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The World of Lifelong Learning
in Adult Education
The importance of Adult Education is experiencing something of a resurgence at present in many parts of the world. It is often confused, or included, with vocational education and it is true that there are some similarities. But adult education also covers a wide range of activities, is delivered by a wide cross-section of people and organisations and takes place in a wide diversity of places from Church halls to old army huts to fully equipped purpose-built institutions. In a lifelong learning world the adult education sector will bear the brunt of the vastly increased demand for learning. The purpose of this section therefore is to raise a number of issues affecting adult education and its practice in that lifelong learning world.
A modern Adult Education Institution will follow the principles of learning found elsewhere on this site. It will have for example
A modern Adult Education Institution will follow the principles of learning found elsewhere on this site. It will have for example
- a lifelong learning organisation implementation strategy, developed with the help and input of students and staff, and which concentrates on giving ownership of learning to the learner
- a learning charter for its students and staff containing the key aspects of its policy on learning and the feedback opportunities and grievance channels open to them
- internal quality guidelines signed by all staff, and external quality assessment procedures
- a proactive marketing strategy which stresses both the pleasure and the importance of learning and plans to provide learning wherever, whenever and however the potential learners want it
- partnerships with other local organisations which optimise resources, activities and courses and with other national and international organisations which enhance learning and teaching
- Learning Support and counselling services able to administer and implement lifelong learning tools and techniques such as learning audits, personal learning plans, mentoring programmes for both students and staff
- Continuous development programmes for all staff including new knowledge about learning methods and research results which finds its way into practice in the institution
- A plan for the introduction and educational use of new technologies, including distance learning, multimedia and the educational use of the internet
- Participation in local and regional projects to improve employment and employability, new skills training and wealth creation
- Frequent celebration of, and reward for, learning by both students and staff
For further information on the ‘stakeholder Audit’ developed for Adult Education Colleges read ‘Learning Cities, Learning Regions, Learning Communities’ and participate in the Active Learning Materials described later in this site
Short stakeholder audit for Adult Education click here
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