Making a difference: innovations in adult education

All over the world, innovative educational practices are being introduced in order to respond better to learners' changing demands. The book highlights some instructive examples of such innovations in the field of organized adult learning. It documents a unique methodological experience. The issue-oriented approach to analyzing innovations was developed through a participatory process of common research and learning. The main argument put forward is that educational innovations involve a transformative goal both as far as the organization of learning itself and the learners' lives are concerned. Thus, innovation almost necessarily leads to conflict and meets resistance - from the learners as well as from their social environment. Successful innovation is characterized by the capacity to help learners deal with such conflicts without losing the transformative perspective.