Seminar From concept to implementation The Organization and Financing of Lifelong Learning MA EAE Modul 5c

Following the initiative of some international organizations who have conceptualized and propagated Lifelong Learning (LLL), many countries are taking initiatives to concretize the principle of lifelong learning. Yet national national policies, although containing important reforms in selected areas, often lack a consistent a strategy for implementation. One of the major obstacles to implementation is the ambiguous nature of the LLL concept and before any detailed implementation policy can be designed, the question needs to be answered as to ‘implementing what?’ Two of the crucial elements of any implementation strategy are the organization and the financing of a system of LLL. As to the organizational dimension, there are two critical and comprehensive organizational issues, both of which entail important challenges. A crucial prerequisite for lifelong education is a system that allows and promotes smooth progression, which has multiple access and exit points, pathways and transitions, with no programs leading to dead ends. Since the organization, regulation, financing and promotion of learning activities do not fall exclusively into the domain of ministers of education, but also into the responsibility of other government departments such as culture, economic and social affairs, health, and employment, a government-wide strategy requires not only a certain degree of consistency regarding policies, procedures and standards, but also efficient mechanisms of coordination of the various agencies concerned. However, articulation and coordination is not required solely between different public agencies. With a great amount of non-formal adult education occurring in the workplace, and in many other settings in which people learn not just incidentally, public and private roles, rules and responsibilities need to be defined, clarified and articulated to a greater extent than in the past. It is clear that such a complex system would also need a much more transparent system of comprehensive and reliable information, as well as individual guidance and counseling services that would enable the lifelong learner to find out about available options and make informed choices. Closely related is the problem of transferring knowledge from one place of learning to another, or of using knowledge in a place and context different from where it was acquired. As was pointed out already, assessing and recognizing knowledge that has not been acquired within and certified by the formal education system is a major conceptual as well as a practical problem. There are a variety of mechanisms that try to deal with this problem ranging from national systems of qualifications to institutional rules for the assessment and recognition of prior learning (PLAR), yet, in spite of many different approaches and concepts, there is so far little progress overall in terms of consistency and practicality. Lifelong learning covers various forms of formal and non-formal learning which are now largely separate and operate in isolation from each other, including the way they are financed. Presently, financing systems for the different learning activities vary a great deal, depending not only on type of program or institution, but also on factors such as personal background (especially age, socio-economic background, national or ethnic origin), geographical location, and employment status. From the beginning of the discussion of concepts of lifelong education or learning, economists have proposed different financing models, ranging from specific to comprehensive models. Vouchers, income contingent loans, drawing rights and, more recently, individual learning accounts suggested as adequate forms for more learner-centered and broader-based systems. In this course, various options for organization and financing LLL will be discussed and exemplified. Therefore, this course should be of interest not just to students of (adult) education, but also to policy analysts as well as planners and practitioners. Please send an e-mail to adulteducation@uni-due.de in order to register for this course. Required readings: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (1996). Lifelong learning for all - Meeting of the Education Committee at ministerial level. Paris: OECD. (chapters 2 and 5) Schuetze, H. G. (2006). International concepts and agendas of Lifelong Learning. Compare, 36(3), 289 - 306. Schuetze, H. G., & Casey, C. (2006). Models and meanings of Lifelong Learning: Progress and barriers on the way to the Learning Society. Compare, 36(3), 279 - 287. UNESCO Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century. (1996). Learning: The treasure from within. Paris: Unesco (Delors Report). (chapters 4, 5 and 6) Recommended readings: European Commission (2000) A memorandum on lifelong learning, (Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Commission). Green, A. (2006). Models of Lifelong Learning and the Knowledge Society. Compare, 36(3), 307 - 325. Mundy, K. (1999) Educational multilaterism in a changing world order: UNESCO and the limits of the possible, Journal of Educational Development, 19, 27 - 52. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (1973). Recurrent Education: A Strategy for Lifelong Learning. Paris: OECD. UNESCO Commission on The World of Education Today and Tomorrow. (1972). Learning to be. Paris: UNESCO (Faure Report). Bildungswissenschaften Universität Duisburg-Essen SS 2009 Bildungswissenschaften