LLinE Lifelong Learning in Europe

KEYNOTE SPEAKER Paul Ilsley

During the past 25 years Dr. Paul Ilsley was Director of Adult Education in the state of Maine, Curriculum Specialist in Chicago, Professor of Adult and Continuing Education at Syracuse and Northern Illinois Universities, and Professor of Research at Northern Illinois University.

He was guest professor at the Shanghai Second Institute of Education, the University of New Mexico, the University of Saskatchewan, and Qufu Normal University in China.

He writes extensively on qualitative research, sociological and political aspects of adult learning, voluntary action, program planning, institutional development and future studies.

His research centers on global, societal and cultural influences on professionals, volunteers, citizens and other stakeholders who possess a vested interest in the nature and trends of citizenship and civil society. Recent work includes investigations into continuing criminal justice education.

Among his publications are over 80 articles and six books. Moreover, Dr. Ilsley has conducted over 1,000 addresses or workshops throughout the United States and Canada to a variety of organizations, including National Public Radio, the American Field Service, the National YMCA, the American Red Cross, The National Park and Recreation Association, Rotary International, Baxter Laboratories, McDonalds Corporation, the Kellogg Foundation, Literacy Volunteers of America, Laubach Literacy Action, the Military District of Washington, DC, the Central Party Leaders Training Academy of the People's Republic of China, the Annenberg Foundation, the American Newspaper Publishers Association, the United States Naval Great Lakes Training Station, The Chicago Police Training Academy, the Central Intelligence Agency, The Federal Bureau of Investigation, The American Judicature Society, and numerous businesses, NGOs, voluntary associations, legislative bodies, community colleges, professional associations, universities, and school districts. His primary consulting goal is to lead discussions and workshops on issues of societal trends, policy formulation, and learning, with the goal of facilitating improved anticipatory and participatory planning, learning, and governance.

As professor of Educational Research and Adult Education, Dr. Ilsley focuses primarily on phenomenological and interpretive aspects of research. He developed and teaches a four-course qualitative research sequence for graduate level students. He has advised over 100 doctoral students through completion of their dissertations.

He is also the Coordinator of the Office of International Programs for the College of Education. In that capacity he oversees a number of partnership agreements between Northern Illinois University and with universities in seven countries. His international interests center on the belief that people in no country, perhaps especially the United States, can afford to be isolationists. This takes new conceptualizations of citizenship and of education.

Dr. Ilsley has visited Finland on three occasions and made several presentations at conferences and colloquia. In 2002, he was awarded a Research/Lecturing Fulbright Fellowship to Finland.