can reach these people with the help of well adopted technology and support them in their efforts to improve the livelihood,” said Lytou Bouapao, the Vice-Minister for Education and Sports of Lao PDR.
Dr. Jorg Draeger, Board Member of the Bertelsmann Foundation, presented an example form the USA, where Elite universities offered some of their lectures via internet for the broader public. Dr. Gerd Mueller, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development stressed the important role of DVV International. In more than 30 countries DVV International improves the livelihood of marginalized people using methods of non-formal education. “The German Adult Education Association DVV is an open house, and as the congress showed, DVV International is the window to the world. DVV should try hard to keep this window as open as possible,” said Dr. Katarina Popovic, General Secretary of the International Council for Adult Education.
“Community Learning Centers (VHS) are the best institutions to navigate people through the complex digital world,” said Dr. Michael Ludwig, Chairman of the Austrian Association of Community learning Centers. He suggested at the conference the creation of a digital “Knowledge Cloud” for the German speaking countries.
The congress showed the crucial role of non-formal education in Germany and demonstrated the high value of decision makers in government and business for the Community Learning Centers.