Standards ethischen Handelns in Verbänden der Erwachsenenbildung. Zum Stand der Entwicklung einer erwachsenenpädagogischen Bereichsethik

It is widely acknowledged that adult education is a moral enterprise in many respects. There is a demand for empirical research on which groups of actors are dealing with professional ethical issues and which specific ethical problems arise in adult education practice. The authors analyze ethical standards and policies of adult education associations in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Based on the outcomes of this analysis, they present a proposal on how a discourse on ethical standards in adult education can be established, that includes both researchers and the adult education practitioners. In this way, the article provides a basis for further empirical research on ethical concerns of adult education teachers, facilitators and trainers whose professional approach to ethical issues contributes significantly to the success of adult education.