Quality definitions and structural quality indicators in adult education

Tanja Možina

Summary:   This article shows how quality can be defined and assessed only in its relative aspects and that the definitions of quality in education have a basis in the interests and values. This reasoning also applies to the various lists of quality indicators in education. The inclusion of the concept of interest groups and the relational and dynamic processes of defining quality becomes important for the contemporary epistemological quality theories. It enables various interest groups to get their voice heard in the discussion about what education system we wish to have and to realize their legitimate interests. But the normative thesis of the legitimacy of interests does not really guarantee that the interests of a particular group will be realized. Whether their voice is heard depends on if the group has enough power in society. These processes also include an ethical-political dimension. In this article, the conceptual framework of the collection of quality indicators for the field of adult education, the structure of quality fields and examples of developed quality indicators, quality standards, and quality measures are presented. A reflection is made on how to promote the development of educational institutions for adults as inclusive multicultural communities, in which the rights and interests of groups who have less social power are respected, and their active participation in quality issues become important indicators of the quality of their performance.