Lifelong Learning in Institutions of Higher Education

Tom Nesbit,Lorraine Gibson,Catherine Dunlop

doi:10.21225/d52g6t

Abstract

In this study, we examined the provision and development of lifelong learning within institutions of higher education in British Columbia and explored some of the institutional characteristics that enable or discourage it. The results suggest that most lifelong learning opportunities are directed toward enhancing employment and career opportunities rather than citizenship development. Yet, as the demand for higher education and the number of adult learners enrolling in programs continue to increase, these institutions are well-positioned to develop new forms of education that acknowledge, accommodate, and respect the concerns and interests of lifelong learners.

Highlights

Rapid socio-economic and technological changes have exerted a strong influence on education and training systems in Canada and in other industrialized countries
A body of work is emerging on how lifelong learning can be developed in universities and other institutions of higher and post-secondary education (e.g., Duke, 2001; Jones, 2001; Mauch, 2005). We explore this institutional development in one Canadian province, reporting on a recent study conducted in British Columbia that examined both what provincial institutions of higher education say they are doing and what they are doing in practice to develop lifelong learning
What is a comprehensive yet practical definition of lifelong learning? What are its purposes and roles in higher education? To what extent do institutions of higher education acknowledge and balance the different notions of lifelong learning? How can they amend their approaches and structures to become more lifelong learning-centred without jeopardizing academic quality? How can they foster lifelong learning without increased public funding? Clearly, as an essential sector of formal education systems, higher education is key to helping develop and implement lifelong education and to providing a necessary organizational framework for it

Summary

Introduction

Rapid socio-economic and technological changes have exerted a strong influence on education and training systems in Canada and in other industrialized countries Concepts and terms such as “information society,” “knowledge-based economy,” and “learning societies” feature prominently in mainstream educational and governmental policy discourses, and the importance and relevance of learning at every stage of human development is widely recognized. Educational sectors and institutions that have previously tended to marginalize adult and so-called non-traditional learners are increasingly expected to provide a range of opportunities for lifelong learners. Such concerns have begun to attract the interest of higher education researchers and administrators. We suggest several directions for higher educational institutions to consider when developing lifelong learning programs and opportunities

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion