Sydney Community College

Lifelong Learning.

It’s strange how a term can have an effect not planned for. Adult Educators coined the term “Lifelong Learning” to help change a view that learning was something that took place in two stages, being primary, then secondary and for a few of us who where lucky enough, a third stage, tertiary. It is clear that learning takes place throughout life and is not restricted to formal learning events or courses of study. Indeed, others and I would argue that the bulk of our learning takes place informally and that the recognised learning associated with qualifications makes up a very small part of our total learning. This is the message embodied in the term “Lifelong Learning”. It is a message as much meant for policy makers as it is for learners, but for different reasons.

Learners need to know that their education did not end at the school gate and even though they may not have entered a formal institution since leaving school, their learning continued in many ways. It also informs learners that re-entry to formal learning is never closed because of age. This is a particularly important message for many of the about to retire “Baby Boom” generation.

For policy makers the message is a different one. It requires Governments to think about the whole of life when planning education. As a loaded term, it suggests that education services must take into account the changing needs of a society as it ages and as it is challenged by change.

What is the effect of the adoption of this term into common parlance?

The rise of Adult Educations Institutions worldwide has been a phenomenon well documented by now. Extraordinary growth has been witnessed throughout the last part of the last century. Growth now seems to have plateaued but many planners are looking to the next wave, the above 55’s. Attitudes of learners as evidenced by this growth have also changed. Learners are more likely to choose education, as part of their lifestyle. Some have observed that education is now used in the same way as theatre, restaurants, sporting events etc. The marketing term, “edutainment” popped up as a descriptive if somewhat offensive way of categorising this attitudinal and behavioural change.

Policy makers on the other hand have had a patchy response to the term. In the UK, a Ministry of Lifelong Learning was established in recognition that much more effort needed to be spent on the continuing education needs of adults. In much of the “New Europe”, a whole of Government approach has been adopted to respond to the learning needs of the society. The “Learning Towns and Learning Cities” movement is a spin off from this.

How have policy makers responded in Australia? Lifelong Learning as a term, has been appropriated and is now ever present. I recently saw a sign outside of Primary Schools that proclaimed “Lifelong Learning Starts Here!” The term was also used as the title of a restructure document authored by Department of Education and Training, as “Lifelong Learning, the Future of Public Education in NSW.

Although I have no real issue with a sign outside a primary school, the above discussion paper paints no picture of a Learning Society and is singular in its lack of vision for Lifelong Learning. Indeed, its only response to continuing development of non-formal adult education is to “streamline” (read abolish) the Board of Adult and Community Education. Of the $8 Billion spent in NSW by the Department of Education and Training, less than one quarter of one percent is spent on Adult and Community Education. Organisations such as Sydney Community College have been forced to increase fee for service and subsequently place more barriers to many potential learners.

Perhaps it’s time for the policy makers to stop using “Lifelong Learning” or start supporting it in a more than motherhood sense.

Garry John Traynor
Principal
garry.traynor@scc.nsw.edu.au

The views expressed in this editorial are those of the author.

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