Archäologische Erwachsenenbildung in England – Ein Erfahrungsbericht

Abstract

For people with an interest in archaeology in Germany, the path to archaeological knowledge leads mostly through various museums and, for more structure and continuity in learning, into the Volkshochschule (or as a „guest“ at the university, sitting in on the occasional module, if there is time during the working week). At the Volkshochschule, one may find the occasional lecture or guided tour with an archaeological focus or even, if one is lucky, a whole module about one or the other archaeological topic. In England, on the contrary, (archaeological) adult education is organised in a different manner. The equivalent of the Volkshochschule, called variously Continuing Education or Lifelong Learning, will be introduced in this paper from the viewpoint of two long-term practitioners, with an emphasis on teaching practice.
These adult education centres are, contrary to the German system, part of the universities themselves and carry out a governmental educational mandate. The close connection with the universities opens up unique possibilities but also harbours its own risks. An insight into the system practised in England could possibly encourage a discussion about the possibilities and limits of implementing parts of this system within the German adult education landscape.