This contribution aims at exposing how future wicked problems influence Folk High school teacher thinking on their teaching and how new approaches and methods emerge through spaces for knowledge sharing, self-reflection, experimentation and evaluation. In the decades following the rise of democracy in Denmark in 1849 a large number of Folk High Schools were established, supported by the State, not least in order to empower the peasant population to become active democratic citizens. As such the Folk High Schools also became part of a movement to find ways forward in the face of huge societal problems which, among other things, gave rise to a strong cooperative movement. Today there are still around 66 Folk High Schools in Denmark. They are special adult educational institutions because they not, as formal educational institutions, have fixed curricula and exams. They are also open in the sense that teaching and learning is not restricted to the class room as the students are living at the Folk High Schools. Back in 1970s several Folk High Schools had a special focus on environmental and sustainability issues. However, they did not survive and, with a few exceptions, it is first now that there seems to be a new awakening in relation to the future sustainability problems. We find it exciting to explore this new trend, not least because of the exceptional conditions for teaching and learning at the Folk High Schools. Especially, we find it interesting whether these attempts draw on, reformulate and revitalize the Folk High School’s original rather radical ideas and, if so, in which ways. In this exploration we will include three sources of empirical inspiration: a) A recently concluded development project among Folk High Schools (Rahbek & Møller 2015) b) An ongoing formative evaluation of an in-service training course for adult educators in non-formal educational institutions (including Folk High schools). (Læssøe & Lysgaard 2016) c) An ongoing interactive research project following the current wave of new Folk High Schools initiatives in relation to future wicked problems and sustainable transition. Furthermore, at new Ph.D. study on ‘Folk High Schools in a Bildung perspective’ will inform and inspire the analytical work.

Rahbek, R. K. & J. Møller (eds) (2015): Højskolepædagogik – En fortælling om livsoplysning i praksis, [Folk High School Pedagogy – a story about enlightenment of life in practice], Forlaget Klim. Rahbek, R. K. (2016 – in press): Demokratisk Dannelse – Højskolen til debat, [Democratic Bildung – Debating the Folk High School], Forlaget Klim Lysgaard, J.A. (2015): Højskolepædagogik og det (u)bæredygtige samfund [Folk High School Education and the (non)sustainable society, in Rahbek, R. K. & J. Møller (eds): Højskolepædagogik – En fortælling om livsoplysning i praksis, [Folk High School Pedagogy – a story about enlightenment of life in practice], Forlaget Klim. Læssøe, J. & Lysgaard, J.A (2016 – in press): Evalueringen af pilot-kurset ’Kunnskap for bærekraftig utvikling’ [Evaluation of the pilot-course ‘Knowledge for sustainable development’], in Dialog, tidskrift for Nordisk Voksenlæringsforbund.