A nova política pública de educação e formação de adultos em Portugal. Os educadores de adultos numa encruzilhada?

Abstract

RESUMO:Neste artigo leva-se a cabo uma breve análise da nova política pública de educação de adultos adotada em Portugal após 1999. Esta discussão baseia-se em elementos de cariz político e educativo, em particular nos perfis dos educadores de adultos, de acordo com três modelos de políticas públicas. O artigo inclui a análise de dados empíricos recolhidos no âmbito de dois projetos de investigação, através de entrevistas semi-estruturadas e abertas, assim como observação direta do trabalho realizado por educadores de adultos. Estes dados foram objeto da análise de conteúdo. As considerações finais destacam as tensões inerentes ao trabalho realizado pelos educadores de adultos.Palavras-chave: Política pública; Educação de adultos; Educadores de adultos.The new public policy for adult education and training policy in Portugal. Are adult educators at a crossroad?ABSTRACT: A brief analysis of the new adult education public policy adopted in Portugal after 1999 is made in this article. This discussion is based on elements which have an educational and political nature, more specifically, on the professional profiles of adult educators, according to three public educational policy models. This article discusses empirical data collected in two research projects, by means of semi-structured and open interviews, as well as direct observation of the work carried out by adult educators in their workplaces. These data were the object of content analysis. Final considerations stress the tensions inherent to the work conducted by these practitioners.

Adult learning and education in Spain and Portugal: an interpretative study of doctoral theses (2006-2018)

“…In a nutshell, those circumstances could elucidate the findings as 'the claim to be a profession traditionally assumes the need for a University level qualification' (Ackland, 2011, p. 57). Simultaneously, the low status of professionalisation (Guimarães & Barros, 2015) and prevalence of precarious jobs in this area of education provision could explain the lack of interest in ALE studies, since 'nowadays professional careers are marked by a big instability and, in adult education, it is no different. Adult educators have to cope with a big instability in their professional lives, and flexibility has become a very common word' (Paulos, 2018, p. 169).…”

Adult Educators and Recognition of Prior Learning in Portugal: Guidance and Validation Tasks and Activities

“…In parallel, several studies focusing on the activities of adult educators in the workplace were collected. These studies were published in books (Loureiro 2009;Barros 2011), scientific journal papers (Cavaco 2007;Paulos 2014Paulos , 2015Guimarães and Barros 2015) and integrated master dissertations and doctoral thesis (Cavaco 2009;Dias 2009;Loureiro 2009;Pereira L. 2009;Pereira N. 2010;Dias 2011;Martins 2012). This discussion highlights the fact that certain tasks and activity clusters are particularly valued in the legislation and in what adult educators effectively accomplish in their day-to-day work, namely within the scope of validation and 1…”

“…Although it is not possible to find a designated adult educator professional category in Portugal and other countries, nowadays there is a broad consensus that the work in adult education requires specific knowledge and skills, as well as responsibility on the part of the technicians that intervene in this domain (Lattke and Jütte 2014;Paulos 2014Paulos , 2015Guimarães and Barros 2015;Egetenmeyer et al 2019). In addition to the references in many policy documents to the importance of the quality of adult educators' work (European Commission 2015, among others), a debate has emerged, mainly of a theoretical nature, around the professionalisation of these educators.…”

“…The debate around adult educators has since gained new contours. These discussions have highlighted, among other issues, the innovative education and training methods targeting adults and their learning through a reflection on their biographies, as well as the impact of such methods on the work of these technicians (Cavaco 2007(Cavaco , 2009; the influence of the European Union's lifelong learning guidelines on the activities carried out by adult educators (Guimarães and Barros 2015); as well as the knowledge and learning developed in the workplace (Loureiro 2009;Loureiro and Cristóvão 2010;Paulos 2014Paulos , 2015.…”

“…guidance. These tasks and activities enable adult educators to be seen primarily as lifelong learning practitioners (Guimarães and Barros 2015).…”