Promises and risks of the learning society: the meanings of lifelong learning for three Finnish generations

Abstract

In this article, the educational and labour-market experiences of three Finnish generations are examined. The presentation is an overview of the most important findings of several qualitative and quantitative sub-studies. We ask how people belonging to different social and age groups, and with different educational histories, figure out their positions as workers and citizens in the context of the late modern learning society. Summative generalisations of the results are presented within a framework based on both life-span perspectives and generational theory. The results indicate that the meaning of and willingness to participate in lifelong learning varies considerably between and among generations. The findings related to experiences of the individuals belonging to the oldest generation (born between 1918 and 1955) demonstrate that the relationship of individuals and social groups to the opportunities, risks and uncertainties of the contemporary learning society is complex and contradictory in many ways. More systematic research of this kind over age groups and generations is needed in order to obtain a more holistic picture of the differential distribution of opportunities and risks among different sections and hierarchical levels of the national population.