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This paper presents research conducted at a Brazilian university, focusing on students’ perspectives on authority, power and ethics of lecturers, and their influence on teaching learning processes. Teaching ethics is situated as a regulator of authority and power. From this perspective, we analyse the pedagogical action of lecturers, particularly in relation to the ideological imposition on students and its consequences on learning. The methodol ogy has been based on focus groups, carried out with 18 students. Students perceive that teachers often impose their ideology, using mechanisms such as evaluation, strategies to avoid different opinions, or granting privileges to students who share the ideology of the teacher. We conclude that the ideological imposition of teachers is based on an unethical authority that impedes students’ autonomy and harms learning processes.

The book Navigating through Contemporary World with Adult Education Research and Practice is an assembly of different topics, reflections, novel theoretical analyses and examples of good practices, hopes and worries of a number of researchers and adult educators from various countries and continents. It represents the combined effort to respond and navigate through accelerating growth of research and practice areas of adult education reflecting different contexts, opportunities and challenges present in our contemporary realities. The diversity of theoretical as well as practice related approaches and perspectives encompassed in the chapters of the book emphasize the long way contemporary adult learning and education has come. From the negation and resistance to its establishment as a separate academic discipline, through those understandings that categorized it merely as a method of teaching for adults, to current growing plurality of paradigms and concepts exploring learning in almost every aspect of adult life — today we are contemplating and implementing not only what adult learning is and should be, but also what it could become for individuals, groups and larger communities in the long run. While some of the adult education research and practices nowadays are more inclined to the ideas of neoliberalism, other point to a welfare state as a framework for the adult education model that has a more holistic and human-centered approach. However, it is not the case of “either-or”. There is a substantial body of work representing growing responses to the current situation marked by the rise of neoliberal thinking and weakening of the welfare state, and it is situated between those traditions. Such research and practices of adult education and learning promote novel and creative ways of approaching adult education and learning based on self-organizing, community learning and collaboration. They are clearly overcoming the impression that there is nothing there between social justice and While some of the adult education research and practices nowadays are more inclined to the ideas of neoliberalism, other point to a welfare state as a framework for the adult education model that has a more holistic and human-centered approach. However, it is not the case of “either-or”. There is a substantial body of work representing growing responses to the current situation marked by the rise of neoliberal thinking and weakening of the welfare state, and it is situated between those traditions. Such research and practices of adult education and learning promote novel and creative ways of approaching adult education and learning based on self-organizing, community learning and collaboration. They are clearly overcoming the impression that there is nothing there between social justice and While some of the adult education research and practices nowadays are more inclined to the ideas of neoliberalism, other point to a welfare state as a framework for the adult education model that has a more holistic and human-centered approach. However, it is not the case of “either-or”. There is a substantial body of work representing growing responses to the current situation marked by the rise of neoliberal thinking and weakening of the welfare state, and it is situated between those traditions. Such research and practices of adult education and learning promote novel and creative ways of approaching adult education and learning based on self-organizing, community learning and collaboration. They are clearly overcoming the impression that there is nothing there between social justice andWhile some of the adult education research and practices nowadays are more inclined to the ideas of neoliberalism, other point to a welfare state as a framework for the adult education model that has a more holistic and human-centered approach. However, it is not the case of “either-or”. There is a substantial body of work representing growing responses to the current situation marked by the rise of neoliberal thinking and weakening of the welfare state, and it is situated between those traditions. Such research and practices of adult education and learning promote novel and creative ways of approaching adult education and learning based on self-organizing, community learning and collaboration. They are clearly overcoming the impression that there is nothing there between social justice and privatization of adult education and, therefore, opening and exploring new possibilities to create, organize and research education and learning of adults.

Kao mnogi aspekti života, obrazovanje je naglo i značajno promenjeno u krizi izazvanoj pandemijom Kovid-19 zaraze tokom 2020. godine. Ovaj rad je inspirisan idejom da se istraži iskustvo studiranja tokom vanrednog stanja koje je Vlada Republike Srbije proglasila i koje je uslovilo prelazak na onlajn nastavu. Promišljanje o adekvatnim metodama, tehnikama i istraživačkom dizajnu, neminovno je uslovilo i promišljanje o kvalitativnom istraživanju kao modelu razumevanja sveta, naročito o aspektima života u trenucima za koje nismo pripremljeni, kakvi zapravo jesu momenti krize. XXVI Nаučnа konferencijа „Pedаgoškа istrаživаnjа i školskа prаksа“

U radu se razmatraju različiti aspekti mogućnosti implementacije aktivnosti improvizacije u proces obrazovanja odraslih. Predstavljene su neke od teorijskih po stavki koje ukazuju na značaj improvizacije za učenje u svim dobima, na njene suštinske karakteristike koje je čine i određuju, kao i na duboku prožetost sposobnosti za improvizaciju i ljudskog razvoja. Upravo iz te veze proizilazi i andragoški interes za tehnike improvizovanja. Prilikom takvog razmatranja improvizacija je shvaćena kao metodologija učenja i način obogaćivanja obazovnog procesa kolektivnom aktivnošću kreativnog stvaranja. Pristup u kojem se razmatra improvizacija u odnosu na obrazovanje i učenje odraslih u ovom radu improvizaciju posmatra kao fundamentalnu ljudsku sposobnost, način i vrstu čoveku prirođenog kapaciteta za igru, koja je preduslov i pokretač njegovog razvoja. Favorizujući model razvojnog učenja, improvizacija predstavlja mogući put i pravac da se razvojni element unese u proces obrazovanja odraslih, u kome u današnje vreme ima sve manje spontanosti i kome sve više nedostaje kreativnost. U tom smislu, ovaj rad treba shvatiti i kao nastojanje da se pokrene jedan improvizovani kolektivni proces svih onih koji su spremni da inspirišu druge svojom željom i voljom za igranjem. The paper analyzes the various aspects of the possibilities for the implementation of improvisation activities in the process of adult education. The author presents some of the theoretical assumptions that suggest the importance of improvisation for learning at all ages, along with its essential traits that construct and define it. Furthermore, the paper indicates the profound permeation of the capacity for improvisation and human development. It is through this connection that the andragogical interest for the techniques of improvisation stems from. As part of such analysis, improvisation was perceived as a methodology of learning and a manner of enriching the educational process by a collective activity of creative development. The approach that is used in this paper to interpret improvisation in relation to adult education and learning perceives improvisation as a fundamental human capacity, a manner and type of an inherent capacity for play, which is a precondition and driver of human development. By favoring the model of developmental learning, improvisation presents a possible path and direction of inserting the developmental element in the process of adult education, which in contemporary times demonstrates diminishing spontaneity and creativity. In that sense, this paper should be perceived as an inclination to initiate an improvised collective process involving everyone ready to inspire others with their desire and readiness for play.

Cilj ove studije je bio da ispita efekte hronične primene hrane bogate metioninom i hronične administracije atorvastatina i simvastatina na funkciju miokarda izolovanog srca pacova, kao i ulogu biomarkera oksidacionog stresa u dobijenim promenama. U istraživanju je analizirano 90 pacova (Wistar albino soj, muški pol, starosti 4 nedelje, telesne mase 100±15 g) koje su u trajanju od 30 dana bile izložene ishrani bogatoj metioninom sa ili bez deficita vitamina V12 i V6 i/ili farmakološkom tretmanu (atorvastatinom u dozi 3 mg/kg ili simvastatinom u dozi od 5 mg/kg), nakon čega su sprovedena istraživanja na izolovanom srcu metodom retrogradne perfuzije po Langendorfu (Langendorff apparatus, Experimetria Ltd, 1062 Budapest, Hungary) pri promenljivom koronarnom perfuzionom pritisku od 40- 120 smH2O. Istraživanje je bilo podeljeno u devet (9) eksperimentalnih grupa. U levoj komori su kontinuirano praćeni parametri funkcije leve komore: a) dp/dt max - maksimalna stopa promene pritiska u levoj komori, b) dp/dt min - minimalna stopa promene pritiska u levoj komori, v) SLVP - sistolni pritisak leve komore, g) DLVP - dijastolni pritisak leve komore i d) HR - srčana frekvencija. U krvi smo određivali nivo homocisteina (Hcy), ukupni holesterol (tChol), HDL holesterol (HDL), trigliceridi (Tgy). U uzorcima krvi i u efluentu spektrofotometrijskim metodama određivani su biomarkeri oksidacionog stresa: indeks lipidne peroksidacije - meren kao TBARS, azot monoksid u formi nitrita (NO2-), superoksid anjon radikal (O2-), i vodonik peroksid (H2O2), kao i parametre antioksidacionog sistema zaštite: katalaza (CAT), superoksid dismutaza (SOD) i redukovani glutation (GSH). Rezultati istraživanja su prikazani kroz 21 tabelu i 49 grafikona. Sumarno posmatrano, hiperhomocisteinemija uzrokuje promene morfometrijskih karakteristika pacova nakon 4 nedelje trajanja, sa akcentom na smanjenje ukupne telesne mase pri ekstremno povišenim vrednostima homocisteina u krvi. Takođe, uočava se da su negativni efekti koje hiperhomocisteinemija ostvaruje na srčani mišić posredovani povećanjem reaktivnih kiseoničnih vrsta i lipidne peroksidacije kao i smanjenom sposobnošću antioksidativne zaštite. Sa druge strane inhibitori HMG-CoA reduktaze ostvaruju pozitivno dejstvo na kardiovaskularni sistem, snižavanjem oksidacionog stresa i povećanjem antioksidativne sposobnosti. Umerena hiperhomocisteinemija nije uzrokovala smanjenje kontraktilnosti miokarda, dok je teška hiperhomocisteinemija ispoljila negativno dejstvo na funkciju miokarda i uzrokovala dijastolnu disfunkciju miokarda. Ispitivani vitamini B kompleksa (vitamin B9, B6, B12) imaju esencijalnu ulogu i metabolizimu homocisteina i regulaciji nivoa homocisteina, odnosno njihova primena ima kardiprotektivnu ulogu koja se ostvaruje snižavanjem homocisteina u krvi. Simvastatin je pokazao snažnije antioksidantno dejstvo u kardiovaskularnom sistemu u odnosu na atorvastatin u terapijski ekvivalentnim dozama. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic use of diet enriched in methionine and chronic administration of atorvastatin and simvastatin on myocardial function in isolated rat heart, and the role of biomarkers of oxidative stress in the obtained changes. In this study were analyzed 90 rats (Wistar albino strain, male, 4 weeks old, body weight 100 ± 15 g), which were for a period of 30 days subjected to the diet enriched in methionine, with or without vitamin deficiency B6, B9 and B12 and/or pharmacological treatment (Atorvastatin at a dose of 3 mg/kg or simvastatin at a dose of 5 mg/kg), followed by evaluation of experiments in the isolated heart by the Langendorf method of retrograde perfusion (Langendorff apparatus, Experimetria Ltd, 1062 Budapest, Hungary) at variable coronary perfusion pressure 40-120 cmH2O. This study was divided into nine (9) experimental groups. In the left ventricle the parameters of left ventricular function are continuously monitored: a) dp/dt max - maximum rate of change of left ventricle pressure, b) dp/dt min - minimum rate of change of left ventricle pressure, v) SLVP - systolic left ventricular pressure, G) DLVP - diastolic left ventricular pressure and d) HR - heart rate. In the blood, we determined the level of homocysteine (Hcy), total cholesterol (tChol), HDL cholesterol (HDL), triglycerides (Tgy). In the blood and effluent samples we measured biomarkers of oxidative stress: an index of lipid peroxidation - measured as TBARS, nitric oxide, in the form of nitrite (NO2-), superoxide anion radical (O2-), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and the parameters of antioxidant protection system: catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH). The research results are presented in 21 tables and 49 graphs. Summarily, hyperhomocysteinemia causes changes in the morphometric characteristics of the rat after 4 weeks, with an emphasis on the reduction in total body weight at extremely elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood. It is also observed that the negative effects of hyperchomocysteinemia on the heart muscle mediated by the increase of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation as well as the reduced ability of antioxidant protection. On the other hand, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, by lowering oxidative stress and increasing antioxidant capacity. Moderate hyperhomocysteinaemia did not cause a decrease in myocardial contractility, whereas severe hyperhomocysteinemia exhibited a negative effect on myocardial function and caused diastolic myocardial dysfunction. The examined vitamins B complex (vitamin B9, B6, B12) have an essential role in metabolism of homocysteine and that is, their application has a cardioprotective role that is achieved by lowering homocysteine in the blood. Simvastatin showed a stronger antioxidant effect compared to atorvastatin in therapeutically equivalent doses in the cardiovascular system.

Family with sequence similarity 46, member A (FAM46A) gene VNTR and BCL2-Associated Athanogene 6 (BAG6) gene rs3117582 polymorphisms were genotyped in a case-control study with 474 large-joint (hip and knee) osteoarthritis (OA) patients and 568 controls in Croatian population by candidate-gene approach for association with OA. We found that BAG6 rs3117582 SNP genotypes were associated with protection (major allele homozygote) and susceptibility (major-minor allele heterozygote) to OA. BAG6 rs3117582 major allele (A) was associated with reduced risk to OA while the minor allele (C) was associated with increased risk to OA. We identified 6 alleles harboring 2 to 7 repeats making 20 genotypes for FAM46A. A rare FAM46A VNTR genotype comprising VNTR alleles with four and seven repeats (c/f) was associated with increased OA risk in both genders. The genotype with four and six repeats (c/e) was also associated with increased risk to OA in males. A polymorphic FAM46A allele with six repeats (e) was associated with reduced risk to OA in females. Our results suggest association between the FAM46A gene, BAG6 gene and OA in Croatian population, respectively. This is the first study to show associations between these genetic loci and OA.

Pregnancy is highly regulated event in which endocrine, immune and metabolic systems co-operate in order to sustain life. Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a glycoprotein found in endometrium during pregnancy. Important role of this glycoprotein in early pregnancy was established in study with Gal-1 knockout mice ; those mice exhibit high rate of fetal loss. Further, detail analyses of Gal-1 function during pregnancy have shown its role in angiogenic modulation, immune response and placental development. Placental development is also under control of specific population of natural killer (NK) cells known as uterine NK cells (uNK). As it known, some of uNK cells specifically recruit to placental attachment sites where intensive formation of new maternal blood vessels takes place. Subpopulation of uNK cells express osteopontin (OPN). Osteopontin is an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) containing integrin-binding glycoprotein postulated to regulate cell adhesion and invasion in many normal and pathological conditions. During peri-implantation period endometrium becomes structurally and functionally segregated tissue divided to mesometrial and antimesometrial pole. Our analysis has shown that during decidualization Gal-1 is localized in the stromal cells at the antimesometrial and mesometrial side. Additionally, OPN positive cells are present at mesometrial side of uterus during decidualization. This study was undertaken to analyze the spatial relationship between OPN and Gal-1 expression in mouse uterus during early pregnancy. Analysis of the cell type expressing Gal-1 will be presented.

Progesterone (P) signaling is critical for establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Proteomic studies have identified galectin-1 (Gal-1) as a downstream target of progesterone receptor (PR). Genetically modified mice deficient for Gal-1 exhibit a higher rate of fetal loses. This indicates that beside P, Gal-1 has a pivotal role in maintaining a successful pregnancy. This study was undertaken to analyze the spatial and temporal expression of Gal-1 in mouse uterus during early pregnancy, and to examine the selective role of progesterone receptors, PRA and PRB, in Gal-1 regulation. Our analysis has shown that before and during implantation Gal-1 is present in the nucleus of stromal cells with a significantly increased expression level at the time of implantation. In contrast, during decidualization Gal-1 is localized primary in the cytoplasm of cells around the implantation site at the antimesometrial pole. Additionally, Gal-1 is found in uterine natural killer (uNK) cells on the mesometrial pole. uNK cells are specifically recruited to placental attachment sites where intensive formation of new maternal blood vessels takes place. Analysis of the cell type expressing Gal-1 and individual roles of PRA and PRB in Gal-1 regulation will be presented.

Previously the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor termed heart- and neural crest derivatives-expressed protein 2 (Hand2), was identified as regulator of morphogenesis in a variety of tissues. There are reports that in the uterus Hand2 is induced by progesterone. Embryo implantation and decidualization of stromal cells are critical events in the establishment of successful pregnancy. Correct spatio-temporal activity of steroid hormones, estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) is vital for these events. The physiological effects of P are mediated by interaction with two progesterone receptors (PRs), PR-A and PR-B. PRs are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors. This study was undertaken to analyze the effects of E and P on Hand2 expression in the uterus of wild type and genetically modified mice lacking both PRs and only the PR-A isoform. To analyze the role of PRs in Hand2 expression ovariectomised mice were treated with oil, E, EP and P and uterine tissue was analyzed for expression of PR and Hand2. Our results indicate that Hand2 expression is regulated by E and P. We also analyzed Hand2 expression during early pregnancy. Double labeling immunofluorescence and quantitative PCR were used to analyze spatio-temporal expression of PR and Hand2 in mouse uterus on day 2.5, 4.5 and 7.5 of pregnancy. We found that although high levels of PRs are present on day 2.5 of pregnancy we did not detect Hand2 before implantation. On day 4.5 of pregnancy Hand2 co-localize with PR expressing cells. At this stage Hand2 expressing cells are localized mainly in the uterine stroma underlying the luminal epithelium (LE). Decidualisation is prominent at day 7.5 of pregnancy and in decidual cells PRs and Hand2 remain co-localized. The Hand2 positive cells are spatially segregated mainly in antimesometrial side.

The uterus is a mucosal tissue that undergoes massive steroid-hormone promoted remodeling during pregnancy to support conceptus survival and development. These changes are accompanied by the differentiation and proliferation of a unique, transient uterine natural killer (uNK) cell lineage. In the human, rat and mouse uterus, uNK cells are terminally differentiated cells reaching their highest numbers in mid gestation and are specifically recruited to placental attachment sites where intensive formation of new maternal blood vessels take place. The robust vascular development that occurs during implantation and early placentation is of paramount importance for the development of a receptive endometrium suitable for implantation. It is known that mouse uNK cells express angiogenic molecules, and we found that sialoprotein osteopontin (OPN) is made by granulated (uNK) cells.Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted extra cellular protein involved in many physiological and pathological processes including vascular remodeling. OPN is expressed during early pregnancy, and OPN null mice manifest decreased pregnancy rates during midgestation when compared with wild-type counterparts. Differentiation of endometrial stromal cells and formation of new maternal blood vessels at the time of embryo implantation are critical processes for the establishment and maintenance of gestation. In non-immune cells OPN signals mainly trough αvβ3 integrin, and in immune cells trough CD44.αvβ3 has been shown to be highly expressed at the time of embryo attachment, and aberrant expression of αvβ3 is associated with infertility.We hypothesized that OPN/αvβ3 signaling mechanisms control of the angiogenic factors important for the vascularization process during early pregnancy. To test this hypothesis mouse and human uterine tissues were used. Our results suggest that that OPN paracrine signaling pathway significantly contributes to angiogenesis during early pregnancy.

Computer games are one of the latest phenomena of the contemporary virtual world. They have many usages and functions, and latelely; possibilities have been studied concerning their advantages and limits of their use in teaching and learning. In this context, the basic aim of this paper is critical observing of alternative approaches to adult education. The subject of the research is therefore games-based learning. This phenomenon is very actual and it is connected to the new style of learning, according to the enormous references which have appeared recently. As basic characteristics of the very term 'learning based on the computer game', there are following characteristics stressed: strong motivational action, active participation and collaborative learning; clearness of the cognitive aims, overcoming insecurity and failure, reflexity of the scenario and possibilities of transmitting knowledge from the real worlds: freedom through many defined actions; clearly defined feedback for each action; possibilities of estimating students' advancement; adjustment with individual pace of learning and intellectual abilities; absence of authority and formal instructions; possibility of participating a great number of users. Particularly valuable for the adult population is active, experimental and situational character of learning. In the recent decade, there have been separate studies in the world for educational preparation of the professionals in the field of designing of computer games. Those are characterised by inderdisciplinarity and multidisciplinary. Designing computer games with the function of education and learning of the adults is a very demanding and complex process.

Although known since ancient times, due to its complexity, migration does not cease to be an actual challenge for researchers of various scientific fields. The first generation of migrants who leave their country with their families often experiences themselves as a “victim” for the better lives of their children. Therefore, more than in any other situation, adult education can provide support to individuals and their families in the integration into a new environment. The complexity of the migrant situation requires the creation of variety of educational programs – from those that will enable them to learn the new language to the professional development program in order to better cope in the labor market. But, it is also important to keep in mind that it is not enough providing educational programs to migrants, but it is also necessary to work with the community in order for migrants Adult Education Research and Practice – Book of Abstracts | 81 to be accepted. Namely, research shows that even when migrants know the language of the country they came to, or have the appropriate knowledge / competencies to carry out a job, the society does not accept them, which is why it is necessary to simultaneously work with the migrant population, and with the local community. This paper presents the educational situation of a migrant family in Serbia, as the respondents see it. In addition to the analysis of education legislation related to migrants, at the international, regional and local level, this paper also includes an overview of the results of educational programs for children, adults and elderly migrants, and for the entire migrant family. The aim of the research is to investigate the educational situation of the migrant family. Due to the very nature of the research, and the attempts of the researcher to transfer the opinions and feelings of the migrants to the scientific world, a qualitative approach was used. Тhe main research approach – what is the educational situation of the migrant family in Serbia – has come up with a number of smaller research questions: what educational programs are being provided to migrants, that they use; what educational programs are provided to migrants, but they do not use them; what educational programs migrants use, but are not provided; what is the function and role of education in their own life and development and the development of other people. The method is a semi-structured interview. Тhe questions were answered by parents in their own name and on behalf of their children. The results of the research have shown the importance of a formal education system when it comes to children and young people, but also the need to enrich the content of an informal education system for both, young and older migrants. The ruling neoliberal system, due to its instability and dynamism, causes migrations in the underdeveloped and developed countries of the world. Since most migrants are adults, adult education is a very powerful tool that can be used to reduce the consequences of migration to an individual, but also to the whole family, which is the smallest unit of every society.

In this paper we reflect about work based learning as learning about work, learning at work and learning through work. The acquisition of knowledge, skills and competences through action-based or reflective learning in a vocational or occupational context is Work-based Learning (WBL) and is often seen as a strong energy for developing workplace skills and promoting productivity of the labour force. It is directly linked to the mission of Vocational Education and Training (VET) to help learners acquire knowledge, skills and competences which are essential in working life. Realising the potential of WBL requires companies and trainees to engage in WBL that effectively increases productivity. Creating opportunities for high-quality WBL lies at the heart of current European education and training policies. Efforts are needed to invest in expanding the offer of apprenticeships and traineeships in countries where opportunities for this type of learning remain very limited. This paper will try to show one view on understanding benefits of WBL and present why it is important to companies to provide high-quality WBL. Regional project “Master 5” is aimed to support the development and visibility of higher VET opportunities through regional partnerships between learning providers, business and social partners with a particular focus on needs for higher level VET skills at sectoral level. The specific objective is to design and implement new training framework based on WBL for higher level VET provision in craftsmanship to provide skills needs on the regional labour market, thus following the New Skills Agenda. The idea is that the major impact on both learners and business will be increased attractiveness and recognition of master craftsman vocations as providing access to employment and career advancement, as well as enabling further learning and progression to higher education based on strong WBL-basis. Views of companies participated in research in project “Master 5” will be shown in this paper as one example.

The dominant theme of modern economics and political discourses are small and medium enterprises and the promotion of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship serves as an engine of economic development and considers it a way to reduce unemployment. On the other hand, the withdrawal of the state from the largest part of the public services, where it previously had a larger role, such as adult education, led to new forms of satisfying social needs and introduced a concept of social entrepreneurship. Between stimulating a good business environment, affordable sources of financing, a general social climate that is benevolent to entrepreneurial ventures, entrepreneurship education is an important pillar in the overall support to entrepreneurship development, and as such has been embedded into educational policies. For Europe and Serbia, this nontraditional goal in adult education introduces novelties into educational policies and opens new areas for research. Therefore, we conducted research with the goal of finding the presence of entrepreneurship content in strategic policy papers issued by the competent authorities in the European Union and the Republic of Serbia in the period from 2000 until 2019. Our assumption is that the presence of entrepreneurship content without acknowledging its social side is an indication of a change in state paradigm, showing the abandonment of the state’s welfare discourse and the movement towards a neoliberal conception. In the research, we applied document analysis with content and discourse analysis. The results of the research indicate a growing presence of entrepreneurship education in education policies, without accompanying content of social entrepreneurship. This indicates a gradual abandonment of the welfare state concept and a turn towards neoliberal discourse, which is an indicator of the paradigm shift.

The question that this research aims to answer is whether short-term vocational trainings are a significant determinant in changing the position of the individual in the labor market, i.e. if there is a correlation between the quality of short-term vocational trainings and the employment of an individual in the labor market. For the purpose of this research, the quality of the realization of short-term vocational trainings was analyzed through four broad sets of organization and realization of short-term vocational trainings: quality of the realization of short-term vocational trainings, quality of career guidance and counselling services, characteristics of short-term vocational trainings and andragogical characteristics of the trainees. The research uses a non-experimental method, where the basic measuring instrument consists of a battery of instruments made up of several types of scales and questionnaires. The research was conducted on a sample of 306 participants. The results show that the quality of the realization of vocational trainings represent a significant determinant in changing the position of an individual in the labor market, that is, it can be understood as an important factor that is in the function of the employment of the trainees upon the completion of a vocational training. Additionally, the employment of the trainees is determined by the characteristics of the trainees themselves and vocational trainings. Better position in the labor market have the trainees with work experience relevant to the attended vocational training, or the trainees attending vocational trainings based on the needs of the local labor market. If we analyze the employment of trainees on the jobs for which they were trained, it is interesting that the research recognizes the importance of some other factors such as the quality of connecting the individual to the needs of the local labor market, the relevance of formal education to the attended vocational training and the motivation of trainees to attend the training. Observed in this context, the participants who found employment on the jobs they had been trained for, compared to those who did not, have better assessed the quality of career guidance and counselling services, their formal qualifications were more related to the attended vocational training and as a motive for participation in training in a greater degree they had the desire for personal development.

The concept of dynamic career is extremely present in the field of theoretical and scientific debates related to the career development of adults. These careers, seen as a consequence of the society in which we live, are characterized by numerous specificities, and their consequences range from a continuously positive to highly negative ones. While our career development today is increasingly delivering more complex tasks, which are often only one part of complex tasks that we face on a daily basis, paradoxically, in career guidance policies, state in which individuals should independently deal with these tasks is more and more legitimized. This paves the way to the lack of programs, which will help individuals in solving issues related to their career development. One such program and its participants, were part of the research, which was conducted with the aim to examine how students of the University of Belgrade determine their careers, as well as what kind of help they expect from courses designed to support their career development. The research included 204 students of the final years of Bachelor studies at the University of Belgrade who participanted in the Belgrade University Center for Students’ Career Development in the course entitled Career Management Skills. The research results show that students perceive a career in extremely different ways, from something that can almost be equated with life, something that represents a significant aspect of life, an important part of professional identity; through understanding their careers in relation to the tasks they are assigned to, and understanding their careers only as an instrument for achieving something related to some other aspect of their life. When it comes to support they need, research results show that students need help to better connect with the world of work, but, more importantly, they need a great help in dealing with issues concerning deeper understanding of themselves in today’s world of work, in creating a real image of themselves, in creating a relationship with their own career. In that sense, it is noticed that students should not be left alone in the pursuit of their careers, but more than that, programs of support must only be part of continuous and systematic assistance to individuals. This raises important issues of responsibility, where “fighting alone” is only possible on paper, but more importantly, where “fight alone” is maybe a strong call for all of us to struggle together.

This mixed methods research was aimed to explore the relationship between the work-related usage of information communication technology and the learning of employees. To foster a deeper understanding in research of this relationship, we applied explanatory sequential design using nested samples for the quantitative and qualitative components. In the quantitative component, data were obtained with scales, and analyzed from 483 employees in different companies in Serbia, while for the qualitative component semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 respondents from the same sample. In the first component, the collected data were subjected to a few common (frequencies, std. deviation, means, etc.) and more complex statistical proceedings (canonical correlation analysis), while in the second component data were subjected to the qualitative content analysis. The results obtained in both components of research indicate very complex interaction: two groups of distinctive relations are derived, one that explains organizations that view ICT merely as a tool for work-related learning with potential for enhancing organizational performance, and another that views ICT merely as a tool for improving performance.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common causes of dementia syndrome, gradually making a person dependent on someone else’s care and help. Alzheimer’s disease affects the functioning of the entire family of a member living with diagnosis, it puts family in a state of social need and can generate a non-developmental family crisis. Due to the multiple negative effects caused by this crisis, various services and support programs for families with a member with Alzheimer’s disease are developing. One type of these support programs is adult education. Considering the global trend of increasing number of people with diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, we recognize the need to make adult education more accessible to their families. It is necessary that such programs are available to families of people living with Alzheimer’s disease, and we decided to investigate what should be the content of such educational programs. Our research question is: what are the educational contents that are useful for families’ members of people with Alzheimer’s disease? In the search for an answer, we conducted 7 in-depth semi-structured interviews. Given that we are starting from the assumption that the process of creating educational content should be participatory, that all actors involved in the life of a member’s living with Alzheimer’s disease family should be included in it, research participants were families’ members of people living with Alzheimer’s disease, social care experts and caregivers. We searched for the similarities and differences in their opinions, in order to reach what is common. Our goal was to reach a compromise in the participants’ thinking, to reach the cross-sectional content of educational programs for the families of a person with Alzheimer’s disease. The research results show that the opinions of the research participants are very similar, they have more in common in their opinions than differences. Everyone agrees that members of families of people with Alzheimer’s disease need both the educational content about the Alzheimer’s disease itself, as well as the educational content related to family functioning and community services. This suggests that relatives of a person living with Alzheimer’s disease need a comprehensive education that will support them in various aspects of their lives.