‘Sowing the Learning Seeds’ (SLS) Project 2010–2012 The project is financed via the EU Lifelong Learning programme,
sub-programme: Grundtvig; Action: Grundtvig Learning Partnerships 2010.
The basic motive of 'knowledge seeders' is to promote good practice in lifelong learning among adults in an inter-generational partnership, groups and elsewhere. In this context Estonians have something to teach us since - like us - they have for more than a decade been presenting awards to adult learners as well as exemplary teachers and educational institutions and local communities which stand out in terms of development of programmes for adults.
In order to gather promotional experience from all countries participating in the Grundtvig learning partnership, we met at a workshop on 6 October entitled Involving outstanding learners in learning promotion, dedicated to involving award winners in promoting learning. We learned that in Estonia outstanding adult learners are involved in organising the learning festival as advocates of the right to learn at all stages of life and for all sorts of purposes, as well as examples and inspirations to adults not actively learning. They invite them to round tables, workshops, the 'learning tram', press conferences, professional meetings, schools and other educational institutions, public events, etc. Another way they reach the public is through a calendar (see photograph) with a new face of a successful adult learner, student or learning group each month.
Two of their award winners took part in a workshop in the form of an original self-presentation. Two SIAE award winners, Ana Kruder and comic artist Ciril Horjak, also formed part of our team and considerably enhanced the whole educational meeting.
We met this year's Estonian award winners twice more, both at learning festival ceremonies. First, we took part in a regional event in Rapla, where the award winners' presentations included a short video, while on Saturday we also took part in a ceremony in the capital Tallin, at which awards were presented to outstanding adult learners from the central region of Harju. The event was held in the medieval hall of the Town Hall in Tallin, while the cultural programme included superb arrangements of folk songs sung by the Estonian national television children's choir. So as well as the fruits of learning, we also tasted the sounds of the Estonian landscape and the Estonian spirit.
Slovenia
