1. Adult Educator in the Winds of Social Change
Tallinn, Estonia, 29 September 2017

2. Competences for adult educators in the Age of Globalisation
Dr. Ben Charles Executive Director Global Learning and Skills Partnership, UK

3. Social, economic, political and environmental contexts
Globalisation: interdependence and interconnectedness
International conflicts
Refugee crisis
Migration
Terrorism
BREXIT

4. Social, economic, political and environmental contexts
Xenophobia and racism
Human rights violations
Social injustice
Slavery (modern)
The imperative of sustainable development

5. Some social changes impacting Adult Education
Changing global population
Population changes in Europe – greater diversity in terms of race, ethnicity and culture
Aging population in Europe and people living longer
Convergence of lifestyles, especially among the youth
Expectations and lifestyles of millennials
Rising inequality
Rise of populism
Multiculturalism, integration and inclusion
The impact of technology and social media

6. Impact on the adult educator
Facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities, citizens (young people and adults) requires new capacities in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes to navigate the increasingly globalised and complex world
As our world becomes increasingly interconnected and interdependent, citizens need to develop the attitudes, knowledge, skills, and exercise appropriate behaviour to live and work in a global society
Learning at all levels should reflect the global perspective, so there is a need for adult educators to develop global competencies in themselves and their learners
Globally competent adult learners need globally competent adult educators

7. Global Education
The goal of global education is to bring about a more knowledgeable generation that is better equipped to deal, communicate, understand, and address the global challenges to achieve a more sustainable world
It is also about critical engagement with the issues and effect changes locally, nationally and globally

8. Global Education in Europe
Terminologies: global education, education for sustainable development, education for global citizenship, education for sustainable development and global citizenship
Most countries have policies and strategies to promote global education – mandatory in some countries
Key stakeholders involved in promoting global education (the Commission, NGOs (national and international) and networks
Current initiatives in global education focus on schools in the formal and compulsory education sector, so there is an obvious gap in provision: the post compulsory sector

9. Adult Education and Global Learning
Current focus is schools (quite rightly), however,
Adult education is well placed to reflect the global perspective in learning, and the adult educator has a crucial role to play in the process
Adults, as citizens also have an immediate need to be globally competent
We cannot wait until the current generation of students become adults and leaders to address these issues
Addressing global issues requires intergenerational perspectives

10. Key actors in Global Learning
DARE
GLEN
ACCORD
Development Education Centres
Think Global
Development Research Centre, IOEUCL
TEESNET

11. Adult Education and Global Learning
Adults have a significant role to play in achieving the aims of global education – Global education is also about action, and adults are best placed to make decisions and take action in relation to global issues that can make a difference to our world
Global education/the global perspective needs to be reflected in adult education as part of the lifelong learning process
Global education can be transformative – reducing conflict/wars, injustice, inequality and contributing to a sustainable world

12. Meaning of Competence
Global competence is the capacity to analyse global and intercultural issues critically and from multiple perceptions, judgments, and ideas of self and others, and to engage in open, appropriate and effective interactions with others from different backgrounds on the basis of a shared respect for human dignity. Global competence shares commonalities with intercultural competence, multicultural education, and international education; however, it is distinct in that it combines elements such as communicating effectively with people from other cultures and valuing multiple perspectives with elements such as knowledge of current global conditions and the interconnectedness of local and global issues, and a commitment to promoting equity worldwide.

13. Global competence and the Adult Educator
The adult educator needs to be globally competent in order to develop global competence in their learners
In other words “globally competent adult learners require globally competent adult educators”
Global Competence is a complex learning goal. To be made tangible, it needs to be broken down into separate and measurable learning objectives
(Deardorff, 2014, Some Thoughts on Assessing Intercultural Competence

14. Which global competences?
What are the global competences that adult educators need to help their learners become globally competent and global citizens, and how can they be developed?

15. The Dimensions of global Competency
Skills
Behaviour, Attitudes Values
knowledge and understanding
Global issues
Intercultural knowledge and understanding
Analytical and critical skills
Ability to interact respectfully, appropriately and effectively
Openness towards people from other cultures
Global mindedness
Valuing human dignity
Valuing cultural diversity

16. Knowledge Understanding prevailing world conditions, process of
change, and emerging trends
Understanding the world as one interdependent system
Understanding of one's own cultural identity

17. Skills
Investigates the world by framing questions, analyzing and synthesizing relevant evidence, and drawing reasonable conclusions that lead to further enquiry
Recognizes, articulates, and applies an understanding of different perspectives (including his/her own)
Selects and applies appropriate tools and strategies to communicate and collaborate effectively
Listens actively and engages in inclusive dialogue
Is fluent in 21st century digital technology
Demonstrates resiliency in new situations
Applies critical, comparative, and creative thinking and problem solving

18. Attitudes & Values
Openness to new opportunities, ideas and ways of thinking
Desire to engage with others
Self-awareness about identity and culture, and sensitivity and respect for differences
Valuing multiple perspectives
Comfort with ambiguity and unfamiliar situations
Reflection on context and meaning of our lives in relationship to something bigger
Questions prevailing assumptions
Adaptability and the ability to be cognitively nimble
Empathy
Humility

19. Behaviours
Seeks out and applies an understanding of different perspectives to problem solving and decision making
Forms opinions based on exploration and evidence
Commits to the process of continuous learning and reflection
Adopts shared responsibility and takes cooperative action
Shares knowledge and encourages discourse
Translates ideas, concerns, and findings into appropriate and responsible individual or collaborative actions to improve conditions
Approaches thinking and problem solving collaboratively

20. Who should be globally competent?
All those involved in adult education need to be globally competent - i.e. the whole organisation:
Policymakers
Elected officials
Institutional managers
Practitioners – teaching and non teaching staff
Adult learners

21. The globally competent individual
Globally competent individuals possess and apply the following qualities, characteristics, and abilities to learning about and engaging with globally significant issues. Educators that aspire to help students become globally competent must both develop these attributes in themselves and find ways to foster them in students.

22. The globally competent educator
The globally competent educator possesses a set of essential knowledge, critical dispositions, and performances that help foster development of learners' global competence. A global educator has knowledge of the world, critical global issues, their local impact, and the cultural backgrounds of learners; manifests intercultural sensitivity and acceptance of difference; incorporates this knowledge and sensitivity into their teaching, and develops the skills to foster these dispositions, knowledge, and performances in learners. Adapted from © NAFSA: Association of International Educators, 2015.

23. Implications and challenges for adult education
Policy and national strategy and coordination
Institutional level – strategic planning, vision and mission
Curriculum
Preparation of adult educators – in service, pre-service
Opportunities to develop the required competences: global knowledge, skills, behaviours, attitudes, values and pedagogy including
The role of initial teacher training in preparing globally competent adult educators
Adult Educators – competence in providing an education fit for purpose in meeting the needs of all learners from diverse cultures, races and religion
Providing a ‘safe space’ to discuss global phenomena (adult educators and adult learners)
The imperative of ensuring that people have the competence to operate effectively in an increasingly globalised world

24. Implications and challenges for adult education
Confusion about terminology
Educators are overwhelmed by the enormity of the global perspective
A lack of experience and expertise in reflecting the global perspective in adult learning
Recognition and accreditation of such learning
Acceptance of the overall goal and purpose of global learning

25. Preparing globally competent adult educators
A strategic approach at national level – policy, coordination, implementation, pedagogy and resources
At institutional level - support at all levels within the organisation, especially senior management support
Global learning to be reflected in strategic plans including vision and mission statements
Providing learning opportunities to improve subject knowledge and the pedagogy of global learning
Global education be included in initial teacher training

26. Challenge to adult educators
Develop globally competent educational institution of adult education

27. Thank You! www.global-learning-skills-partnership.org