DIE Zeitschrift für Erwachsenenbildung

The term learning place was introduced into the peadagogical professional jargon and into education political linguistic usage by the German education council in 1974. The learning places named by the German education council (school, company, apprenticeship workshop and studio) gain their specifity through their different paedagogical functions in the learning process. Initially home in the area of vocational education, the term was later also adapted by adult education. That is where there is an abundance of learning places, especially in the area of informal learning. A punch line of the contribution is: Whereas the learning and working place have been separated by the development of the dual vocational education system, they appear augmented together through the new media.

For the author the term of learning place is like a bus: In lifelong learning there is learning always and everywhere. Anyhow the term is important as a perspective for contemplation and as a heuristic key. The author goes into the matter of the different facets of the term and formulates tasks of learning places, especially in the borderless learning area of lifelong learning. He critically points out by all means several excesses of the learning place development, where the didactical figuration has not been prioritized.

The contribution introduces experience orientated learning places such as museums, science centers, zoos, theme parks, but also Brandlands and Urban Entertainment Centers. These learning places complement formal learning and offer room for self-controlled and strong emotionally established learning. Requirements for such hybrid basic approaches are formulated by education and entertainment. These assessments rest upon the results of a research project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, which targeted on the activation and qualification of experience orientated learning places. In its frame work it has been shown that the learning offers receive high acceptance within the worlds of experience and that they can be fully developed in view of sustainable learning.

People constitute learning places themselves when a relational room perspective is the starting point of their action. Room in the learning place company can be relationally structured by further education processes. Spacings, syntheses and the consequently following dynamisation of learning places open up possibilities which contribute to a reinforced exchange of experiences. Participants of further education positively evaluate this exchange of experiences because it takes place near the work place over a long time period and it is carried out together with other participants. Furthermore it breaks through routines and is integrated in the company’s culture. The participants gain growth in competency from the relational learning process and the company obtains new productive results for the solution of an operational interrogation.

Starting from constructivist, neurophysiologic and learning psychological deliberations the actual learning place should be described as the human being because only within him is where the learning takes place. Unanimously though, learning is always carried out in interaction with contextual factors. The outer environment – and therewith also local conditions – influence the processing of information. Hereunto three examples are named: (1) The Loci method links memory contents with places. (2) The similarity affinity of a learning place with an exam room promotes knowledge retrieval at exams. (3) Generally a positive atmosphere promotes the learning success. The author pleads for using accuracy concerning the selection and design of »places of learning facilitation« and she addresses future research needs.

Etymologically contemplated, »validation« labels a process though which an object is awarded sturdiness or worthiness. In the educational area the word - under consideration listed in the series »glossary« here – aims at the process of acknowledgement and on making use of informally acquired competencies. The term »validation« is therewith the counterpart in the area of informal learning for »certification« in contexts of formal education.

A gloss on the panel discussions as a mostly joyless part of congresses and conferences. Due to nonprofessional moderation, an oversized need for harmony and the participants’ gift for languages, the format of perception of the author releases its claims, which goes as following: To stage a »fascinating« dialogue, bringing opponents together, making differences transparent or bringing about consensus