Kinder- und Jugendreisen: Ein nonformaler und informeller Bildungsort? : vom Wandervogel bis zur kommerziellen Vermarktung – ein historischer Zugang
The aims of the dissertation are to pinpoint the underlying principles of children and youth travel and to describe children and youth travel as a non-formal and informal place of learning. Therefore the dissertation will analyse the following hypothesises:
- Children and youth travel have a function in any historical epoch
- Children and youth travel are a place in which children and young people can participate in non-formal and informal learning
In a first step the remit of Tourism and Leisure studies is established as the context for the dissertation. The advances in youth travel are inherently linked to the development of recreational and leisure activities.
Non formal and informal learning outcomes in children and youth travel will be identified through the application of five criteria. These are based on the five dimensions described in the “Konzeptionellen Grundlage für einen Nationalen Bildungsbericht”[1] as:
- Taking responsibility
- Experience the effects of own doing
- Ownership and development of settings
- Ownership and design of cultural practise
- Coping with livelong tasks
As a scientific research tool a historical re-construction is necessary. In different historical periods utilised terms had different meanings or other terms were used. In order to analyse the hypothesis scientifically the semantics of each era need to be understood.
The functions of youth travel were justified in a variety of ways. The dissertation develops from an historical overview a functional analysis of each epoch. This analysis is used to differentiate the peculiarities of children and youth travel from their possible equivalencies in the relevant epochs.
Research Results
Initially youth travel was a driver to lliberation from the class conscious affluent society and the adult world and resulted in the establishment of the adolescence as a distinct and self-determined period of live in any given society. Later on functions of youth travel also included the exercise of democratic life forms and the improvement of international understanding. Autonomous living and self-organisation were always central planks of youth travel. The increasing customer demands for comfortable modes of travel and the commercialisation led to the rise of professional organisations in the field of youth travel, so that self-organisation and democratic structures lost increasingly in importance. This was counteracted by the implementation of new learning aims in youth travel e.g. learning a language or practising sports. Over recent years the focus of youth travel shifted to helping young people through social experiences in their emotional, social and cognitive development so that they were enabled to gain an understanding of their own self and their purpose in life.
Because of the plurality of life forms and the enormous range of non-formal and informal learning opportunities youth travel has more or less lost its unique selling point in the modern society. In their day to day life children and young people are able to meet and spend time together autonomously without having to rely solely on statutory educational or family structures. That was not the case in previous years. Young people today are encouraged to take on responsibilities and are asked to play an active part in the development of the society. (This also applies to formal education structures) In how far these developments were furthered through youth travel over the years will be shown in this dissertation. In a pluralistic society children and youth travel continues to be a place for non-formal and informal education. A unique selling point of youth travel is that it still offers young people the possibility to experiment with behavioural patterns in a safe environment outside their everyday life (parents, school and peers). Youth travel therefore contributes to the development of personalities and the formulation of life aims.
Over the last years the learning environment for young people has changed considerably, the statutory education system and non-formal systems have developed new ideas and approaches to learning. In this process youth travel theory played no part.
Education, as it is used here, is not target or practicality orientated. Children and youth travel assists - even if no structured educational interventions take place - in the educational development of children. Youth travel has a purpose in its own right and does not need to achieve specific learning outcomes or fulfil politically defined aims. This has become one of the defining problems of youth travel since in current times this legitimation of youth travel is challenged. Children and youth travel is seen critically since it has no direct, self-evident and clear purpose and benefit for the young person. In contrast personality development is seen as an ongoing and continuous process to which children and youth travel can make valuable contributions even if this claim – up to now – has not been proven.
The results of the dissertation are relevant for practitioners in the youth travel scene and the educational establishment as a whole. The results can help the practitioners in their aim to legitimise the effects of youth travel and they can build a bridge in non-formal and informal learning discussions between youth travel and informal education providers.
Freericks, Hartmann und Stecker describe the modern practical leisure education among others as a “purpose orientated phase”. This assessment is mirrored in the current central functions of youth travel which are the development of personal identities and the formulation of aims in life. In addition the authors extend this phase with the demand for more ecological responsibility, which is also reflected in modern youth travel. Das Reisenetz as one of the main trading association in Germany established the annual Youth Travel Congress in 2017. In 2019 the headline of the Congress was “Innovation and Ecology”. Youth travel operates under the same principles as Leisure Education. Therefore youth travel could be considered as a part of Leisure Education and would deserve – once again - an increased focus in the non-formal and informal educational discourse in Germany.
[1] Translation by the author: “Conceptual Foundations to the National Report of Learning” Source: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Hrsg.) (2004): Non-formale und informelle Bildung im Kindes- und Jugendalter, Konzeptionelle Grundlagen für einen Nationalen Bildungsbericht, In: Bildungsreform, Band 6.