scholarly journals Accessibility and inclusivity in higher education and the impact of Covid-19: Implications for active citizenship and university lifelong learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 04 (02) ◽  
pp. 37-44
Author(s):  
Dorothée Schulte ◽  
Mpine Makoe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Active Citizenship ◽  
The Impact

Lifelong Learning: Attitudes of Slovenian Higher Educators toward Accreditation of Prior Learning Experiences

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-398
Author(s):  
Doris Gomezelj Omerzel ◽  
Nada Trunk Širca ◽  
Arthur Shapiro ◽  
Mateja Brejc ◽  
Steve Permuth
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Education System ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
The Impact

This article focuses first on fundamental trends weakening the European—specifically, the Slovenian—economy and social structure, which are creating a two-class system consisting of an undereducated/uneducated population unable to compete for employment in an economy increasingly requiring more education to update employees’ skills. Learning and education have become an imperative for people wishing to upgrade their employability to counter increasing unemployment and the impact of an aging society. The study next addresses its purpose—to discover higher educators’ and folk high school educators’ perceptions of an initiative developed to address this social and economic problem, namely, by creating a lifelong learning approach to accredit informal and experiential learning experienced outside the formal higher education system. A national Slovenian conference was organized to focus on these issues. A convenience sample of participants attending this conference were asked to what extent they perceive and expect Slovenian higher education institutions and other educational organizations to accredit nonformal and experiential learning and what criteria and conditions are necessary for a successful initiative. The study explores the European social model, which aims to improve employability to avoid increasing the two-class social system of uneducated and undereducated citizens as the economy increasingly requires more highly educated employees. Although a third of the respondents were unaware of the issues of such an approach to lifelong learning, participants overall perceived that creating a flexible education system, including procedures for validating previous education and other forms of knowledge, should be one of the objectives of higher education institutions, as well as other institutions engaged in adult education. To be effective, the system must be developed and implemented in partnership with employers, individuals, and educational institutions. This article describes the situation with respect to recognizing prior learning in European Union countries and the Slovenian reactions to them. Moreover, it presents results of empirical survey research into the motivation of participants in educational institutions to cooperate in the system established to validate nonformal and informal learning. Respondents recognized a need for and supported developing a system of accrediting lifelong learning experiences. A lifelong learning policy appears to include the three dimensions of innovation, social inclusion, and active citizen participation. The concepts of the learning society, the knowledge society, and lifelong learning have been relatively slow to emerge to become significant influences in Slovenian higher educational attendees’ perceptions as national goals for higher education. A huge discussion among participants manifested support for such an enterprise as a social good, and they recommended forming a commission of higher education institutions to develop a system consisting of a common framework within which accreditation could be implemented to meet increasing social employment needs affecting Slovenian society, with one major criterion: that it be fair and just. Another recommendation was to include employers, individuals, and higher education reference groups in developing the system.

scholarly journals A Conversation with Sharan Merriam: Globalization and Adult Education

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Gene Saudelli ◽  
Dolana Mogadime ◽  
Nancy Taber
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Adult Education ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Knowledge Economy ◽  
Global Education ◽  
Educational Context ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Impact

On September 22, 2011, Sharan Merriam visited Brock University to give a Distinguished Speaker Lecture entitled "Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities for Adult Education." Based on her research about the future of adult education within a global context, Merriam’s lecture sets the tone for this special issue on the impact of globalization for adult education and higher education. Merriam (2010) unpacked the phenomenon of globalization, connected it to the knowledge economy, and situated it within a contemporary, political, social, cultural, and educational context. Merriam (2010) highlighted the need for consideration of the trends and trajectories in adult education related to globalization as "adult education does not occur in a vacuum" (p. 408). She emphasized the need to consider research on lifelong learning that has been impacted by global education. Merriam’s work further highlighted the need for the sharing of knowledge among international educators in a global context.

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines for learning organization in higher education and its impact on lifelong learning – evidence from Indian business schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 569-596
Author(s):  
Netra Neelam ◽  
Pratima Sheorey ◽  
Sonali Bhattacharya ◽  
Monica Kunte
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Organizational Climate ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Learning Organization ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Attitude ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Lifelong learning has gained significant research attention world over because of its potential to enhance and ensure continuous employability. However, role of higher education institute as a learning organization to develop lifelong learning attitudes among young adults has not been discussed much. Parameters that determine lifelong learning among working professionals or school-going children may differ from that of prospective managers studying in business schools. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have given guidelines on learning organization in higher education context which has not been empirically tested. The present study aims to develop a scale on learning organization based on the OECD guideline. It also aims to explore the impact of learning organization and learning processes on lifelong learning attitude in Indian business schools. Design/methodology/approach The present study develops a multidimensional scale to measure business schools’ perceived level of performance as a learning organization from the perspective of faculty. The scale considers a learning organization as a multidimensional second-order construct comprising organizational climate for learning, leadership support for knowledge exchange, support for innovation, applied research environment and vision communication. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) has been used to refine and validate the scale. The study also assesses the impact of business schools’ performance as learning organization on perceived learning processes and lifelong learning attitude from the perspective of business school students by using structural equation modeling. Findings The study reveals that a learning organization is characterized by organizational climate for learning, leadership support for knowledge exchange, support for innovation, applied research environment and vision communication. Learning organization determines both perceived learning processes (ß = 0.397) and lifelong learning attitude (ß = 0.259). The relationship between learning organization and lifelong learning partially mediates through learning processes (Sobel’s statistics = 1.82, p-value = 0.068, indirect effect = 29%). Lifelong learning is characterized by self-regulated reflective learning with knowledge gained through various sources including virtual sources. Originality/value Literature adequately speaks about various scales on learning organization, but there is no specific scale developed, so far, for higher education institutes. Thus, the unique contribution of the present study is the development of a new scale on learning organization based on OECD guidelines on higher education. The scale has been developed based on survey of faculty members and students of Indian business schools. The scale can be used to assess academicians’ perception toward effectiveness of a learning organization. Such information would help in formulating strategies on what should be the characteristics of teaching–learning process, knowledge acquisition and knowledge dissemination to ensure lifelong learning and continuous employability.

scholarly journals Exploring the impacts of distance higher education on adult learners' lives and reclaiming lifelong learning as a human development process

Open Praxis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 439
Author(s):  
Claudia Neves ◽  
Susana Henriques
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Professional Lives ◽  
Social Lives ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Development Of Competencies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Analysis Point

This article intends to launch discussion and reflection on two main themes: lifelong learning and digital literacy in nowadays societies. In looking for the intersections between these concepts to connote them with a more humanistic and holistic perspective, we explore the potentials of distance learning in the lives of adult learners. The empirical basis for this exploration is a survey applied to 706 (143 respondents) graduates in the education of the Portuguese Open University to know their future projects and the impact of this degree in the various dimensions of their personal, social and professional lives. The conclusions of this analysis point to recognition, by the respondents, of the positive impacts that distance higher education has in their personal and social lives. However, these impacts are not as visible in professional terms since the answers show little significant professional progressions. In this sense, the article concludes that it is important to rethink the founding ideas of the concept of lifelong learning from a humanistic perspective and to approach it with a holistic and transversal conception of what is now defined as digital literacy. Distance education, for adult learners, is a scenario that not only strengthens the personal, social and professional development of individuals, but also the development of competencies applied not only to the digital world but also to each person’s daily activities.

Modernisation of Higher Education – Willful Action or Wishful Thinking? The Case of Bulgaria

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 3-17
Author(s):  
Elena Blagoeva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
National Level ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

The impact of the last global economic crisis (2008) on the European economy put a strain on higher education (HE), yet it also pushed the sector towards intensive reforms and improvements. This paper focuses on the “Strategy for the Development of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria 2014-2020”. With a case study methodology, we explore the strategic endeavours of the Bulgarian government to comply with the European directions and to secure sustainable growth for the HE sector. Our research question is ‘How capable is the Bulgarian HE Strategy to overcome the economic and systemic restraints of Bulgarian higher education?’. Because the development of strategies for HE within the EU is highly contextual, a single qualitative case study was chosen as the research approach. HE institutions are not ivory towers, but subjects to a variety of external and internal forces. Within the EU, this is obviated by the fact that Universities obtain their funds from institutions such as governments, students and their families, donors, as well as EU-level programmes. Therefore, to explore how these pressures interact to affect strategic action on national level, the case method is well suited as it enabled us to study the phenomena thoroughly and deeply. The paper suggests the actions proposed within the Strategy have the potential to overcome the delay, the regional isolation and the negative impact of the economic crisis on the country. Nevertheless, the key elements on which the success or failure of this Strategy hinges are the control mechanisms and the approach to implementation. Shortcomings in these two aspects of strategic actions in HE seem to mark the difference between gaining long-term benefits and merely saving face in front of international institutions.

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