LIFE-LONG LEARNING - Life skills and Literacies (Alternative Education)

Concepts and Ideas:

• Tool literacy/ Resource Literacy/ Social-Structural Literacy/ Research Literacy/ Publishing LIteraecy/ Emerging Technology Literacy/ Critical LIteracy/ Visual Literacy/ Media LIteracy/ Computer literacy/ network literacy/ Basic literacy

ReSearch on Life-Long Learning

• Google Search -
  • "Life Long Learning" - https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=life-long+learning&gws_rd=cr,ssl&ei=HpVGV-XBEcGo0ASTqrngAg

Life-Long Learning Organisations, Institutions and NGOs

• International
  • UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) - http://www.uil.unesco.org/ - Lifelong Learning/ Literacy and Basic Skills/ Adult Learning and Education/ Library/ Publications
    • The Effective Literacy and Numeracy Practices Database (LitBase) - http://www.unesco.org/uil/litbase/?language=en
  • Lifelong Learning Council Queensland - http://www.llcq.org.au/default.asp - NGO
• Other Countries
  • Malta: Lifelong Learning - https://www.gov.mt/en/Services-And-Information/Business-Areas/Education%20and%20Learning/Pages/Lifelong-Learning.aspx
• Singapore-Based Life-Long Learning Institutions
  • Ministry of Manpower - http://www.mom.gov.sg/
  • Center for Employability Skills - http://www.wda.gov.sg/content/wdawebsite/L215-ContactUs01/L315C-ContactCntr4EmpSkills.html
  • Institute for Adult Learning (IAL) - https://www.ial.edu.sg/
  • Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) - http://www.tafep.sg/
  • Singapore Workforce Development Agency - http://www.wda.gov.sg/content/wdawebsite.html
    • Centre for Employability Skills (CES) - http://www.wda.gov.sg/content/wdawebsite/L215-ContactUs01/L315C-ContactCntr4EmpSkills.html
    • WDA Career Centres
  • Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) - https://e2i.com.sg/
  • Lifelong Learning Institute - https://www.lli.sg/
    • Lifelong Learning Exploration Centre (LLEC) - http://www.wda.gov.sg/content/wdawebsite/L209-001About-Us/LLEC.html
  • Learning for Life
    • http://www.wda.gov.sg/content/wdawebsite/L209-001About-Us/CET_Commemorative_Pub.html
    • http://learningforlife.sg/
• Universities
  • Wake Forest University - http://lifelongwake.wfu.edu/
  • Osher Lifelong Learning institute by University of Delaware - http://www.lifelonglearning.udel.edu/wilmington/
  • Lifelong Learning Institute by Washington University in St Louis - https://lli.wustl.edu/
  • Continuing Education & Community Engagement by University of Utah - https://continue.utah.edu/lifelong

Programmes for Lifelong Learning

• Frameworks for Life-Long Learning
  • Balem Framework for Action: Harnessing the Power and Potential of Adult Learning and Education for a viable Future - http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001877/187789m.pdf
• Events on Life-Long Learning
  • World Education Forum 2015, Incheon Korea - http://en.unesco.org/world-education-forum-2015/5-key-themes/lifelong-learning - Equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030. Transforming Lives through education
• Programmes on Life-Long Learning
  • SkillsFuture (Singapore)

Web Services for Lifelong Learning

• Infed - http://infed.org/mobi/ - Specialise in theory and practice of informal education, social pedagogym lifelong learning, social action, community learning and development. Set up by YMCA London
• Skills Workshop: Free Functional Skills and Skills for Life Resources - http://www.skillsworkshop.org/ - by Maggie Harnew
  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Pre-Entry
  • ESOL
  • ICT
• Skills You Need: Helping you to develop Life Skills - http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ - Web-services based in Wales
  • Personal Skills
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Leadership Skills
  • Learning Skills
  • Presentation Skills
  • Writing Skills
  • Numeracy Skills
  • Parenting Skills

Concepts on Lifelong Learning

What is Life-Long Learning?

• An Organizing Principle of all forms of education (By Belem Framework for Action)
• "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons" -
  • Department of Education and Science (2000). Learning for Life: White Paper on Adult Education. Dublin: Stationery Office. [1]
  • Commission of the European Communities: "Adult learning: It is never too late to learn". COM(2006) 614 final. Brussels, 23.10.2006.
• "Learning is not confined to childhood or classroom, but takes place throughout life and in range of situations"
• "All Learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective - Commission of the European Communities. (2001, November 21). Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality. Retrieved from EUR-Lex: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2001:0678:FIN:EN:PDF

Why Life-Long Learning?

• Enhances social inclusion, active citizenship and personal development, but also self-sustainability as well as competitiveness and employability

How did this idea of Life-Long Learning come about?

• 1971 - Bologna Process in Denmark
• 1993 - Term developed from "life-long learners" by Leslie Watkins and used by Prof Clint Taylor (CSULA)
• For 50 years
  • constant scientific and technological innovation and change affect learning needs and styles
  • Learning no longer divided into a specific place and time to acquire knowledge (School) and a specific place and time to apply knowledge (Workplace)
  • Learning has to be an ongoing basis from daily interactions with others and world around us.
• Learning Economy
  • Life-long learning is recognised by traditional colleges and universities as valid in addition to degree attainment
  • Learning accomplished in segments or interest categories can still be valuable to individual and community
  • Adults who continue learning in education facilities buy goods and services that generates enconomic activity in these facilities
• 2008 MOOC

Types of Life-Long Learning

• Formal Learning
• Informal Learning
• Self-directed Learning

Other Ideas related to Life-Long Learning

• Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
• Heutology
• Emerging Technologies Lifelong Learning
  • Assistive Technology
  • Web 2.0
  • Workplace Learning
• Metacognition
  • Study of metacognition provided insights to what made students successful.
  • Used to inform teaching to make students more aware of their learning process, and how to regulate those processes for more effective learning thoughout their lives
  • Cognitive Strategy Instruction (CSI) - helps learners to develop metacognition.

Examples of Life-Long Learning

Alternative Forms of Education besides "Brick and Mortar" Schooling

• Home schooling: learning to learn or the development of informal learning patterns
• Waldorf education: which teaches children to love learning for its own sake
• Adult education: acquisition of formal qualifications or work and leisure skills later in life
• Continuing education: extension or not-for-credit courses offered by higher education institutions
• Knowledge work: professional development and on-the-job training
• Personal learning environments or self-directed learning: range of sources and tools including online applications
• E-learning is available at most colleges and universities or to individuals learning independently. There are even online courses being offered for free by many institutions.
• Massive Open Online Course (a MOOC): a teacher or team offers a syllabus and some direction for the participation of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of learners. Most MOOCs do not offer typical "credit" for courses taken, which is why they are interesting and useful examples of lifelong learning.
• University of the Third Age U3A (India)
  • autonomous learning groups accessing the expertise of own members in pursuit of knowledge and shared experience.
  • NO prior qualifications and no subsequent certificates feature in learning for its own sake.
• Study Circles (Sweden and Finland) - Democratic form of learning environment where there are no teachers, and group decides what content will be covered, scope to be used and delivery method.
• Open and Distance learning (ODL)

Cases Studies of Life-Long Learning

• Academy of Lifelong Learning (University of Delaware) - Formal Administrative unit devoted to this discipline.
• Jagiellonian University Extension (Poland) - Lifelong Learning (Open Learning, Organizational Learning, Community Learning)
• Life-Long Learning (UK) - umbrella term for post-compulsory education outside of UK higher education system e.g. Further Education, Community Education, Work-based Learning and Voluntary, public sector and commercial settings.
• US - Most colleges and universities provide licensure and certification courses, with credit gained through work, volunteer and other experiences
• Bangladesh Open University (BOU) - most courses are for professional development and students are professionals who study in flexible hours/
• Life-long Learning Plan Canada - Federal government allows residents to withdraw funds from Registered Retirement Savings Plan to help pay for lifelong Learning

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifelong_learning
• Articles
  • Spoilt for Choice for Life-Long Learning: 10,000 SkillsFuture Courses on Offer - http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/spoilt-for-choice-for-lifelong-learning-10000-skillsfuture-courses-on-offer