Izobraževanje odraslih za trajnostni razvoj

Monograph Izobraževanje odraslih za trajnostni razvoj (eng. Adult Edu­cation for Sustainable Development) explores theoretical perspectives, practices, and policies of adult education for sustainable development, defining it as adult education focused on fostering change in individuals and society through critical reflection for the development of a more just society and the reduction of negative human impacts on the environ­ment. Over the past three decades, the role of adult education for sus­tainable development has been increasing concurrently with the aware­ness that our existing ways of living create and exacerbate intertwined social and environmental crises. Further support for the concept was gained in 2015 with the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, which placed education for sustainable development under Target 4.7 of the Sustain­able Development Goals. Based on critical and more recent theoretical perspectives, we have identified two fundamental ap­proaches to education for sustainable development – the instrumental approach, which pursues concrete and clearly defined educational goals to achieve changes in modes of operation, and the emancipatory ap­proach, which, with less tangible objectives, seeks to develop critical and autonomous active citizens by changing their ways of thinking. Using analysis of policy discourses, surveys, inter­views, and social cartography within a multilevel mixed methods re­search design, we have identified the prevalence of the instrumental approach in policies and practices of non-formal adult education for sustainable development. In Slovenian educational practices, the instru­mental approach predominates to a lesser extent and with less emphasis on employability and economic development than on any of the higher levels that politically influence them (global, EU, or national level).