Non-Formal Adult Education in Latvia: Focus Group Interview
Non-Formal Adult Education in Latvia: Focus Group Interview

Author(s): Jeļena Zaščerinska, Anastasija Aļeksejeva, Ludmila Aļeksejeva, Olga Gloņina, Mihails Zaščerinskis, Natalia Andreeva
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Editura Lumen, Asociatia Lumen
Keywords: Conceptual framework; adult; adult education; non-formal education; non-formal adult education
Summary/Abstract: In the light of ageing European population and workforce, the recent economic downturns and the labour market’s increased flexibility (Maniscalco, 2013), non-formal adult education is becoming a hot topic for the educational policy’s agenda of the European Union. The research question is as follows: What is non-formal adult education in Latvia? The purpose of the present research is to analyse non-formal adult education in Latvia via a focus group interview underpinning elaboration of a new research question on non-formal adult education in Latvia. The meaning of the key concepts of “conceptual framework”, “adult”, “adult education” and “non-formal education” is studied. Moreover, the study demonstrates how the key concepts are related to the idea of “non-formal adult education” and how the steps of the process are related: conceptual framework → empirical study → conclusions. The methodology of the present research is built on the exploratory type of an empirical study. Interpretive research paradigm is applied to the empirical study. A focus group interview as the method of data collection was used. The focus group was composed of eight adult education’s stakeholders in February 2015. Summarizing content analysis of the data demonstrates fragmentarism in non-formal adult education in Latvia. A new research question is formulated. Directions of further research are proposed.

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