The Professionalisation of Adult Educators in the Baltic States

Abstract

Adult education and lifelong learning together form one of the priorities for development in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The important historical and social context in which the professional development of adult educators has been taking place in the Baltic States since they regained their independence in the 1990s is the changes that occurred in the socio-political, economic and social life since then. There is greater concern about the need to qualify adult education practitioners so as to enhance quality in the provision of adult education and training. However, the prerequisites for the professional development of adult educators are a neglected area of research when compared with other fields of education and training. In this article, we shall analyse the professional development of adult educators as follows: • How transformational changes in the Baltic States during the past decade have influenced adult education policy and practice, the adult education profession itself and the professional development of adult educators; • How adult education policies, initial education and training practices affect the process of professional development among adult educators; • What the professional development of adult educators consists in.