Lifelong Learning and Quality of Life

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to review the lifelong learning concept and its contribution to improve the quality of life as people age. This review of the association between lifelong learning and quality of life is addressed from a double objective: firstly, an overview of different definitions of lifelong learning adopted by different international organizations is presented. Secondly, an approach to the scientific evidence of the association between lifelong learning and quality of life and active aging is made. As WHO and some authors pointed out, lifelong learning would be considered a chance to improve personal well-being. So the WHO model of active ageing as the opportunity to optimize health, participation and security has been complemented with the inclusion of lifelong learning, aiming to improve the quality of life of people who age. Conversely, this perspective of lifelong learning goes beyond the economistic view posited by other authors, in which learning is only a tool to increase productivity and labour force. In regards to scientific evidence of lifelong learning benefits, it should be noticed that, contrary to the economistic perspective in which lifelong learning would be measured in terms of efficiency at job, there is not an objective and accepted measure of the effectiveness of the programmes based on lifelong learning from a personal view. Starting from the idea that lifelong learning is not a scientific concept, but ones including any formal or informal learning activity, it is so difficult to make comparisons between interventions as well as evaluate its effects in active ageing and quality of life. However, the few programmes that include an assessment of the active ageing domains or quality of life components have demonstrated their effectiveness. In conclusion, more scientific evidence is necessary to explore, both the classification of activities and programmes derived from the lifelong learning policies, and the evaluation of them, with the purpose of proving its relation with active ageing and quality of life improvement.