FORMATION OF A STATE OF AWARENESS AT EDUCATIONAL PROCESS PARTICIPANTS : FOREIGN PRACTICES OF ADULT EDUCATION
Abstract
The conducted research is aimed at analyzing the process of forming a state of awareness at participants of the educational process within the context of foreign experience in adult education. It emphasizes that the central task of modern education is not only the transmission of knowledge but also the development of the adult learner as a holistic subject of learning, capable of reflection, critical thinking, and creative activity. Awareness is presented as a fundamental condition of effective educational development, enabling adults to transcend established cognitive and behavioral patterns, adapt to new information, and accept alternative perspectives. The article synthesizesthe results of international experiments (E. Langer and others), which demonstrate that creating psychologically safe environments, granting freedom of choice, and encouraging responsibility significantly increase activity, vitality, and well-being of adult learners. It is shown that awareness is closely linked to internal motivation, reflexivity, and the ability to creatively reinterpret experience, thereby forming the basis for lifelong learning and professional growth. Special attention is given to andragogical approaches that integrate Langer’s concept of mindfulness into adult learning practices, highlighting the importance of active attention, flexibility, and learner engagement. The study concludes that fostering awareness is a strategic objective of contemporary adult education, as it ensures the development of autonomy, responsibility, and self-realization, while laying the foundation for a new paradigm of education oriented toward personal growth and lifelong learning.
Key words: adult education; lifelong education; andragogy; freedom; awareness; personality; goal-setting; creative activity; responsibility; adult.
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