engleski

Integrating Lifelong Learning in Croatian Teacher Education Institutions: Some Contemporary Issues

The basic intention of this paper is to consider features and social circumstances on which the integration of lifelong learning in Croatian teacher education institutions depends. The first part analyses the social circumstances and main directives that have initiated the changes of the national teacher education sub-system, reflecting in many ways the aspiration to Europe. In the second part the attention is drawn to the goals of teacher education in Croatia and the transposition of the same goals in the educational process from the standpoint of the lifelong learning concept. It is important to emphasize the long way between the declarative acceptance of the lifelong learning process and its practical implementation within teacher education institutions. The third part of the paper concentrates on the examination of new requests toward teacher education institutions and their rethinking of lifelong learning that is not limited only to direct taking over of responsibility for educational goals and contents, the educational curriculum structure and functionality of becoming teachers, as well as innovations in methodological issues, educational forms and technology. The integration of lifelong learning into teacher education institutions assumes as well significant changes regarding the creation, and support of individual processes of teachers’ learning. The responsibility and the tasks of education institutions and teachers, too, move from teaching to learning. Personal and organizational development is unavoidable, because individual learning processes have to be consulted, followed, and supported. The fourth part of the paper examines the integration possibilities and problems of lifelong learning in teacher education institutions with special reference to Croatia. The works conclusion is that individualization and flexibility need to be understood as new structural requests, as a chance for development and change, and the integration of lifelong learning in teacher education institutions.

Lifelong learning; Croatian teacher education institutions; Goals of teacher education; Educational curriculum structure; Organizational development; Individual learning processes

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