Promotion Of Lifelong Learning Research Articles

Symposium 2: Models for hybrid higher education

Initiating lifelong learning has been a task higher education has worked with for many years (e.g., Biesta, 2011; Knapper & Cropley, 2000). Politically, lifelong learning is emphasised as an tool to develop and nurture human capital and foster social development. The purpose behind many of these initiatives is to make people employable. However, higher education also works with lifelong learning initiatives to offer people democratic and humanistic values. Since the second half of the 20th century, higher education institutions apply these two perspectives (Jaldemark, 2021). In this symposium, the focus is on initiatives closely linked to the needs of the working market. Democratic and humanistic initiatives and perspectives are important but are here deemphasised. Whatever perspective is chosen, lifelong learning as an idea and task for higher education is still an emerging phenomenon. The ongoing digitalisation of society impacts lifelong learning initiatives in at least two different ways. First, the digitalisation of society impacts human practises in many areas of life (e.g., Billet, 2021, Goodyear, 2021; Poquet & de Laat, 2021). For example, peoples' performance of everyday tasks such as communicating with friends and families or paying bills. In line with the focus of this symposium, the digitalisation of society impact work-related practices and tasks hugely. Some practices and tasks met slightly digitised changes; some disappear in the process. Some professions have disappeared, new ones have turned up in the footsteps of the increasing digitalisation of working life. These changes have led to an increased need for lifelong learning opportunities. Higher education institutions are seen as important providers to meet up these needs. Second, digitalisation impacts the deliverance of education (e.g., Lock, Lakhal, Cleveland‐Innes, Arancibia, Dell & De Silva, 2021; Sannino, Engeström, & Jokinen, 2021). Lifelong learning initiatives adopt digital practices to deliver highly accessible quality learning opportunities. Nevertheless, the link between higher education, application of educational technologies and lifelong learning is established long before the strong impact of the current digital technologies. Since its inception, distance educational settings have been a vehicle to enable higher education lifelong learning for adults. In effect, such settings predate the digitalisation of society while nurturing lifelong learning is a reason behind the introduction of these distance educational settings. Multi-functional digital technologies replace analogue technologies. Until recently, Swedish lifelong learning initiatives were a voluntary task for higher education institutions. In 2021, Swedish legislators added to The Swedish Higher Education Act (Sveriges Riksdag, 2021:317/1992:1434) that "in their operations, higher education institutions must promote lifelong learning". In other words, the promotion of lifelong learning is nowadays mandatory for Swedish higher education institutions. This symposium includes six papers that discuss lifelong learning initiatives from one Swedish higher education institution, Mid Sweden University. It presents preliminary results from ongoing work at five development projects. These projects link to a university-wide development called BLAD (Jaldemark & Bång, 2020). In common for these projects, they all aim to develop networked and hybrid lifelong learning models suitable for higher educations alignment with the postdigital era.

A deep introspection into the role of ChatGPT for transforming hospitality, leisure, sport, and tourism education

This perspective article explores the emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically the OpenAI language model ChatGPT, in the field of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport, and Tourism (HLST) education. With the capacity to personalize education, streamline administrative tasks, and provide data-driven insights, AI holds the potential to revolutionize teaching, learning, and research in these sectors. However, the integration of AI in education also presents challenges, including data privacy, quality control, and the risk of widened digital divide. We delve into these challenges and discuss future directions for the harmonious integration of AI into the HLST educational landscape. Future directions include improved AI-educator collaboration, adaptive and personalized learning, intelligent assessment systems, and the promotion of lifelong learning. This exploration of the transformative potential of AI in education offers valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers in the HLST sectors, highlighting both the challenges to navigate and the opportunities to seize in the journey towards an AI-enhanced educational future.

KEBIJAKAN UMUM IMPLEMENTASI MERDEKA BELAJAR

The implementation of the "Merdeka Belajar" (Freedom to Learn) policy is a crucial step in reshaping the education landscape in Indonesia. This policy aims to empower students to take charge of their own learning journey, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and a holistic development approach. This abstract provides an overview of the general policy framework, its objectives, and the anticipated impact on the education system. Key components include the decentralization of curriculum management, the integration of technology, and the promotion of lifelong learning. By examining the general principles and strategies of the "Merdeka Belajar" policy, this abstract contributes to a deeper understanding of the broader implications for education in Indonesia.

Case-Guided Multi-Project Synchronized Implementation Strategy in Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Course Teaching

To address the challenges in teaching object-oriented analysis and design, such as abstract course content, limited practical skills among students, difficulty stimulating interest, and difficulty in achieving high-quality and inclusive education, based on an in-depth analysis of the course’s knowledge system and teaching objectives, we proposed an innovative teaching strategy from the perspective of sustainable development. This strategy takes the analysis and design of software projects selected by students as the main focus and teacher case guidance as the entry point, connecting theoretical knowledge and teaching practice, and is called “case guidance multi-project synchronous implementation”. Simultaneously, we reshaped the teaching process and reformed the course assessment to adapt to this new teaching strategy. The results of its implementation show that this strategy not only helped students to better understand and apply object-oriented analysis and design but also enhanced their interest and sense of access to the course, successfully improving the achievement of the course objectives and significantly promoting students’ innovation and practical skills, providing an effective way to achieve high-quality and inclusive education and the promotion of lifelong learning. The successful implementation of this teaching strategy provides a strong reference for teaching reform in similar courses.

Assessing the Capacity of Public and School Libraries toward the Attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 4

The objective of this study is to investigate the capacity of public and school libraries towards the achievement of SDG4. Using data collected from school and public library staff, head teachers and education officers in Zanzibar, the study examined the level of awareness of SDG4 among library staff, library human and physical resources capacity and the effectiveness of library programs in promoting lifelong learning. The study used a cross-sectional design, whereas a mixed approach through a convergence method was used to collect, analyze and interpret data. A non-probability sampling under purposive sampling techniques was applied to select respondents for this study. Primary data was collected through a survey method using a structured standardized questionnaire, face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. A total of 100 library staff filled out questionnaires. Interviews were conducted with 42 respondents while 18 were involved in focus group discussions. The study revealed that public and school libraries provided common traditional services like book circulation and reference services, but their contribution did not correlate with the efforts needed to promote lifelong learning in the modern era. The libraries were faced with several challenges including inadequate budget and a lack of policy and strategies for the implementation of lifelong learning targets. The study recommends that the education authorities should address and prioritize the agenda of lifelong learning by improving the capacity of public and school libraries, while a national-wide library campaign toward the promotion of lifelong learning should be introduced with the involvement of public and school libraries.

Policy Landscape and Promotion of Life-Long Learning in Croatia in the EU Context (2018–2022)

In this paper, we review the EU and national (Croatian) education policy trends related to life-long learning and adult education in the last five years, focusing on the subsequent crises (COVID-19 and the security crisis caused by the war in Ukraine) and their influence on policy processes and documents. We also provide secondary data on trends in Croatian adult education, as well as present the results of empirical research performed on a sample of adult education providers from the Republic of Croatia. Our research aimed to identify how the policy trends have been reflected in the practice of Croatian adult education providers in the last five years (2018–2022), with the focus on (a) the practice of life-long learning and adult education promotion; (b) target groups for adult education providers in Croatia; and (c) how the institutional infrastructure in Croatia has supported adult education providers. The obtained results inform the policymakers and practitioners of adult education of potential discrepancies between policy trends and education practices relevant to small and peripheral EU member countries.

Workshop Schools: From Employment Creation to Employability

Workshop Schools are an alternance scheme which combines periods of education and training in educational institutions or training centres for young people at risk of social exclusion between the ages of 16 and 25. The present work of research aims to analyse the logic models underlying the design of these schemes from a historical perspective, specifically from their formation in 1985 up until the year 2020, paying special attention to both individual and structural aspects. Methodology: A qualitative study is carried out based on the analysis of 58 policy documents. Results: The results establish three different phases since the creation of the scheme (employment creation, lifelong learning and employability), analysing the changes produced in the design and relating them to international trends. A progressive self-responsibility forced upon young people rather than a concern on structural problems and barriers characterising the current labour market is also highlighted. Conclusions: Different international trends, such as job creation and the promotion of lifelong learning and employability, have had an influence in the logical models underlying the regulatory documents of the Workshop Schools and, therefore, the social problems and solutions the scheme seeks to provide.

Towards Sustainability: The Involvement of the Elderly in the Educational Activities of NGOs in Lithuania

In an aging society, the promotion of lifelong learning is important for sustainability and the social inclusion of elderly people. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are actively involved in this process, accepting a significant challenge to promote the activity of elderly people through educational activities. Such activities with elderly people are special, as they include the integration and empowerment of the individual to re-adopt societal norms, to discover new opportunities for self-realization, and to respond flexibly to economic and social change. This study aims to reveal the involvement of the elderly in the educational activities of NGOs. To achieve this goal, a qualitative research method was chosen—the discussion of a focus group. In the case of the study, the group assessment and categorization methodologies were used. The analysis of the experiences of elderly people participating in NGO educational activities revealed that the motives for engaging in NGO activities are related to the needs for self-expression, communication, as well as social mobility, integration, and social adaptation to constant changes in society. To promote the involvement of elderly people, NGOs must focus on disseminating information on educational activities, promoting active aging, removing barriers to individual activity, and improving the competencies of elderly people, helping them to acquire new knowledge and skills, as well as focusing on the organization itself.

Contextualised reflective competence: a new learning model promoting reflective practice for clinical training

BackgroundReflection is a metacognitive process that allows self-regulation and the promotion of lifelong learning, and is an essential requirement to develop therapeutic relationships with patients and colleagues, as well as professional expertise. The medical literature is lacking on guidance for learners and educators to develop reflective abilities.MethodsBased on our program of research into junior doctors delivering open disclosure communication after medical error, we developed a framework called contextualised reflective competence, to assist students/trainees and educators in developing, maintaining, and ensuring reflective practice in the context of professional experiences.ResultsThe contextualised reflective competence framework has its origins in the conscious competency framework, an established learning paradigm within healthcare professions education, and it has been developed to encompass some of the vital concepts that the conscious competency matrix was lacking: the promotion of ongoing reflection practice, accurate assumptions of the learner’s original mindset, variations in everyday performance, and erosion of skills. The contextualised reflective competence framework progresses the conscious competence framework from a 2x2 box diagram to a two-pronged flowchart.In our framework, if the learner possesses appropriate reflective practice, contextualised reflective competence, they move through alearning process where they achieve unconscious competence. If the learner does not possess contextualised reflective competence, they move though a learning process where this display generalised reflective incompetence, characterised by cognitive dissonance and rationalisation, leading to errors and non-learning. Generalised reflective incompetence is usually a temporary state with appropriate supervision. Our program of research demonstrated that contextualised reflective competence was related to critical cognitive frameworks, such as intellectual humility, situational awareness, the development of a ‘growth mindset’, and belongingness.ConclusionsThe Contextualised Reflective Competence framework promotes learners’ understanding of their core competencies and provides opportunities for personal critical reflection. It provides educators and supervisors with a diagnostic pathway for those with reflective incompetence. We anticipate its use in the clinical environment where issues of competence are raised in professional experiences.

International Industrial Internship: A Case Study from a Japanese Engineering University Perspective

In this globalization-focused era, the demand for globalized engineers in the creation of borderless societies is increasing. Despite the initiatives by the Japanese government to promote internalization through increasing the intake of foreign students, the exposures gained by the Japanese students from these programs are minimal. For years, internship has been used globally as a platform for training and educating future engineers, but only a few studies have examined the proactive transformation from domestic to international internship. International internships overseas offer a completely new dimension of experiences when carried out in multicultural environments. This article reports and offers evidence of a Japanese engineering university’s rapid global internship reform strategy toward the expansion of international internships in Malaysia. This paper provides insights into the process, from initial setup to implementation of the internship program covering all the necessary preparation and support. From the establishment of an overseas collaboration base and rapport building with hosting industries, the systematic steps taken are reported. Regarding the internship program, feedback from Japanese engineering students who completed their internships show improved satisfaction due to continuous improvement of the internship program with progressing years. It was also discovered that the low participation rate in overseas internship by Japanese students is not due to their inward-looking temperament, but due to the lack of internship program availability that is administered with sufficient preparation enabling them to challenge themselves in a new environment. The challenges encountered in the program, and the sustainable improvements made in alignment with sustainable development goals toward equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning are also stated. In this paper, the future perspectives and outlook of internships are also described considering today’s rapid technological advancements and the fast-changing needs of industries, which require future internship programs to have flexible approaches and ideologies.

Influence of Teacher's Characteristics on Civic Education Implementation in Nigeria

There is evidence of dissatisfaction of millennials with democracy and rising populist support for non-democratic forms of governance and nationalism among them. This presents challenges for civic education implementation and calls for promotion of constructivist civic teachers. Motivated by the need to apply deep civic education in inhibiting non-democratic beliefs and promoting viable strong democracy through active citizens, the present study employed a descriptive survey to investigate the influence of teacher's gender and educational background on teacher's implementation of civic education using data collected from randomly selected 16 secondary school civic education teachers and 320 secondary school students comprising 20 students of each teacher participating in the study. Two instruments were used for data collection on teachers’ initial and continuous training in civic education, and teachers’ implementation of civic education. Two research questions answered using mean and standard deviation, and three null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance using correlation, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis H Test guided the study. The findings showed that a high number of civic teachers did not receive prior training in civic education as well as do not engage in lifelong learning or continuous training in civic education and teaching practice. Civic teachers do not also actively engage students in civic instructions. A positive relationship exists between teacher’s training in civic education and teacher’s implementation of civic education. While civic teachers’ educational background did significantly influence implementation of civic education, gender did not. The findings were associated to a number of factors including lack of cognition of the power of civic education in constructing, reconstructing and transforming (dys)functional societal ideologies. Promotion of lifelong learning among teachers, training of teachers in civic contents and methods, and utilization of ICT for instructional purposes were recommended.

Lifelong learning through the SkillsFuture movement in Singapore: challenges and prospects

This article examines the promotion of lifelong learning (LLL) in Singapore through a new national initiative known as the SkillsFuture movement. It is argued that the attainment of LLL is confronted with three key challenges, the first being the sociocultural preference for academic rather than vocational education in Singapore. Secondly, there is an absence of a strong local culture that underscores the habits of mind needed for LLL. The final challenge is the dominant ideology of pragmatism that potentially conflicts with the goal of the SkillsFuture movement for individuals to enjoy learning and pursue their passion. The article further recommends a reconceptualisation of the notion of LLL in Singapore by supplementing the skills growth model with the individual development and social learning models. The Singapore example illustrates the difficulties and prospects of advocating LLL due to historical and socialcultural conditions and practices.

Postcompulsory Education and Training in China

The recent debate on building a learning society in China has focused on the gap between individuals' learning motivation and the government's policy orientation on further developing postcompulsory [i.e., postsecondary] education and training programs through certified learning. This gap, reflecting China's cultural and historical force of credentialism, is believed to be a barrier to the promotion of lifelong learning.

Lifelong learning: Foundational models, underlying assumptions and critiques

Lifelong learning has become a catchword in almost all countries because of its growing influence on education policies in the globalised world. In the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Union (EU), the promotion of lifelong learning has been a strategy to speed up economic growth and become competitive. For UNESCO and the World Bank, lifelong learning has been a novel education model to improve educational policies and programmes in developing countries. In the existing body of literature on the topic, various models of lifelong learning are discussed. After reviewing a number of relevant seminal texts by proponents of a variety of schools, this paper argues that the vast number of approaches are actually built on two foundational models, which the author calls the “human capital model” and the “humanistic model”. The former aims to increase productive capacity by encouraging competition, privatisation and human capital formation so as to enhance economic growth. The latter aims to strengthen democracy and social welfare by fostering citizenship education, building social capital and expanding capability.

Lifelong learning policy for the elderly people: a comparative experience between Japan and Thailand

This study examined and compared the legal inputs, structural settings and implementation process of lifelong learning policy in Thailand and Japan focusing on street-level agents. The findings demonstrated that while both countries had legal frameworks that provided a legislative platform to promote lifelong learning among the elderly based on a bottom-up implementation of policies, three major differences existed that equated with different outcomes of lifelong learning among the elderly in both countries. First, the promotion of lifelong learning for the elderly in Thailand mirrored complex administrative structures of several host organizations and multiple legal frameworks; whilst Japan’s lifelong learning policy had been promoted based on the Social Education Act under a single ministry. Second, while Thailand based its policy implementation on government agents at the regional and local level in policy delivery, Japan developed a community-based multilayered platform that promoted the policy with active involvement from various local players. Finally, lifelong learning policy for the elderly in Thailand reflected the personal initiatives of policy promotion by government agents at the local level; whereas, lifelong learning policy for the elderly in Japan was pursued based on the interests of the elderly and the community in which they lived.

Promoting Community Wellbeing: The Case for Lifelong Learning for Older Adults

Community wellbeing is a function of many factors working in concert to promote an optimal quality of life for all members of a community. It is argued here that the promotion of lifelong learning among older adults can significantly contribute to community wellbeing. The aging society is a worldwide phenomenon presenting both opportunities and challenges to community wellbeing. Research suggests that the more active, healthier, and educated older adults are, the less drain they are on family and community resources and services. At the same time, active and healthy elders contribute to community wellbeing through their accumulated life experience, expertise, and service. The relationship between lifelong learning and community wellbeing is argued from a social capital perspective. This framework contends that formal, nonformal, and informal learning activities of older adults promote an active and engaged lifestyle that helps create and preserve community. Issues of access and opportunity are also addressed.

Facilitating Lifelong Learning in School-Age Learners

Lifelong Learning (LLL) has been proclaimed a Europe-wide strategy as societies are faced with numerous changes making continuous development indispensable. Currently, LLL is often seen primarily as a topic for continuing education. However, schools play an essential role in laying the cornerstone for successful LLL: There is robust knowledge that persistent motivation to learn as well as corresponding learning skills are essential for LLL and that both could be influenced best during childhood and adolescence. Therefore, facilitating LLL is an important aspect of schools’ success. However, results from international studies show deficits for many students in LLL competencies. Consequently, a need for more systematic promotion of LLL in schools was identified. Based on this, the aim of this paper is to give an overview on the theoretical basis for promoting LLL in schools from the perspective of educational psychology. Derived from this, the necessity of enhancing LLL competencies in school is made obvious and present promotion programs are described. As an example, goals, structure, and evaluation results of the TALK training program, which aims to provide teachers with the competencies to systematically implement the enhancement of LLL into their regular educational responsibilities, are reported. Finally, general recommendations for realizing a systematic facilitation of LLL in school are illustrated.

Innovations and Lifelong Learning in Sustainable Organization

Innovations and Lifelong Learning in Sustainable Organization Innovation and knowledge are two of key factors for sustainable development of company or organization. Particularly in the current period of economic crisis it is crucial to promote lifelong learning and creativity to contribute innovative solutions to various problems. Lifelong learning makes a significant contribution to awareness of the importance of innovation and creativity for sustainable development of organization. In this paper we explore if respondents from Slovenian companies think that innovation and lifelong learning is important for sustainable development of company. Presented are the results of a survey conducted in 67 large and medium-sized enterprises in Slovenia where we upon respondents' judgment examine the correlation between the innovativeness level and lifelong learning, investing in innovativeness and competitive advantage and the promotion of lifelong learning and competitive advantage of the organization. Also the answers to the questions if lifelong learning contributes to the sustainable development of organization and if more the organization takes care of sustainable development the bigger is its competitive advantage before equal bidders are given.

The Bologna Process and Its Impact on University-Level Chemical Education in Europe

This article describes the Bologna Process, an effort by a consortium of nearly 50 European countries trying to standardize the higher education system in Europe. Starting from a nonbinding agreement (the 1999 Bologna Declaration), the Bologna Process involves a voluntary joint venture for the construction of a European higher education area (EHEA). The process focuses on three major goals: (i) facilitating and improving the mobility of University students and professors; (ii) enhancing the attractiveness and employability of higher education in Europe in an increasingly competitive global environment; and (iii) building more transparent and homogeneous structures. Working across several specific objectives (adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees, a common system of credits and grades, quality assurance, promotion of lifelong learning, and others), this convergence process strives to obtain a comparable, common, coherent, and attractive space for the tertiary education sector in Europe by the year 2010. The proposed system of credits, known as ECTS (European credit transfer and accumulation system), promotes a shift from teaching to learning in university education. In this way, the Bologna Process emphasizes students’ learning outcomes and modern pedagogical methodologies, including active learning. Basic implications in the European system for chemistry education are summarized, including information about a framework bachelors degree program in chemistry called the European Eurobachelor, which is intended to set a standard for chemistry higher education.

Financing of distance learning in rural areas by the European Social Fund

The paper is an attempt at evaluating the degree of accuracy of realization of the project: distance learning centres in rural areas financed from the European Social Fund in the frame of the priority II: Development of knowledge-based society, action 2.1.: Broadening the access to education – promotion of lifelong learning, scheme a: decreasing educational inequalities between urban and rural areas. The aims of the project in question include: 1. Creation and equipment with computers and internet connection, of at least 250 distance learning centres in rural areas (in order to enable the final beneficiaries to use the available distance learning programs) 2. Employment in the centres of qualified staff whose task would be to help using the centre’s resources. 3. Creation by the draughtsman, of a countrywide network of distance learning centres using the existing IT infrastructure with units running distance learning. 4. Enabling the final beneficiaries to complement or increase the level of education in the form of distance learning especially at the post-gymnasium level.