Lifelong learning
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lifelong learning is the concept that "It's never too soon or too late for learning", a philosophy that has taken root in a whole host of different organizations. Lifelong learning is attitudinal; that one can and should be open to new ideas, decisions, skills or behaviors. Lifelong learning throws the axiom "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" out the door. Lifelong learning sees citizens provided with learning opportunities at all ages and in numerous contexts: at work, at home and through leisure activities, not just through formal channels such as school and higher education.
Lifelong education is a form of pedagogy often accomplished through distance learning or e-learning, continuing education, homeschooling or correspondence courses. It also includes postgraduate programs for those who want to improve their qualification, bring their skills up to date or retrain for a new line of work. Internal corporate training has similar goals, with the concept of lifelong learning used by organisations to promote a more dynamic employee base, better able to react in an agile manner to a rapidly changing climate. In later life, especially in retirement, continued learning takes diverse forms, crossing traditional academic bounds and including recreational activities.
One of the reasons why lifelong education has become so important is the acceleration of scientific and technological progress. Despite the increased duration of primary, secondary and university education (14-18 years depending on the country), the knowledge and skills acquired there are usually not sufficient for a professional career spanning three or four decades.
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[edit] In practice
In UK and elsewhere, the "University of the Third Age" (U3A) provides an example of the almost spontaneous emergence of autonomous learning groups accessing the expertise of their own members in the pursuit of knowledge and shared experience. No prior qualifications and no subsequent certificates feature in this approach to learning for its own sake and, as participants testify, engagement in this type of learning in later life can indeed 'prolong active life'. For those who can't physically attend these autonomous learning groups, a virtual U3A, U3A Online, [1] ,is open to isolated older people from any country.
Sometimes lifelong learning aims to provide educational opportunities outside standard educational systems — which can be cost-prohibitive, if available at all. On the other hand, formal administrative units devoted to this discipline exist in a number of universities. For example, the 'Academy of Lifelong Learning' is an administrative unit within the University-wide 'Professional and Continuing Studies' unit at the University of Delaware.[1]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Academy of Lifelong Learning. University of Delaware (2006). Retrieved on May 6, 2006.
[edit] External links
- Department for Education and Skills.
- UNISON Northern Ireland's Lifelong Learning Website
- Lifelong Learning & Education
- European Association for the Education of Adults
- Lifelong Learning Laboratory
- Interview with James Zull, Ph.D., Director of The University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education
[edit] See also
- Adult education
- Andrew Cohen
- Autonomous learning
- Brain fitness
- Community college
- Continuing Education
- Experiential education
- Further education
- Learning
- Vocational education
- Widening participation
[edit] Books
- Lifelong Learning and the New Educational Order by John Field (Trentham Books, 2006) ISBN 1-85856-346-1
