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Learning for a Change: Ideals and realities in lifelong learning

Learning for a Change: Ideals and realities in lifelong learning. Professor R. H. Fryer CBE Former Chief Executive NHSU Trustee Campaign for Learning. Agenda. Vision Challenges Government policy Some current evidence Beyond qualification An invitation to learning Social purpose

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Learning for a Change: Ideals and realities in lifelong learning

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  1. Learning for a Change:Ideals and realities in lifelong learning Professor R. H. Fryer CBE Former Chief Executive NHSU Trustee Campaign for Learning

  2. Agenda • Vision • Challenges • Government policy • Some current evidence • Beyond qualification • An invitation to learning • Social purpose • Towards some principles

  3. The Core Purposes of Learning According to the celebrated Jacques Delors Commission on Lifelong Learning, The Treasure Within • Learning to Know (learning to learn, general knowledge & understanding) • Learning to Do (skills, competence, practical ability in a variety of settings) • Learning to Live Together (tolerance, mutual understanding, interdependence) • Learning to Be (personal autonomy & responsibility, memory, aesthetics, ethics, communication & physical capacity)

  4. “Only the well educated will be able to act effectively in the Information Society.” “The key to the Learning Society is to seek the learning potential in everyday situations….A ‘learning culture’ must, after all mean finding learning in the most unlikely places….” Michael Barber, The Learning Game

  5. Investing in Learning, Skills & Talent:some challenges for lifelong learning • Citizenship, inclusion & action • Participation in & contribution to ‘civil society’ • Productivity, efficiency, prosperity & competitiveness • Work skills & employability • Leisure, pleasure & non-utility • Imagination, creativity & innovation • Digital confidence & competence • Critical skills, curiosity & challenge • Self-respect & esteem • Motivation, commitment & progression • Flexibility, adaptability & responsiveness • Cultural & organisational change • Knowledge management • Well-being, health & safety • Inter-generational, community & family involvement • Equal opportunities & choice • Life chances, including inter-generational improvement • Capacity for independent, functioning individuals , families, groups, organisations & communities in contemporary, global world

  6. Government Strategy “Today what matters most is who has the ideas, the insights and the creativity….Britain’s long-term prosperity depends more than ever on developing the talents of all of our people to the full…. “In a rapidly changing world, the Government is determined to unlock the talent and potential of all of our people. We need to give people the skills that will be required in both today’s and tomorrow’s labour market. This will make British business more profitable and will make our society fairer and ensure everyone can gain from future prosperity.” Source: Work Skills: Unlocking Talent, Introductions by Prime Minister and Secretaries of State, DIUS/DWP 2008

  7. Current or recent participation in adult learning 1996-2008 by social class Source NIACE 2008

  8. Highest Qualification of UK People of Working Age by Sex & Age Source: Education & Training Statistics 2008

  9. UK People of Working Age Receiving Job-related Training in Last 13 Weeks by Sex & Highest Qualification Source: Education & Training Statistics 2008

  10. UK Employees Receiving Job-related Training in Last 13 Weeks by Sex & Sector Source: Education & Training Statistics 2008

  11. Access to training at work in last 13 weeks by sector

  12. UK People of Working Age Receiving Job-related Training in Last 4 Weeks by Sex & Age Source: Education & Training Statistics 2008

  13. UK People of Working Age Receiving Job-related Training in Last 4 Weeks by Occupational Status Source: Education & Training Statistics 2008

  14. Access to training at work in last 13 weeks by occupation

  15. UK Employees Never Offered Job-related Training by Highest Qualification & Age Source: Education & Training Statistics 2008

  16. Discovering the ‘hidden treasure’in us all "None of the talents which are hidden like buried treasure in every person must be left untapped …memory, reasoning power, imagination, physical ability, aesthetic sense, the aptitude to communicate with others and the natural charisma of the group leader, which again goes to improve the need for greater self-knowledge." Jacques Delors, UNESCO, 1997

  17. The promise & tasks of lifelong learning • Not currently part of the ‘mainstream’ • Values, preferences & partisanship • Multiple settings & purposes • Needs some adapting • Delors - The Treasure Within • Learning to know • Learning to do • Learning to love together • Learning to be A fourth ‘pillar’ – the environment • Learning as a human right – Ochos Rios

  18. Recovering ‘social purpose’ lifelong learning “Our real interest lies in enabling people to develop to their full potential as ‘whole persons’ or rounded human beings. This suggests that adult education should help people to engage in a wide range of political roles and social relationships which occur outside both the workplace and the marketplace. (Martin 2000:) “I am advocating)) .. learning for inclusive citizenship, for pluralistic citizenship, for reflexive citizenship and for active citizenship. Together they provide a way forward for adult educatorsto “continue to ‘stand for something’ and avoid ‘falling for anything’.” (Johnston 1999) “(Social purpose) learning is essentially about making knowledge which makes sense of (people’s) world and helps them to act upon it, collectively, in order to change it for the better”. (Martin 2000)

  19. Raymond Williams’ three vital functions of learning in periods of rapid & widespread social change • For Making Sense of Change - Information, ideas, knowledge, concepts, understandings, insights, theories, a critical & challenging mind • For Adapting to Change - Maximising benefits & minimising costs, making the most of change, capturing & applying knowledge • For Shaping Change- As authors of change rather than its Victims, navigating risk & uncertainty, at the heart of citizenship for the 20th century & the democratic project

  20. Towards some principles • Focus on learners’ own interests • Begin with people’s own experiences • Be genuinely ‘life-long’ & ‘life-wide’ • Embrace all modes & forms of learning • Develop learners’ independent & critical skills • Connect learning with action • Link learning to autonomy • Learning & social justice • Use democratic & inclusive methods • Discursive consideration of difference • Provide all adults with a post-school entitlement to learning • A ‘community chest’ for public investment in learning

  21. Making Learning Normal • Beyond fear and dread • Based on confidence and self-esteem • Promising achievement and progress • Linked to own life’s priorities • Where, when and how you like • ‘Just-for-you’ learning • ‘Woven’ into everyday life • Supported byprofessional, independent information, advice & guidance • Underpinned by new methods of credit & funding • A sense of personal and local ownership & control

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