50th Salzburg Talks

for Principals in Adult Education

Learning Sites for the Future

July 8 – 13, 2007
Eugendorf / Salzburg
Verband Österreichischer Volkshochschulen
(VÖV )

People can learn wherever they are. Yet it is firmly engrained in the memory of cultures that learning will happen in certain places. The term “learning site” encompasses psychological, philosophical and theory of learning as-pects as well as didactic and architectural elements. Sites where learning takes place are of significance, play a model role and also have an emo-tional component. So far learning has been closely linked to schools and classrooms. Will educational institutions have to offer different learning sites in the future – in particular bearing in mind the aspect of competition? What difference will the recognition of informally gained learning and changes in technology make in this context? In what way will learning change in view of virtual reality and of the fact that it is not bound to any particular place? What types of learning site will people need, look for and turn to in 15 years’ time? On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Salzburg Talks this topic will be approached both in discussions and with an excursion to a modern learning site of the future, the Tower of Knowledge in Linz.

Organisation: Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres, Member of the European Association for the Education of Adults

The following schedule is intended for the Year 2007 Salzburg Talks:

Sunday, July 8

20.00 Uhr: Opening of the 50th Salzburg Talks
Michael Ludwig, Vice president of VÖV, Vienna

„Opportunities provided by learning"
Wilhelm Filla, Secretary General of VÖV, Vienna

Monday, July 9

Morning, Keynote speech:

"Pleading for an inspiring learning environment“ Hannelore Jouly, former director of the Municipal Library and President of the Provider Association of the Adult Education Centre Stuttgart, Germany

Afternoon: Participants present papers on the theme of the Talks in parallel sub-groups It is possible to change sub-groups during breaks.

Evening: optional country reports

Tuesday, July 10

Morning:
Participants present papers on the theme of the Talks in parallel sub-groups It is possible to change sub-groups during breaks.

Afternoon: Participants present papers on the theme of the Talks or re-ports from individual countries

Late afternoon/evening: Trip to the City of Salzburg

Wednesday, July 11

Morning: Learning site „Tower of Knowledge” in Linz – an excursion Afternoon: Learning site „Museum“ (museums of the City of Linz)

Thursday, July 12

Morning:

„New forms of teaching and learning. New learning sites? Horst Siebert, Institute of Adult Education of the University of Hannover, Germany

Afternoon: 50th Anniversary of the Salzburg Talks – festive event

Evening: Social gathering with music

Friday, July 13

Morning: Departure

Languages

The conference languages are German and English. Simultaneous interpreting and consecutive interpreting (in the sub-groups) will be provided. Participants are expected to be able to make active contributions in either German or English.

Procedure

The “Salzburg Talks”attach great importance to the exchange of ideas and to discussions concerning the theme of this annual interna-tional conference. Apart from the contributions of the keynote speakers who are found and engaged by the organizers, the conference is marked by the great number of international contributions on the topic which are provided by the participants themselves. Those of you who wish to make a contribution on the theme of the Talks, respectively on some of the aspects connected with it, please indicate that on the application form and give us some hints on the contents, as well as the title for the detailed programme. We would like to ask you to send an abstract to the conference office by the end of May. Participants’ contributions shall deal with theoretical aspects, as well as practical experience, models and ideas of adult education related to the theme of the Talks. Optional country reports do not have to be linked to the theme of the Talks. Interesting topics concerning adult education in the respective countries are welcome.

Participants

The “Salzburg Talks” are attended by leading experts in adult education from Europe and outside Europe who are interested in the topic of the Salzburg Talks and who want to take part in discussions, present papers or simply wish to exchange opinions on an international level. A total of 50 participants can be accepted.

Please note: Individual support by EU

Participants working in adult education are entitled to apply for grants within the framework of the EU programme on LIFELONG LEARNING/Grundtvig (grants for further vocational training). Application has to be made through the respective national agencies see http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/llp/grundtvig/national_en.html).
All 27 member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey are entitled to take part in this programme.

Please inform yourself whether a culture agreement between your country and Austria exists and avail yourself of the opportunity to get a grant.

Costs

The conference fee is € 165. The remainder of the costs for the preparation, organisation and staging of the Salzburg Talks, interpretation and reporting are borne by the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres.

Accommodation is to be settled directly with the hotels (see registration form). The flat sum (for drinks served during breaks, lunch buffet and drinks, full dinner and all recreational facilities) is to be paid di-rectly at the Gasthof Gastagwirt.
Participants are charged € 430 for accommodation at the Gasthof Gastagwirt, € 420 for accommodation at the Hotel Santner and € 475 for accommodation at the Gschirnwirt.

Registration

For your registration, please use the enclosed registration form – 238-Anmeldeformular 2007.doc – and forward it to the Verband Österreichischer Volkshochschulen. The registration deadline is April, 30, 2007.
Your registration will be confirmed within two weeks. Duly in June, you will also receive a copy of the final programme, together with any additional information required.

Chairing the Talks

Anneliese Heilinger
Consultant at the Work and Research Office of Pedagogics of the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres, Vienna

Hubert Hummer
Principal of the Linz ”Volkshochschule”, chairman of the Pedagogic Commit-tee of the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres, Linz

Ewald Presker
Principal of Federal Grammar School for Working Adults, Graz

Stefan Vater
Consultant at the Work and Research Office of Pedagogics of the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres, Vienna

Time and location

Beginning: Sunday, July 8, 2007, Opening 8.00 p.m. Registration at the conference office: Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres, Weintraubengasse 13, A 1020 Vienna, tel.: +43/(0)1/216 42 26, fax.:+43/(0)1/214 38 91, e-mail: voev@vhs.or.at End: Thursday, July 13, 2007 (Departure)

Place: Gasthof Gastagwirt ** , Alte Wiener Straße 37, A 5301 Eugendorf bei Salzburg, tel.: +43/(0)6225/8231, fax.: +43/(0)6225/8231-49, Internet: http://www.gastagwirt.at, e-mail: office@gastagwirt.at (Please indicate name of institution and complete address of sender)