Dates: 2 - 16 March 2002
Hosted by: Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia (ODLAA)
Moderator: Associate Professor Catherine McLoughlin, School of Education, Australian Catholic University, ACT, Australia (and President, ODLAA)
As we come to the end of this virtual conference, I would like to summarise some of the major issues discussed. This topic has provided a lot of scope for debate about how ICT can be used in support of lifelong learning, and of challenges that face developing countries who are moving towards globalisation and accelerated change.
Notions of lifelong learning imply that 'education' no longer has a monopoly over learning since a multiplicity of contexts and activities (both formal and informal) now involve learning. This definition means that lifelong learning is essentially removed from the sphere of formal systems of provision and conventional policy analysis. What this virtual conference has shown is that lifelong learning has many interpretations, but it does not yet a have a well-established research base. From this perspective, one important direction that that COL could take is to investigate lifelong learning as reconceptualisation of the education system itself, and investigate its discursive and social constructions and how these might impact on delivery modes, uses of ICT and the development of polices that increase or decrease access to educational opportunities in the Commonwealth.
In the context of the issues of defining lifelong learning and creating flexible educational opportunities, a number of challenges and tensions confront educators, policy makers, organisations and governments.
Use of appropriate technology
An important point made by Dave Smulders (14/03) is that educational institutions are being driven down the information superhighway and their agenda is more about staying competitive and less about providing solutions and reducing barriers to ICT access. If this is the case, leadership is needed to investigate how developing countries can utilise appropriate technologies rather than reaching for hi-tech solutions that are costly and inaccessible.
Need for learner support systems
Technology (e.g., ICT) of itself is not a solution to universal learning and human intervention, instructional design, planning and pedagogy must be recognised as driving and supporting change and innovation in learning. However, as the drivers for education are increasingly workforce oriented, educators need to develop innovative delivery systems and supports for learners.
The future of lifelong learning: Partnership not competition
Looking ahead to the future of lifelong learning, my predictions are as follows:
The mega universities will get larger and will become transnational ones through the use of ICT's and distance education. At the same time, there will be more competitors and with labour market demands for work related skills, the role of traditional education providers may change. Nevertheless the need for critically aware and humanitarian citizens exists and there will be a greater emphasis on other forms of intelligences(?), emotional and artistic together with concerns for environmental and ecological l issues.
The recognition that we live in global society will dominate how we learn. In this society corporations will exert control but their concerns may not be with the socially excluded, unless they are shareholders. But even corporations cannot act alone, and increasingly we are seeing more emphasis placed on partnerships rather than competition. There is a need to build more partnerships between wealth producers and other agencies in order to bring about equitable social arrangements and new solutions to providing improved educational and learning opportunities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that lifelong learning is not a mirage, but a concept that can be shaped by us as educators rather than being driven by market demands. We need to be aware that a narrowly focussed model of lifelong learning with an emphasis on work-based learning and updating of skills is gaining ground. We must remember that some countries are better positioned than others to maximise the benefits globalisation and of information technology, and that sharing of expertise and ongoing dialogue about effective pedagogy, social inclusivity and equity need to be part of our mindset.
I hope that that these issues will be discussed at greater length at the PCF2 conference.
--Catherine McLoughlin
