European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults (Nov 2021)
Metaphors we learn by: practitioners’ conceptions of the meaning of nonformal learning in Estonian context
Abstract
Nonformal learning is the central standpoint and practice of life-long learning. The aim of the article is to demonstrate the possibilities of construing the meaning of nonformal learning through practitioners’ conceptions. At the same time we show how nonformal learning practice can enrich other types of learning and how these principles may be more widely applied in formal learning as well. The current research based on metaphor analysis draws on the materials collected in focus group interviews with practitioners (n=17). Analysis revealed that practitioners describe nonformal learning as a cooperational journey of discovery which requires effort, concentrates on development and is related to emotions, play and creativity. At the same time, nonformal learning is defined through metaphors of cultural symbols and open space. The diverse opportunities of nonformal learning create the basis for choices and tolerance to differences, whereas the emergence of border area metaphors confirms the deep rooted idea that nonformal learning’s place lies in between different types of learning.
