Goverment Policy that Promotes Lifelong Learning - Essay Example

163554 Wisdom is not a product of schooling, but the lifelong attempt to acquire 11.--Einstein "When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people." Chinese proverb: Guanzi (c. 645BC) Basil Yeaxlee articulated the need of lifelong education for the first time and he was supported by Eduard Lindeman who provided an intellectual basis for understanding its desirability as an important aspect of everyday life and said that lifelong education is ".not merely preparation for an unknown kind of future living... The whole of life is learning, therefore education can have no endings. This new venture is called adult education not because it is confined to adults but because adulthood, maturity, defines its limits...' (Lindeman 1926: 4-5)" http://www.infed.org/lifelonglearning/b-life.htm On 21st November 2001, European Commission adopted a communication for Making European Area of Life long learning a Reality and for that, it decided to 'identify coherent strategies and practical measures with a view to fostering lifelong learning for all.' Adult cognition as a dimension of lifelong learning resulted in open universities and distant learning. Learning cannot be dichotomised into a space and time any more and with IT like ever-renewing subjects, there is no end to learning and school days never get over. "Lifelong learning creates the challenge to understand, explore, and support new essential dimensions of learning such as self-directed learning, learning on demand, collaborative learning, and organizational learning". Fischer (2000). It also challenges discourses of inclusion and exclusion by lifting curricula off limits of conventional universities. It removes education from the traditional theories and managements and makes it generally available to all. It gives more options to people who were deprived of further studies due to some reason or other. It also enables those who need to change their employment or line of speciality. It empowers individuals who have diverse interests and changing intellectual needs. Government of UK's provision of lifelong learning is debated in this study along with the concept, organisations and barriers that stand in the way of further studies and the limitations of UK organisations that have become/going to become lifelong learning educational organisations. The concept has opened up a new vista of unlimited possibilities for its population by introducing part time study and research into the field. Today, those who are aspiring for better jobs, who would like to attain better qualifications and better lifestyle, are benefited by Lifelong learning. It has introduced job-specific courses and non-task specific training both so that a vast number of populations could be benefited whatever their needs are. Older learners are being empowered to a large extent. It is necessary to see the role of policy makers, job designs, future benefits, possibilities and the higher levels of skills that should be imparted in lifelong learning curricula. In the Scottish Executive Response to the Final Report of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee Inquiry into the Delivery of Local Economic Development Services in Scotland, dated 6th December 2000, final conclusion is stated as: "There is congestion within the field of local economic development in Scotland. There is confusion, overlap, duplication and even active between the many agencies involved". Life long learning is the outcome of progressive policies like social cohesion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination, inclusion and active participation. It is also human resource development of a better kind. It is the expansion of learning, training, employability and competitiveness where the goal is the welfare state. It is also the part of 'learning culture' and 'learning revolution'. Apprenticeship that comes as part of lifelong learning is an innovative idea as it leads to direct employment and one such challenge is developing teachers. "Provided one has the requisite prior knowledge, motivation is the most critical factor in learning. Ideally, both intrinsic motivation - the disposition to follow one's interest, acquire knowledge and become more capable - and extrinsic motivation - the confidence that the goals of learning are achievable and valuable - should be present," Day (1999, p.ix). Learning at later life is a highly appreciable ambition of older population and should be celebrated and encouraged more. "Life is one long challenge. It is through the challenges of life that we learn - and it is never too late to learn. Indeed now could be the perfect opportunity to take the plunge and try something new and age shouldn't be a barrier. http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/z-older.htm Some universities offer a work-based learning unit. They provide a range of employment based apprenticeship frameworks made to suit the needs of learners. There are facilities to work with employees and employers to develop to the standards of the industry. This will enhance opportunities of attaining national recognised qualifications, important skills and technical know-how that are required by various industries. Most of the apprenticeships are employment based programmes and some of them come under National Vocational Qualifications. They also impart awareness of employment rights and responsibilities. While employing students from adult education apprenticeship, workplace too has to undergo a very slight change by integrating language, literacy and numeracy competencies with vocational competencies. "Adult learning theory tells us that adults learn better when the content is contextualised. Research in other countries has shown that successful literacy and numeracy programmes integrate literacy competencies not only with workplace change, but also with vocational training," Holland et al (2001, p.15). Assessment is done by visiting the actual workplace and course valuation is assessed within the employment framework. There are many advantages in following an apprenticeship like enhancing the possibility of making a positive contribution. It fulfils the hopes of many who would like to be professionally employed. Apprenticeship familiarises them with new skills of updated technology and market, specific skills used in the relevant industry wherever they choose to work and also provides access to much higher level of learning and knowledge. Another main advantage is most of these programmes are government funded. They provide key skills that are necessary to succeed in life, profession, and vocational sectors while keeping the person technically abreast. Students should also be prepared for a definite change in lifestyle with going back to study. "Inasmuch as your return to study will almost inevitably involve some change in your lifestyle, however minimal, then a first step to managing this is to identify your own characteristic way of living," Powell (2000, p.6). In spite of all these, there could be barriers to learning like deafness, visual impairment, specific learning difficulties, mental health difficulties, mobility, dexterity and chronic pain. Mostly by access, acceptance of help, awareness and appreciation of needs by others could solve this problem. In addition to this, there could be barriers like time, family responsibilities, time limitation due to caring for sick family member, small children and attending to their needs, difficulties which compels the person to work when he really wants to study, fear of losing the present job while getting trained for another, distance of a particularly interesting course, illness etc. could be other barriers. Personal life could create many kinds of emotional crises as Kirkwood (1984, p. 168) says in his extensive study: "Unemployment is only one of the problems facing some of the students. A significant number are experiencing some form of crisis such as divorce, bereavement, debt, eviction or some psychological problem." Overcoming all the barriers even with help is not very easy unless the individual is extraordinarily determined. There are also institutional like large classes where the basic skill student might feel lost. Some tutors could be indifferent to an adult learner (What is he going to achieve, after all!!). Funding could be unavailable for the particular course and crche facility could be non-existent in the region. Institutional aura could be daunting and time could be inconvenient. Personal difficulties like a criminal record, lack of basic schooling, difficult attitude towards learning, lack of support, peer pressure, difficult cultural background that compels individuals, especially women to stay at home, difficult to overcome poverty, shame and embarrassment of attending classes at an advanced age could all come in the way. The fact remains that nothing could be achieved without self-generated motivation and determination with the support from universities and tutors. Learners should be able to overcome minor problems and help could always be available. It should be able to meet the complex demands of modern life and is considered to be "A user-centred, "cradle-to-grave" process embracing all major types and categories of learning: formal and informal, institutional, web-based, vocational, adult, work-related and self-directed" The Life long Learning Foundation" http://www.lifelonglearnresearch.co.uk With the present help and available facilities, lifelong learning should be self-gratifying, scope-enhancing and employment promoting. Once the learner crosses many barriers stacked up against him, he would definitely find it a rewarding experience. BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. Day, Christopher (1999), Developing Teachers, The Challenges of Lifelong Learning, Routledge, London. 2. Fischer, Gerhard (2000), Life Long Learning More Than Training, Journal of Interactive Learning Research. 3. Holland, Chris, Fiona Frank and Jaine Chisholm Caunt (2001), Breaking Down Barriers, National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, Leicester. 4. Kirkwood, Colin and Griffiths, Sally (1984), Adult Education and the Unemployed, Workers' Educational Association, Edinburgh. 5. Powell, Stuart (2000), Returning to Study, Open University Press, Buckingham. ONLINE SOURCES: 1. http://www.lifelonglearnresearch.co.uk/ 2. http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/z-older.htm 3. http://www.infed.org/lifelonglearning/b-life.htm 4. Read More