Education of Adult Educators in Croatia.

Overview & Synopsis

Croatia has still not established a system of adult educator training. A large part of the problem in development of adult education studies is that Croatia retained the idea that andragogy is a pedagogic subject; also, some believed andragogy was an import from the West. Significant progress has been made since the 1950s when Croatia rebelled against Stalin's dictates. Adult educators have realized the importance of communication with the world, of cooperation with adult educators from developed countries of the West. Workers' universities have spread; centers for adult education have been established in some companies; an adult education center has been organized; books and studies on adult education are being published; and scientific and professional symposia on adult education issues and problems have been organized. Nonformal education dominates, but the basis for some forms of formal, institutional, university education of adult educators has been established. Education and specialization of adult educators is the task of adult education associations, adult education institutions, and their unions. Systematic work on adult educator training began with establishment of a school for adult educators that unfortunately closed during the war; the school has been revived in the last few years and again become an important place for adult educator education and specialization. For the professionalization of adult education, a system of formal education based on developing research must be built. (YLB)