essay on lifelong learning

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

What Motivates Lifelong Learners

• John Hagel III

Many leaders think it’s the fear of losing your job. They’re wrong.

Looking to stay ahead of the competition, companies today are creating lifelong learning programs for their employees, but they are often less effective than they could be. That’s because they don’t inspire the right kind of learning: The creation of new knowledge (and not just the transfer of existing knowledge about existing skills). The author’s research shows that those who are motivated to this kind of learning are spurred not by fear of losing their jobs, which is often the motivation given, but by what he calls the “passion of the explorer.” The article describes this mindset and how companies can create it among their employees.

It seems that everyone in business today is talking about the need for all workers to engage in lifelong learning as a response to the rapid pace of technological and strategic change all around us. But I’ve found that most executives and talent management professionals who are charged with getting their people to learn aren’t thinking about what drives real learning — the creation of new knowledge, not just the handoff of existing knowledge. As a result, many companies are missing opportunities to motivate their employees to engage in the kind of learning that will actually help them innovate and keep pace with their customers’ changing needs.

• John Hagel III   recently retired from Deloitte, where he founded and led the Center for the Edge , a research center based in Silicon Valley. A long-time resident of Silicon Valley, he is also a compulsive writer, having published eight books, including his most recent one,  The Journey Beyond Fear . He will be establishing a new Center to offer programs based on the book.

Partner Center

Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

How to Be a Lifelong Learner

People around the world are hungry to learn. Instructor Barbara Oakley discovered this when her online course “ Learning How to Learn ”—filmed in her basement in front of a green screen—attracted more than 1.5 million students.

Part of the goal of her course—and her new book, Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential —is to debunk some of the myths that get in the way of learning, like the belief that we’re bad at math or too old to change careers. These are just artificial obstacles, she argues. 

“People can often do more, change more, and learn more—often far more—than they’ve ever dreamed possible. Our potential is hidden in plain sight all around us,” Oakley writes.

She should know: Throughout her early schooling, she flunked math and science classes and resisted family pressure to pursue a science degree. Today? She’s a professor of engineering at Oakland University, after many different jobs in between.

Her book aims to help readers discover their hidden potential, by offering them both the tools and the inspiration to transform themselves through learning. 

The benefits of lifelong learning

Besides being fun, Oakley explains, continued learning can serve us well in the workforce. Many professionals today are engaging in a practice called “second-skilling”: gaining a second area of expertise, whether it’s related to their work (like a marketer learning programming) or completely different (a fundraiser training to be a yoga instructor).

When we lose our job, or work just starts to feel unsatisfying, having other skills can give us more choice and flexibility. We can quit our job and find a new one, of course, but we can also choose to move horizontally within the same organization, taking on different responsibilities.

Mindshift tells the story of one Dutch university employee who enriched her career thanks to her passion for online video gaming. Though she didn’t necessarily think of that as a “second skill,” it ended up benefitting her (and her employer) greatly: She became community manager of the university’s online courses, devising strategies to keep digital interactions civil just as she had done in the gaming world. This goes to show, Oakley writes, that we can never tell where our expertise will lead us or where it will come in handy.

Keeping our brains active and engaged in new areas also has cognitive benefits down the line. According to one study , people who knit, sew, quilt, do plumbing or carpentry, play games, use computers, or read have greater cognitive abilities as they age. Other research found that the more education you have , or the more cognitively stimulating activity you engage in , the lower your risk of Alzheimer’s.

Learning could even extend your life. People who read books for more than 3.5 hours a week are 23 percent less likely to die over a 12-year period—a good reason to keep cracking books after college!

Learn how to learn

Whether you’re inspired to learn woodworking or web development, Mindshift offers many tips that can make your learning more efficient and enjoyable.

Focus (and don’t focus). In order to absorb information, our brains need periods of intense focus followed by periods of mind-wandering , or “diffuse attention,” Oakley explains. So, learners will actually retain more if they incorporate time for rest and relaxation to allow this processing to happen. Perhaps that’s why aficionados love the Pomodoro technique , which recommends 25-minute bursts of work followed by five-minute breaks. 

We should also experiment with different levels of background noise to achieve optimal focus, Oakley advises. Quiet promotes deeper focus, while minor distractions or background noise—like what you’d find at a cafe—may encourage more diffuse attention and creative insight . (While your favorite music could help you get in the zone, music that’s loud, lyrical , or displeasing might be a distraction.)

Practice efficiently. Neuroscience research is now exploring what learning looks like in the brain—and it’s bad news for those of us who loved to cram in college. Apparently the brain can only build so many neurons each night , so regular, repeated practice is crucial.

Oakley recommends learning in “chunks”—bite-sized bits of information or skills, such as a passage in a song, one karate move, or the code for a particular technical command. Practicing these regularly allows them to become second nature, freeing up space in our conscious mind and working memory so we can continue building new knowledge. (If this doesn’t happen, you may have to select a smaller chunk.)

It also helps to practice in a variety of ways, at a variety of times. To understand information more deeply, Oakley recommends actively engaging with it by teaching ourselves aloud or creating mindmaps —web-like drawings connecting different concepts and ideas. We can also try practicing in our downtime (in line at Starbucks or in the car commuting, for example), and quickly reviewing the day’s lessons before going to sleep.

Exercise. One of the most surprising—and easiest—ways to supercharge our learning is to exercise. Physical activity can actually help us grow new brain cells and neurotransmitters ; it’s also been shown to improve our long-term memory and reverse age-related declines in brain function. In fact, walking for just 11 minutes a day is enough to reap some benefits.

While clearly informed by neuroscience, Mindshift focuses more on telling stories than explaining research—which makes it a fast read. After hearing so many tales of curiosity and transformation, you yourself may be inspired to pick up that random hobby you’ve fantasized about, or take one of many college-level courses now available online for free (like our very own Science of Happiness course ). Me? The one I signed up for starts next week.

About the Author

Kira M. Newman

Kira M. Newman is the managing editor of Greater Good . Her work has been published in outlets including the Washington Post , Mindful magazine, Social Media Monthly , and Tech.co, and she is the co-editor of The Gratitude Project . Follow her on Twitter!

You May Also Enjoy

The Happiness of Pursuit: A Review of Curious?

The Dark Side of Believing in Natural Talent

Wired to Wonder

Six Surprising Benefits of Curiosity

Learning might buffer brain against addiction.

Lifelong learning

Lifelong learning is a form of self-initiated education that is focused on personal development. More popular than ever now, what are the benefits?

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist, Valamis

February 17, 2022 · updated August 22, 2024

8 minute read

• Definition of lifelong learning

Why lifelong learning is important

Examples of lifelong learning, benefits of lifelong learning, organizational lifelong learning, how to adopt lifelong learning in your life, what is a lifelong learning.

Lifelong learning is a form of self-initiated education that is focused on personal development.

While there is no standardized definition of lifelong learning, it has generally been taken to refer to the learning that occurs outside of a formal educational institute, such as a school, university or corporate training.

Lifelong learning does not necessarily have to restrict itself to informal learning, however. It is best described as being voluntary with the purpose of achieving personal fulfillment. The means to achieve this could result in informal or formal education.

Whether pursuing personal interests and passions or chasing professional ambitions, lifelong learning can help us to achieve personal fulfillment and satisfaction.

It recognizes that humans have a natural drive to explore, learn and grow and encourages us to improve our own quality of life and sense of self-worth by paying attention to the ideas and goals that inspire us.

We’re all lifelong learners

But what does personal fulfillment mean?

The reality is that most of us have goals or interests outside of our formal schooling and jobs. This is part of what it means to be human: we have a natural curiosity and we are natural learners. We develop and grow thanks to our ability to learn.

Lifelong learning recognizes that not all of our learning comes from a classroom.

• For example, in childhood, we learn to talk or ride a bike.
• As an adult, we learn how to cook a new dish and how to be more confident.

These are examples of the everyday lifelong learning we engage in on a daily basis, either through socialization, trial and error, or self-initiated study.

Personal fulfillment and development refer to natural interests, curiosity, and motivations that lead us to learn new things. We learn for ourselves, not for someone else.

Key checklist for lifelong learning:

• Self-motivated or self-initiated
• Doesn’t always require a cost
• Often informal
• Self-taught or instruction that is sought
• Motivation is out of personal interest or personal development

The definitive guide to microlearning

The what, why, and how-to guide to inject microlearning into your company.

Here are some of the types of lifelong learning initiatives that you can engage in:

• Developing a new skill (eg. sewing, cooking, programming, public speaking, etc)
• Self-taught study (eg. learning a new language, researching a topic of interest, subscribing to a podcast, etc)
• Learning a new sport or activity (eg. Joining martial arts, learning to ski, learning to exercise, etc)
• Learning to use a new technology (smart devices, new software applications, etc)
• Acquiring new knowledge (taking a self-interest course via online education or classroom-based course)

Incorporating lifelong learning in your life can offer many long-term benefits, including:

1. Renewed self-motivation

Sometimes we get stuck in a rut doing things simply because we have to do them, like going to work or cleaning the house.

Figuring out what inspires you puts you back in the driver’s seat and is a reminder that you can really do things in life that you want to do.

2. Recognition of personal interests and goals

Re-igniting what makes you tick as a person reduces boredom, makes life more interesting, and can even open future opportunities.

You never know where your interests will lead you if you focus on them.

3. Improvement in other personal and professional skills

While we’re busy learning a new skill or acquiring new knowledge, we’re also building other valuable skills that can help us in our personal and professional lives.

This is because we utilize other skills in order to learn something new. For example, learning to sew requires problem-solving. Learning to draw involves developing creativity.

Skill development can include interpersonal skills, creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, reflection, adaptability and much more.

4. Improved self-confidence

Becoming more knowledgeable or skilled in something can increase our self-confidence in both our personal and professional lives.

• In our personal lives, this confidence can stem from the satisfaction of devoting time and effort to learning and improving, giving us a sense of accomplishment.
• In our professional lives, this self-confidence can be the feeling of trust we have in our knowledge and the ability to apply what we’ve learned.

Sometimes lifelong learning is used to describe a type of behavior that employers are seeking within the organization. Employers are recognizing that formal education credentials are not the only way to recognize and develop talent and that lifelong learning may be the desired trait.

Thanks to the fast pace of today’s knowledge economy, organizations are seeing lifelong learning as a core component in employee development . The idea is that employees should engage in constant personal learning in order to be adaptable and flexible for the organization to stay competitive and relevant.

This type of personal learning is often referred to as continuous learning. You can read more about continuous learning and what it means for both the employee and employer here.

According to some researchers, however, there is criticism that organizations are leveraging the concept of lifelong learning in order to place the responsibility of learning on employees instead of offering the resources, support and training needed to foster this kind of workforce.

Do I need to be proactive about lifelong learning?

Most people will learn something new at some point in their daily routine just by talking with other people, browsing the internet based on personal interest, reading the newspaper, or engaging in personal interest.

However, if making more effort to learn something new is important for either personal, family, or career reasons, or there is a need for a more organized structure, then here are some steps to get started.

1. Recognize your own personal interests and goals

Lifelong learning is about you, not other people and what they want.

Reflect on what you’re passionate about and what you envision for your own future.

If progressing your career is your personal interest, then there are ways to participate in self-directed learning to accomplish this goal.

If learning history is your passion, there are likewise ways to explore this interest further.

2. Make a list of what you would like to learn or be able to do

Once you’ve identified what motivates you, explore what it is about that particular interest or goal that you want to achieve.

Returning to our example of someone having a passion for history, perhaps it is desired to simply expand knowledge on the history of Europe. Or perhaps the interest is so strong that going for a Ph.D. is a dream goal.

Both of these are different levels of interest that entail different ways of learning.

3. Identify how you would like to get involved and the resources available

Achieving our personal goals begins with figuring out how to get started.

Researching and reading about the interest and goal can help to formulate how to go about learning it.

With our history example: the person who wants to simply learn more about a particular historical time period could discover books in the library catalog, blogs, magazines and podcasts dedicated to the subject, or even museums and talks.

The individual who wanted to achieve A Ph.D. in history as a personal goal could research university programs that could be done part-time or online, as well as the steps one would need to take to reach the doctorate level.

4. Structure the learning goal into your life

Fitting a new learning goal into your busy life takes consideration and effort.

If you don’t make time and space for it, it won’t happen.

It can easily lead to discouragement or quitting the learning initiative altogether.

Plan out how the requirements of the new learning initiative can fit into your life or what you need to do to make it fit.

For example, if learning a new language is the learning goal, can you make time for one hour a day? Or does 15 minutes a day sound more realistic?

Understanding the time and space you can devote to the learning goal can help you to stick with the goal in the long-run.

5. Make a commitment

Committing to your decision to engage in a new learning initiative is the final and most important step.

If you’ve set realistic expectations and have the self-motivation to see it through, commit to it and avoid making excuses.

You might be interested in

Key areas of employee development

Learning and development fundamentals

The meaning of Learning Management System (LMS)

Home — Essay Samples — Education — Learning — The Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning

The Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning

• Categories: Learning Women's Rights

About this sample

Words: 406 |

Published: Mar 16, 2024

Words: 406 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof Ernest (PhD)

Verified writer

• Expert in: Education Social Issues

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 711 words

7 pages / 3056 words

5 pages / 2524 words

1 pages / 553 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Learning

In educational settings, a field trip stands as a practical and immersive learning experience that goes beyond the confines of a classroom. Through the execution of a well-planned field trip, students are exposed to real-world [...]

Culture learning, the process of acquiring knowledge and understanding of different cultural perspectives, behaviors, and practices, plays a critical role in today’s interconnected world. As globalization continues to bring [...]

Assessment plays a crucial role in student learning and development within the school environment. It allows teachers to identify learning gaps, provide feedback to students on strengths and areas for improvement, and assists in [...]

In an era characterized by globalization and unprecedented connectivity, the ability to speak multiple languages has become an increasingly valuable skill. Learning a foreign language transcends mere academic pursuit; it serves [...]

Learning is a fundamental aspect of human existence, and it is a complex process that involves multiple stages of information processing. When we hear something for the first time, our brains must first encode the information, [...]

Frederick Douglass said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” If you know how to read and write, the sky is the limit from there. It can help expand your mind, your critical thinking, and make you see the world [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Speeches > James D. Gordon III > The Joy of Education and Lifelong Learning

The Joy of Education and Lifelong Learning

James d. gordon iii.

March 15, 2013

There are so many opportunities for lifelong learning. If we do our best and seek Heavenly Father’s help, He will strengthen us beyond our natural abilities and help us to learn.

I am happy to be here with you today. I remember when I was a university student. Like some of you, I had trouble deciding what my major should be. First I thought about majoring in economics. That way, if I couldn’t get a job after I graduated, at least I would understand why.

Then I thought I might major in physical education. I went down to the gym to lift weights, but the laughter made it difficult to concentrate.

I sampled some classes, but I didn’t always do very well. For example, I took a photography class. I just about went crazy trying to take a close-up of the horizon. The teacher in that class gave me an F minus. He said that giving me an F would be unfair to the people who failed normally.

I studied chemistry, but I thought that there were only four elements on the periodic table: earth, air, fire, and water. I thought that fire had three electrons in the outer shell.

I thought about studying math. It has been reported that 60 percent of Americans cannot do basic math. Sixty percent! That’s nearly half! But we shouldn’t laugh—and most of you didn’t, and I appreciate that.

Seek Learning

Seriously, I would like to speak about the joy of education and lifelong learning. Life is a test, and life is also a school. The Lord has invited us to seek learning. He said, “Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” 2  He commanded early Church leaders to “study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people.”  3

Three reasons why we should learn are to develop personally, to increase our ability to serve others, and to be prepared in all things. Brigham Young said, “Our education should be such as to improve our minds and fit us for increased usefulness; to make us of greater service to the human family.” 4

President Thomas S. Monson taught:

Your talents will expand as you study and learn. You will be able to better assist your families in their learning, and you will have peace of mind in knowing that you have prepared yourself for the eventualities that you may encounter in life. 5

Learning helps us to be prepared in all things. The Lord said:

Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you. 6

Being prepared in all things includes being prepared for the world of work so that you can provide for yourself and your family.

It is a great privilege to study at Brigham Young University. You have the opportunity to learn in an environment that is consistent with the principles of the gospel. Being a student here is a position of trust. As you know, the Church pays for much of your education. You have the responsibility to study hard, to obey the Honor Code, and to prepare for future service. Hopefully throughout your life you will look back on your time here with fondness and cherish the memories.

On Pursuing a BYU Education

I would like to offer some advice as you pursue your education here. I hope that I don’t sound like Polonius giving advice to Laertes in Shakespeare’s play  Hamlet— especially when I remember what happened to Polonius. I am not referring to the fact that he was killed behind the arras, but rather to the fact that over the centuries he has been portrayed by literally thousands of bad actors.

First, do your best in school. You might recall a story about a person who was asked to build a house. He decided to cut corners, use cheap materials, and do a poor job. When he was done, the owner handed him the key and said, “I’d like to give you this house as a gift.”

Attending the university is like that. You can work hard and do a good job, or you can cut cor-ners and do a poor job. Be fair with yourself by giving your best effort. I encourage you to work diligently, to learn a lot, and to prepare well for the future.

Second, do things to enrich your education, such as having a mentored-learning experience with a faculty member, publishing an article, doing an internship, working in BYUSA, or participating in a student club. Perhaps you can be a teaching assistant or a research assistant or participate in a performing group. BYU offers so many opportunities to develop and grow. When you look back on your education here, these extra activities will have special meaning.

You might participate in intramural sports. Personally, I’m not very athletic. I tell my students that I played football in high school. They had a play designed especially for me. It was called “Pencilneck Right.” You know how BYU uses the run to set up the pass? Well, Pencilneck Right was used to set up the injury timeout.

When I was in high school I was in the chess club. I tell my students that I had a rook on my letterman jacket. Do you know what it says when you walk around campus with a rook on your letterman jacket? “Don’t mess with me, pal. Checkmate!”

Third, give service. It is important to fulfill Church callings and to perform other service. Y-Serve, the Center for Service and Learning, located in the Wilkinson Student Center, offers many opportunities to serve in the community. Service is important for its own sake, and it helps you to keep a broader perspective and to stay balanced.

Fourth, make friends. Even though your classmates are not as good-looking—and not as humble—as you are, they are bright, good, and interesting people. The friendships you make here can last throughout your whole life and can be a particularly sweet aspect of your university experience. Take time to make friends.

When I was in high school I didn’t have many friends. Once I told my dad that the other kids were giving me a hard time about my religion. My father sat down next to me, and, in his fatherly way, he said, “Son, it doesn’t matter what race you are or what religion you are. There will always be people who don’t like you—because you’re irritating.”

Fifth, attend devotional and forum addresses and other events, such as academic presentations, concerts, plays, and art exhibits. These are wonderful opportunities.

Sixth, enjoy your university education. It’s exciting, fascinating, challenging, and fun. The secret to happiness is not to look forward to some future time when all your problems will be solved. The secret is to be happy today.

The Joy and Sweetness of Lifelong Learning

There is joy in learning. In some Hebrew schools a special ceremony occurs on the first day of class. The teacher places a drop of honey on the cover of a book and gives the book to the student, who licks the honey off. The symbolic message is that learning is sweet.

Learning can also be challenging. Sometimes the learning curve is steep. When we are acquiring new knowledge or skills, we may feel uncertain, and we may make mistakes. However, being stretched means that we are growing. If we ask Heavenly Father in prayer, He will increase our ability to learn and help us to overcome our challenges.

Hopefully your university education will provide a foundation for lifelong learning. As  The Aims of a BYU Education  describes:

BYU should inspire students to keep alive their curiosity and prepare them to continue learning throughout their lives. BYU should produce careful readers, prayerful thinkers, and active participants in solving family, professional, religious, and social problems. . . . Thus a BYU diploma is a beginning, not an end, pointing the way to a habit of constant learning. In an era of rapid changes in technology and information, the knowledge and skills learned this year may require renewal the next. Therefore, a BYU degree should educate students in how to learn, teach them that there is much still to learn, and implant in them a love of learning “by study and also by faith.” 7

The most important area of lifelong learning is spiritual learning. We seek answers through prayer. We read the scriptures regularly so that they become part of our lives. Reading the scriptures reminds us of the Lord’s commandments, the covenants that we have made to keep them, and the blessings of the gospel. Studying the scriptures also invites the Holy Ghost, who guides our decisions and helps us to learn. Elder Russell M. Nelson said: “Faith is nurtured through knowledge of God. It comes from prayer and feasting upon the words of Christ through diligent study of the scriptures.” 8

Regardless of one’s opportunities for formal education, a person can engage in lifelong learning. My grandfather was Jim Gordon. His parents were Scottish immigrants. He was only able to finish the eighth grade before he went to work. He drove a delivery wagon in San Francisco when he was a young man.

Automobiles replaced horse-drawn wagons. Later my grandfather became a mechanic. He brought books about diesel engines home from work, and he read them. Eventually he became the supervisor over all the diesel equipment for a substantial company. Although his opportunity for formal education was limited, he kept learning on his own. His most important learning experiences occurred when, later in life, he decided to enter the waters of baptism and to receive the blessings of the temple.

When my grandfather was young, he drove a horse-drawn wagon. However, his world changed. During his lifetime he flew in passenger planes, and astronauts landed on the moon. Your world will change too. Many of the changes will be positive and exciting; others may present challenges. Will you be prepared to meet the challenges that will arise during your lifetime?

We need to continue to learn throughout our lives. President Gordon B. Hinckley told graduating BYU students:

We live in a world where knowledge is developing at an ever-accelerating rate. Drink deeply from this ever-springing well of wisdom and human experience. If you should stop now, you will only stunt your intellectual and spiritual growth. Keep everlastingly at it. Read. Read. Read. Read the word of God in sacred books of scripture. Read from the great literature of the ages. Read what is being said in our day and time and what will be said in the future. 9

Personally, I love to read. I tell my students that my first job was as a proofreader in an M&M factory. You have your own patterns for reading. One thing that helps me is that my wife, Nadine, and I belong to a book group with some friends. During the school year we meet almost monthly. We take turns: a couple chooses a book, hosts the book group in their home, leads the discussion, and serves refreshments afterward. We have read books about a wide variety of subjects. I had never even heard of many of these books before, but I have enjoyed reading them very much.

In addition, I have always enjoyed words. When I was a boy and I would encounter a word I didn’t know, sometimes I would ask my father what it meant. He would reply, “Look it up.” My father usually knew the answer, but he wanted me to learn how to look words up. So I would open the dictionary that sat on the bookshelf in our living room and look the word up.

Later I wanted to learn more words. One summer my friend John Tanner (who later became a BYU English professor) and I worked as groundskeepers at the Oakland California Temple. On some days we would each write five words and their definitions on an index card and put the card in our shirt pocket. Then we would share the words and use them in sentences during the day. My favorite word from that summer was  halcyon.  It means calm, peaceful, tranquil, or golden. As we pulled weeds and performed other physical labor on the beautiful temple grounds, we would exclaim, “Oh, those halcyon days of youth!” Now, as I look back, I see that they really were halcyon days.

In our busy lives, how can we make time to continue learning? I believe in consistent, incremental progress—small steps over time. For example, one doesn’t learn to play the piano in a single day. One must practice daily for several years. After many small increments, one can eventually play hymns, popular songs, or classical music. Lifelong learning is like that. We need to schedule some time each day to study the scriptures. We can also regularly read a little in other books. We learn “line upon line” and “precept upon precept.” 10

Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks wrote:

There are few things more fulfilling and fun than learning something new. Great happiness, satisfaction, and financial rewards come from this. An education is not limited to formal study. Lifelong learning can increase our ability to appreciate and relish the workings and beauty of the world around us. This kind of learning goes well beyond books and a selective use of new technology, such as the Internet. It includes artistic endeavors. It also includes experiences with people and places: conversations with friends, visits to museums and concerts, and opportunities for service. We should expand ourselves and enjoy the journey. 11

Two Stumbling Blocks of Learning

There are two issues connected with learning about which we must be careful. First, learning can lead to pride. In 2 Nephi Jacob wrote:

O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. 12

President Ezra Taft Benson taught:

Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. . . .

The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness. (See Alma 7:23.) It is the broken heart and contrite spirit. 13

Humility opens our hearts and minds to learning. By contrast, thinking that we already know everything impedes our learning. King Benjamin taught that a person needs to become “as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” 14

Second, we should expect that at times apparent conflicts may arise between secular learning and gospel principles. “[T]he gospel encompasses all truth.” 15  At the groundbreaking of the BYU Eyring Science Center in 1948, President George Albert Smith said:

I want to say that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts all that is true in the world from whatever source it may come, with the knowledge that it originated with the greatest of all scientists, our Father in Heaven. . . .

And so I congratulate the students of this great institution  [BYU]  to think that you have all the advantages that the people of the world have, plus the advantages of faith in God, a belief in the power of our Heavenly Father, and His inspiration. 16

The Aims of a BYU Education  states:

Students need not ignore difficult and important questions. Rather, they should frame their questions in prayerful, faithful ways, leading them to answers that equip them to give “a reason of the hope that is in” them (1 Peter 3:15) and to articulate honestly and thoughtfully their commitments to Christ and to His Church. 17

When human knowledge and the gospel appear to conflict, we should remember that human knowledge is limited. Eternal truth is not limited, but our understanding of it is incomplete. After this life, if we are worthy, we will understand all truth. Meanwhile, we seek answers to faithful questions. We study, ponder, pray, and have patience. We exercise faith in God. He blesses us with greater knowledge, understanding, and peace in our lives.

We should be humble about what we know and what we do not know. An angel appeared to Nephi. Nephi wrote:

And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things. 18

We do not know the meaning of all things, but we do know that God loves His children.

God’s wisdom supersedes human knowledge. Elder Oaks wrote:

We are commanded to seek learning by study, the way of reason, and by faith, the way that relies on revelation. Both are pleasing to God. He uses both ways to reveal light and knowledge to his children. But when it comes to a knowledge of God and the principles of his gospel, we must give primacy to revelation because that is the Lord’s way. 19

We should also remember to put the gospel, not our academic discipline, first in our lives. Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” 20

The Strength in Learning

This is a wonderful time to be on the earth. There are so many opportunities for lifelong learning. If we do our best and seek Heavenly Father’s help, He will strengthen us beyond our natural abilities and help us to learn. That learning will enable us to develop personally, will increase our ability to serve others, and will help us to be prepared in all things.

I testify that the gospel is true. Heavenly Father lives and loves us, and Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

1. Marion B. and Rulon A. Earl Professor of Law, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University. Apologies and thanks to Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, Steven Wright, and others.

2. D&C 88:118.

3. D&C 90:15.

4.  JD  14:83.

5. Thomas S. Monson, “Three Goals to Guide You,”  Ensign,  November 2007, 119.

6. D&C 88:78–80.

7.  The Mission of Brigham Young University  and  The Aims of a BYU Education  (Provo: BYU, 1996), 12.

8. Russell M. Nelson, “With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible,”  Ensign,  May 1988, 34.

9. Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Three-Point Challenge,” BYU commencement address, 27 April 1995; excerpt in  TGBH,  171.

10. D&C 98:12; 2 Nephi 28:30.

11. Dallin H. Oaks and Kristen M. Oaks, “Learning and Latter-day Saints,”  Ensign,  April 2009, 27.

12. 2 Nephi 9:28–29.

13. Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,”  Ensign,  May 1989, 6.

14. Mosiah 3:19.

15. Elder Cecil O. Samuelson Jr. on Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s views, quoted in Bruce C. Hafen,  A Disciple’s Life: The Biography of Neal A. Maxwell  (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2002), 167; see also Henry Eyring, quoted in Henry J. Eyring,  Mormon Scientist: The Life and Faith of Henry Eyring  (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2007), 60.

16. George Albert Smith, “Address at Ground Breaking Ceremonies for the Physical Science Building at Brigham Young University,” 11 May 1948, 2, 4; this quotation is posted on the fifth floor of the BYU Harold B. Lee Library.

17.  The Aims,  4.

18. 1 Nephi 11:16–17.

19. Dallin H. Oaks,  The Lord’s Way  (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1991), 72.

20. 3 Nephi 13:33.

© Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.

James D. Gordon III1 was assistant to the president for planning and assessment and a professor of law at BYU when this devotional address was given on 26 March 2013.

Related Speeches

“And Also By Faith”

“That All May Be Edified”

Essay on Importance of Learning

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance of Learning in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Importance of Learning

The value of learning.

Learning is a crucial part of our lives. It helps us understand the world, make informed decisions, and grow as individuals.

Knowledge and Skills

Learning equips us with knowledge and skills. It makes us competent and confident, enabling us to face challenges and solve problems.

Personal Growth

Learning stimulates personal growth. It encourages curiosity and creativity, fostering a lifelong love for exploration and discovery.

Building Connections

Learning helps us connect with others. It promotes empathy and understanding, strengthening our relationships and communities.

250 Words Essay on Importance of Learning

The power of learning.

Learning is an integral part of human existence. It is a process that starts at birth and continues throughout our lives, shaping our understanding of the world and our place within it. Learning is not confined to the acquisition of knowledge in a formal education setting. It extends to our daily interactions, experiences, and the continuous process of personal and professional development.

Learning and Personal Growth

Learning is the cornerstone of personal growth and self-improvement. It broadens our perspectives, fosters curiosity, and encourages us to question the status quo. Our ability to learn and adapt is what has allowed humankind to evolve and progress over time. Learning cultivates critical thinking skills, enabling us to analyze situations, solve problems, and make informed decisions.

The Socio-economic Impact of Learning

Learning also plays a significant role in socio-economic development. Education equips individuals with the skills needed to contribute to the workforce effectively, thereby driving economic growth. Moreover, it promotes social cohesion by fostering a shared understanding of societal values and norms.

Learning and Technological Advancements

In the era of rapid technological advancements, the importance of learning cannot be overstated. With the advent of AI and automation, the job market is in a constant state of flux, and the ability to learn new skills is more crucial than ever. Lifelong learning is now a necessity, not a luxury.

In conclusion, learning is a powerful tool that not only enriches our personal lives but also contributes to societal progress. It is the key to unlocking our potential and adapting to the ever-changing world around us.

500 Words Essay on Importance of Learning

The essence of learning, personal growth and development.

Learning is essential for personal growth and development. It equips us with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate life effectively. Through learning, we acquire the ability to think critically, solve problems, and make informed decisions. It fosters creativity and innovation, enabling us to generate new ideas and solutions. Learning also facilitates emotional growth, helping us understand ourselves better, manage our emotions, and build strong interpersonal relationships.

Contributions to Society

On a societal level, learning plays a crucial role in driving progress and development. It is through learning that we gain an understanding of societal norms, values, and structures, enabling us to function effectively within our communities. Additionally, learning fosters social cohesion by promoting mutual understanding and respect among diverse groups. It equips us with the tools to challenge societal injustices and contribute to social change.

Global Impact

The role of lifelong learning.

In an era marked by rapid technological advancement and societal change, lifelong learning has become increasingly important. It enables us to stay relevant and competitive in the evolving job market, adapt to technological advancements, and navigate societal changes effectively. Lifelong learning fosters resilience, adaptability, and a growth mindset, qualities that are crucial for success in the 21st century.

In conclusion, learning is a vital aspect of human life that shapes our personal growth, contributes to societal development, and drives global progress. It equips us with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to navigate life effectively, foster social cohesion, and address global challenges. In the face of rapid technological and societal change, lifelong learning has emerged as a critical component of learning, enabling us to adapt and thrive in the evolving world. Therefore, it is essential that we embrace learning as a lifelong pursuit, striving to expand our knowledge, enhance our skills, and deepen our understanding of the world around us.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

The PMC website is updating on October 15, 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Springer Nature - PMC COVID-19 Collection
• PMC10182754

Lifelong Learning in the Educational Setting: A Systematic Literature Review

Win phyu thwe.

1 Doctoral School of Education, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary

Anikó Kálmán

2 Department of Technical Education, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), Műegyetem rkp.3, H-1111, Budapest, Hungary

This systematic literature review aimed to provide updated information on lifelong learning in educational research by examining theoretical documents and empirical papers from 2000 to 2022. This review sought to identify concepts, theories, and research trends and methods linked to lifelong learning in educational research in different countries. Our review findings showed that theoretical papers, such as reports, policies, and concepts of lifelong learning, are generally much more extensive than empirical studies. Word cloud analysis revealed that the most prominent concepts were lifelong learning skills, lifelong learning competencies, and the three types of lifelong learning (formal, nonformal, and informal). Following the inductive analysis, this study investigated three common research trends: conceptual framework or policies of lifelong learning, lifelong learning abilities, and influencing factors of lifelong learning and/or lifelong learning abilities. Regarding methodology, this study identified only three studies that used mixed methods, which is insufficient in the field. In addition, heterogeneity was also observed between research instruments in lifelong learning. Different data analysis techniques can be applied in this field, including content analysis, descriptive analysis, and inferential analysis. Finally, the participants involved in the examined studies were students, primary and secondary school teachers, undergraduates, postgraduates, student teachers, European Union Lifelong Learning experts, young adults, teacher educators, administrators, and academic staff.

Introduction

Lifelong learning is a broad term whose definitions have common meanings and which has been explained by organizations such as the European Commission, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The European Commission ( 2001 ) defines lifelong learning as any intentional learning activities conducted throughout a person’s lifetime to improve their knowledge, skills, and competencies from an individual, municipal, societal, and/or career standpoint. From this conventional definition, a more robust definition of lifelong learning emerged—that is, lifelong learning refers to all processes that transform a person’s body, mind, and social experiences intellectually, emotionally, and practically before they are integrated into their life story, resulting in a more experienced individual (Jarvis, 2009 ).

Meanwhile, the UNESCO definition of lifelong learning includes all intentional learning from birth to death that attempts to advance knowledge and skills for anyone who intends to engage in learning activities. Part of the broad definition of lifelong learning refers to both informal learning in settings such as the workplace, at home, or in the community and formal education in institutions such as schools, universities, and alternative education centers (Tuijnman et al., 1996 ). According to the European Lifelong Learning Initiative, lifelong learning is a consistently supportive process that stimulates and empowers individuals in acquiring all the awareness, values, skills, and comprehension they would require throughout their lifetime and apply them with self-belief, innovation, and pleasure in all positions, contexts, and climates (Watson, 2003 ). Therefore, lifelong learning can be generally defined as learning that one seeks throughout their life and that is flexible, varied, and accessible at diverse times and locations.

According to John Dewey, education is the process of giving a person the skills necessary to take charge of their world and fulfill their obligations. The ideas of education and lifelong learning endure over the life of an individual's existence. Lifelong learning transcends the limits of education and goes beyond traditional education (Edwards & Usher, 1998 ). In this regard, it is vital to assess how education settings can support lifelong learning. This literature review is the groundwork for the future implementation of educational institutions as lifelong learning centers.

Importance of a Systematic Literature Review of Lifelong Learning

A review of educational research in lifelong learning is the initial step to understanding relevant concepts and conducting empirical research. Both narrative and systematic reviews help identify research gaps and develop research questions, respectively. Meanwhile, systematic reviews include not only information obtained from the literature but also the adopted approach and where and how the literature was found. The significance of a systematic literature review (Cronin, 2011 ; Mallett et al., 2012 ) can be seen in the criteria used to assess whether to include or exclude a study from the review, reducing article selection bias.

Do et al. ( 2021 ) conducted the first systematic scientific investigation of the literature on lifelong learning although the selected studies focused only on the Southeast Asia context. Because the researchers used bibliometric analysis, it was not possible to study the intricacies of a lifelong learning issue, evaluate the quality of each scientific paper, or accurately highlight its effects on the topic. To overcome these limitations and provide a more general overview of the research topic, another systematic review of lifelong learning literature must be conducted. Therefore, our research will contain policy document, theoretical and empirical papers from 2000 to 2022 to provide updated information on lifelong learning in educational research. This literature review aims to identify concepts and theories, research areas, research trends, and research methods associated with lifelong learning in educational research in different countries. These intentions have guided the following research questions for this literature review:

• What concepts and theories have been applied to explain lifelong learning in education research?
• What research problems have been examined in lifelong learning in education research?
• What research methodologies have been adopted to evaluate lifelong learning in education?

Methodology

Lifelong learning in the educational setting is assessed using a systematic review of literature instead of a narrative review or bibliometric analysis. A systematic literature review is considered as a scientific, unambiguous, and repeatable process for locating, analyzing, and summarizing every available published and registered research article to address a clearly articulated question (Dewey & Drahota, 2016 ). To ensure the effectiveness of the document search strategy, this study used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) as suggested by Page et al. ( 2021 ).

This study employed the largest multidisciplinary databases, such as Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, and ProQuest, to search for studies in lifelong learning. It also investigated two institution-based websites focusing on lifelong learning, the UNESCO Institute of Lifelong Learning and the European Commission, and gathered their policy documents, publications, and reports. Throughout the period 2000–2022, all lifelong learning studies were considered to ensure that all up-to-date information is captured. Our keywords were “lifelong learning” and “education,” and we set our filters to include open-access articles and journals related to education, social science, and the English language. Based on the publication of hundreds of articles, we developed our inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Included and Excluded Studies

We selected articles based on the following criteria: published in educational science and social science publications, employed both theoretical and empirical research (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods), and open access. The decision was made to exclude lifelong learning articles that did not focus on the education field, such as medicine, engineering, and labor studies, and those with unsuitable titles and abstracts. Duplicate articles were removed after the articles that met these criteria were assessed using R Studio software.

The screening stage involved an evaluation of titles and abstracts to determine their suitability for the research question and literature review methodology. Through this method, we discovered irrelevant articles and removed them. The remaining policy documents, theoretical and empirical studies were reviewed and analyzed in the last screening round, producing a total of 55 eligible articles. Figure  1 shows the procedure of finding and selecting relevant literature according to the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram (Page et al., 2021 ).

Selection procedure of studies for analysis according to PRISMA 2020

Data Extraction and Analysis

To answer the research questions, we categorized lifelong learning concepts and theories, research trends, and methods. We extracted the concepts and theories from both policy documents, theoretical and empirical publications and then gathered information on research trends and methods based on empirical studies. We then conceptually coded and categorized the data and used R Studio software to analyze the articles both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Lifelong Learning Concepts and Theories

Our analysis of 55 studies covering the period 2000–2022 showed that lifelong learning was explained using different concepts based on the research area and trends. An overview of concepts related to lifelong learning can be found in Table ​ Table1. 1 . Meanwhile, the results of the word cloud analysis in R Studio (Fig.  2 ) revealed that the most prominent concepts were lifelong learning skills, lifelong learning competencies, and the three types of lifelong learning (formal, nonformal, and informal).

Analysis of concepts related with lifelong learning

Word cloud analysis of lifelong learning concepts

Many publications included in our review lack a clear theory of lifelong learning. Our analysis of the 55 studies, however, revealed an attempt by scholars to apply comprehensive theory (Bagnall, 2017 ), theory of transformative learning (Eschenbacher & Fleming, 2020 ), theories of societal learning (Osborne & Borkowska, 2017 ) to lifelong learning.

Research Areas in Lifelong Learning

We inductively analyzed 21 of the 55 empirical studies in our review to examine the common research problems that the researchers presented and addressed. From this analysis, three common research areas emerged: problems associated with the conceptual framework or policies of lifelong learning, issues surrounding lifelong learning abilities, and challenges linked to factors that influence lifelong learning and/or lifelong learning abilities. Table ​ Table2 2 presents a detailed analysis of these research problems in the 21 studies.

Analysis of research areas

We also found that researchers described lifelong learning abilities using terms such as “lifelong learning skills,” “lifelong learning competencies,” and “lifelong learning tendencies.” Some studies also investigated the impacts of demographic data to address their research problems (e.g., Buza et al., 2010 ; Nacaroglu et al., 2021 ; Sen & Durak, 2022 ; Shin & Jun, 2019 ).

Research Methodologies in Lifelong Learning

Of the 21 studies, 11 conducted quantitative research, seven qualitative researches, and three mixed-method research. Differences were observed in their research instruments, analysis, and participants based on their research design and methods. We will discuss these research methodologies based on the aforementioned three common research problems.

Table ​ Table3 3 summarizes the main research instruments used by lifelong learning studies. The researchers also adopted several other research tools, including the Competences Scale for Educational Technology Standards, the Teaching–Learning Conceptions Scale, the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale, the Perceived Self-Regulation Scale, the Dimension Learning Organization Questionnaire, learning agility, knowledge sharing, learning approaches, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Openness to Experience Scale, change readiness, the Epistemic Beliefs Inventory, general intelligence, self-assessment of metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive activity, reflexive skills, the questionnaire of implicit theories, a diagnosis of motivational structure, and the teaching and assessment strategies for pedagogical practice instrument, to investigate the relation between lifelong learning abilities and other variables or their impacts.

Analysis of research instruments based on their research problems

In some cases, some researchers developed these instruments, while in others, they modified existing tools (e.g., Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory (Crick et al., 2004 ), Lifelong Learning Competencies Scale (Sahin et al., 2010 ), and Lifelong Learning Tendency Scale (Coşkuna & Demirel, 2010 )). These researchers also performed many types of data analysis based on their data collection tools and data distribution methods, including descriptive and diagnostic analyses, hierarchical linear modeling, reliability, principal component analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, regression, multivariate regression, correlation, comparative analyses ( t -test or Mann–Whitney U test), and content analysis.

These studies also involved several types of participants, such as students, primary and secondary school teachers, undergraduates, postgraduates, student teachers, EU Lifelong Learning experts, young adults, teacher educators, administrators, and academic staffs, which all represent different contexts. Table ​ Table4 4 shows that Asia, the Middle East, and Europe can be regarded as the general contexts of these studies. Notably, however, fewer studies have been conducted in Asia than in the Middle East and Europe, which may pose a challenge to the generalization of the findings of some studies in these contexts.

Analysis of participants based on research problems

The results of our review showed that theoretical papers, such as reports, policy document, and lifelong learning concepts were generally much more extensive than empirical studies. Despite attempts to formulate new lifelong learning theories and apply existing ones, researchers have yet to develop a strong theory of lifelong learning. Consistent with the results of our systematic review is Steffens ( 2015 ) assertion that no single theory of learning can adequately account for all types of lifelong learning.

The prior studies' use of lifelong learning concepts can be the basis for further studies to build comprehensive theoretical frameworks in line with the current situation. This study’s concept analysis identified lifelong learning skills; lifelong learning competencies; and formal, nonformal, and informal learning as the most salient concepts.

Meanwhile, the analysis of each empirical study’s research problems generated three shared research trends in lifelong learning. Additionally, these studies were found to have investigated the relation between lifelong learning abilities and other variables, such as professional competencies, self-efficacy, and teaching–learning approaches. Moreover, they examined the factors affecting lifelong learning, lifelong learning skills, lifelong learning competencies, and lifelong learning tendencies; the hierarchical effects of individual and organizational variables; external barriers; professional learning environment; metacognitions; and personality determinants. Alongside these factors, demographic components such as gender, age, subjects, and educational level can also significantly influence lifelong learning. Furthermore, this review also found research gaps in lifelong learning in educational research, which offers the potential to explore lifelong learning using variables such as new learning communities, advanced teaching–learning techniques, learning styles, learning strategies and motivation in addition to self-directed learning, personal learning environments, and educational technology.

With regard to research methods, this study identified only three studies that used mixed methods, indicating an inadequacy in the field. Hence, all future research of lifelong learning should be conducted using mixed methods. Our examination of instruments revealed different tools that were used to assess the three common research problems. Such an effort may require the application of different data analysis techniques, including content analysis, descriptive analysis, and inferential analysis.

The prior studies, as a result of our review, only interviewed lifelong learning specialists, young adults, and secondary teachers to address their research issues, such as concepts and policies. Indeed, the development of lifelong learning policies or conceptual frameworks would benefit from the involvement of teachers from basic education schools, teacher education institutions, and universities.

Several research problems associated with lifelong learning capabilities involved university students, students and teacher educators. In light of this, it is still important to examine the lifelong learning skills, competencies, and tendencies of all stakeholders in the educational setting. The previous studies analyzed different factors that may shape lifelong learning and/or lifelong learning abilities with all possible participants. Considering the geographical context, more research must be conducted on the three research trends in lifelong learning in Asia as opposed to Europe. This will strengthen the generalizability of findings to specific target groups such as students, teachers, and teacher trainers in the specific area.

Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that our study is not without limitations. Our review may have overlooked several empirical studies that were not in Scopus, WoS, or ProQuest because we selected only open-access articles indexed in these databases. Additional research may have a different effect on the results. Neither the details of the research instruments nor the findings of each study can be examined in detail.

Therefore, we recommend that subsequent systematic reviews and meta-analyses in lifelong learning incorporate articles indexed in other databases. Researchers may also conduct future reviews examining the history and psychometrics of research instruments used in lifelong learning and considers the results of each empirical study. However, a comparison of study findings in the Asian context continues to be a challenge because not enough research has been conducted in all possible lifelong learning research areas. Considering the impact of COVID-19, lifelong learning research in new learning communities, environments, or organizations may be conducted to capture updated information.

This literature review aimed to identify concepts, theories, issues, trends, and research methodologies associated with lifelong learning in educational research. Our findings addressed concepts, lifelong learning policies, lifelong learning competencies, and formal, nonformal, and informal. The studies included in this review highlighted that a strong theory of lifelong learning has yet to be developed and applied. In addition, we deductively examined three common research trends: issues with basic concepts or guiding principles of lifelong learning, problems surrounding lifelong learning capacities, and challenges regarding variables that affect lifelong learning and/or lifelong learning capacities. Regarding methodology, we examined the techniques, tools, data analysis, and participants included in lifelong learning studies. Overall, educational researchers must continue to conduct more mixed methods studies, focusing on the Asian context.

Acknowledgements

The first author is the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship holder. This paper would have been impossible without the financial support of the Hungarian government’s Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship in collaboration with the Myanmar government.

Open access funding provided by University of Szeged.

Declarations

There are no competing interests to declare.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Contributor Information

Win Phyu Thwe, Email: moc.liamg@ewhtuyhpnniw .

Anikó Kálmán, Email: moc.liamg@okinanamlakrd .

• Adams D. Lifelong learning skills and attributes: The perceptions of Australian secondary school teachers. Issues in Educational Research. 2007; 17 (2):149–160. [ Google Scholar ]
• Bagnall RG. A critique of Peter Jarvis’s conceptualisation of the lifelong learner in the contemporary cultural context. International Journal of Lifelong Education. 2017; 36 (1–2):60–75. doi: 10.1080/02601370.2017.1268838. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bath DM, Smith CD. The relationship between epistemological beliefs and the propensity for lifelong learning. Studies in Continuing Education. 2009; 31 (2):173–189. doi: 10.1080/01580370902927758. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Beighton C. Biopolitics and lifelong learning: The vitalistic turn in English further education discourse. International Journal of Lifelong Education. 2021; 40 (3):229–243. doi: 10.1080/02601370.2021.1946863. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Black S. Lifelong learning as cruel optimism: Considering the discourses of lifelong learning and techno-solutionism in South African education. International Review of Education. 2021 doi: 10.1007/s11159-021-09924-8. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Buza L, Buza H, Tabaku E. Perceptıon of lifelong learning in higher education. Problems of Education in the 21st Century. 2010; 26 :42–51. [ Google Scholar ]
• Cefalo R, Kazepov Y. Investing over the life course: The role of lifelong learning in a social investment strategy 1. Studies in the Education of Adults. 2018; 50 (2):203–218. doi: 10.1080/02660830.2018.1550709. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Cort P. The EC discourse on vocational training: How a “common vocational training policy” turned into a lifelong learning strategy. Vocations and Learning. 2009; 2 (2):87–107. doi: 10.1007/s12186-008-9019-9. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Coşkuna YD, Demirel M. Lifelong learning tendency scale: The study of validity and reliability. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2010; 5 :2343–2350. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.461. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Council of the European Union. (2018). Council recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning. In Official Journal of the European Union 61(2). https://cutt.ly/MKKtVUN
• Crick RD, Broadfoot P, Claxton G. Developing an effective lifelong learning inventory: The ELLI Project. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice. 2004; 11 (3):247–272. doi: 10.1080/0969594042000304582. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Cronin C. Doing your literature review: Traditional and systematic techniques. Evaluation & Research in Education. 2011; 24 (3):219–221. doi: 10.1080/09500790.2011.581509. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Deveci T. Interpersonal communication predispositions for lifelong learning: The case of first year students. Journal of Education and Future-Egitim Ve Gelecek Dergisi. 2019; 15 :77–94. doi: 10.30786/jef.358529. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Deveci T. UAE-based first-year university students’ perception of lifelong learning skills affected by COVID-19. Tuning Journal for Higher Education. 2022; 9 (2):279–306. doi: 10.18543/tjhe.2069. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Dewey, A., & Drahota, A. (2016). Introduction to systematic reviews: online learning module . Cochrane Training. Available at https://Training.Cochrane.Org/Interactivelearning/Module-1-Introduction-Conducting-Systematic-Reviews . Retrieved March 6, 2020.
• do Nascimento, D. V., Valdés-Cotera, R., & (Germany), U. I. for L. L. (UIL). (2018). Promoting Lifelong Learning for All: The Experiences of Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania. UIL Publications Series on Lifelong Learning Policies and Strategies: No. 5. In UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (Issue 5). https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED590194&lang=es&site=ehost-live
• Do T-T, Thi Tinh P, Tran-Thi H-G, Bui DM, Pham TO, Nguyen-Le V-A, Nguyen T-T. Research on lifelong learning in Southeast Asia: A bibliometrics review between 1972 and 2019. Cogent Education. 2021 doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2021.1994361. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Edwards R, Usher R. Lo(o)s(en)ing the boundaries: From “education” to “lifelong learning” International Journal of Phytoremediation. 1998; 20 (1):83–103. doi: 10.1080/0158037980200106. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Elken M. Developing policy instruments for education in the EU: The European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning. International Journal of Lifelong Education. 2015; 34 (6):710–726. doi: 10.1080/02601370.2015.1103795. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Eschenbacher S, Fleming T. Transformative dimensions of lifelong learning: Mezirow, Rorty and COVID-19. International Review of Education. 2020; 66 (5–6):657–672. doi: 10.1007/s11159-020-09859-6. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• European Commission. (2001). Making a European area of lifelong learning a reality—communication from the commission, COM(2001) 678 final. Eric . http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&btnG=Search&q=intitle:No+Title#0%5Cnhttp://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED476026
• Green A. The many faces of lifelong learning: Recent education policy trends in Europe. Journal of Education Policy. 2002; 17 (6):611–626. doi: 10.1080/0268093022000032274. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Grokholskyi VL, Kaida NI, Albul SV, Ryzhkov EV, Trehub SY. Cognitive and metacognitive aspects of the development of lifelong learning competencies in law students. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education. 2020; 8 (2):1–14. doi: 10.5937/IJCRSEE2002001G. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ivanova I. A good adult educator as an important factor in the lifelong. Education And Training. 2009; 12 :61–67. [ Google Scholar ]
• James D. Is lifelong learning still useful? Disappointments and prospects for rediscovery. Journal of Education and Work. 2020; 33 (7–8):522–532. doi: 10.1080/13639080.2020.1852509. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Jarvis P, editor. The Routledge international handbook of lifelong learning. London: Routledge; 2009. [ Google Scholar ]
• Karalis T. Lifelong learning and preschool education: odd couple or eclectic relationship? Problems of Education in the 21st Century. 2009; 12 :68. [ Google Scholar ]
• Karataş K, Şentürk C, Teke A. The mediating role of self-directed learning readiness in the relationship between teaching-learning conceptions and lifelong learning tendencies. Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 2021; 46 (6):54–77. doi: 10.14221/ajte.2021v46n6.4. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kuit, T., & Fildes, K. (2014). Changing curriculum design to engage students to develop lifelong learning skills in biology. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education , 22 (2), 19–34. https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3598&context=smhpapers
• Kwan, E., MacLeod, S., Chandler, M., & Fox, T. (2017). Report on a literature review of reforms related to the 2006 European Framework of Key Competences for lifelong learning and the role of the Framework in these reforms. In European Commission, Bruselas. Recuperado de https://bit.ly/2Ixsj5F .
• Lavrijsen J, Nicaise I. Systemic obstacles to lifelong learning: The influence of the educational system design on learning attitudes. Studies in Continuing Education. 2017; 39 (2):176–196. doi: 10.1080/0158037X.2016.1275540. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Mallett R, Hagen-Zanker J, Slater R, Duvendack M. The benefits and challenges of using systematic reviews in international development research. Journal of Development Effectiveness. 2012; 4 (3):445–455. doi: 10.1080/19439342.2012.711342. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Mandal S. The rise of lifelong learning and fall of adult education in india. London Review of Education. 2019; 17 (3):318–330. doi: 10.18546/LRE.17.3.08. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Matsumoto-Royo K, Ramírez-Montoya MS, Glasserman-Morales LD. Lifelong learning and metacognition in the assessment of pre-service teachers in practice-based teacher education. Frontiers in Education. 2022 doi: 10.3389/feduc.2022.879238. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Maxwell B. Improving workplace learning of lifelong learning sector trainee teachers in the UK. Journal of Further and Higher Education. 2014; 38 (3):377–399. doi: 10.1080/0309877X.2013.831036. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Moore T, Shaffer SC. Awakening the learner within: purposeful prompts and lifelong learning measures in a first-year composition course. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. 2017; 17 (4):67–82. doi: 10.14434/josotl.v17i4.21899. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Muller R, Beiten S. Changing learning environments at university? Comparing the learning strategies of non-traditional European students engaged in lifelong learning. Journal of Educational Sciences & Psychology. 2013; 65 (1):1–7. [ Google Scholar ]
• Nacaroglu O, Kizkapan O, Bozdag T. Investigation of lifelong learning tendencies and self-regulatory learning perceptions of gifted students. Egitim ve Bilim. 2021; 46 (205):113–135. doi: 10.15390/EB.2020.8935. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Nicoll K, Fejes A. Lifelong learning: A pacification of “know how” Studies in Philosophy and Education. 2011; 30 (4):403–417. doi: 10.1007/s11217-011-9235-x. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Omirbayev S, Akhmed-Zaki D, Mukhatayev A, Biloshchytskyi A, Kassenov K, Faizullin A. The conceptual foundations of lifelong learning in Kazakhstan: Process modeling. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning. 2021; 16 (17):60–75. doi: 10.3991/ijet.v16i17.23685. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Oosterbeek H, Patrinos HA. Financing lifelong learning. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training. 2009; 1 (1):19–37. doi: 10.1007/bf03546478. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Osborne M, Borkowska K. A European lens upon adult and lifelong learning in Asia. Asia Pacific Education Review. 2017; 18 (2):269–280. doi: 10.1007/s12564-017-9479-4. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, Shamseer L, Tetzlaff JM, Moher D. Updating guidance for reporting systematic reviews: Development of the PRISMA 2020 statement. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2021; 134 :103–112. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.02.003. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Panitsides, E. A. (2014). Lifelong Learning as a lever for tackling the ageing phenomenon in the European Union: new challenges, new tools. Journal of Educational Sciences and Psychology , IV (1). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265330401_Lifelong_Learning_as_a_lever_for_tackling_the_ageing_phenomenon_in_the_European_Union_New_challenges_new_tools
• Rambla X, Kazepov Y, Jacovkis J, Alexander L, Amaral PD, M. Regional lifelong learning policies and the social vulnerability of young adults in Girona and Vienna. International Journal of Lifelong Education. 2020; 39 (1):48–60. doi: 10.1080/02601370.2019.1678691. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sahin M, Akbasli S, Yelken TY. Key competences for lifelong learning: The case of prospective teachers. Educational Research and Reviews. 2010; 5 (10):545–556. [ Google Scholar ]
• Sen N, Durak HY. Examining the relationships between english teachers’ lifelong learning tendencies with professional competencies and technology integrating self-efficacy. Education and Information Technologies. 2022; 27 (5):5953–5988. doi: 10.1007/s10639-021-10867-8. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Shin Y-S, Jun J. The hierarchical effects of individual and organizational variables on elementary school teachers’ lifelong learning competence. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education. 2019; 12 (2):205–212. doi: 10.26822/iejee.2019257668. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Simmons R, Walker M. A comparative study of awarding organisation and HEI initial teacher training programmes for the lifelong learning sector in England. Professional Development in Education. 2013; 39 (3):352–368. doi: 10.1080/19415257.2012.729514. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Steffens K. Competences, learning theories and moocs: Recent developments in lifelong learning. European Journal of Education. 2015; 50 (1):41–59. doi: 10.1111/ejed.12102. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sunthonkanokpong W, Murphy E. Quality, equity, inclusion and lifelong learning in pre-service teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability. 2019; 21 (2):91–104. doi: 10.2478/jtes-2019-0019. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Theodosopoulou M. The challenge of developing strategic lifelong learning in the school community. Problems of Education in the 21st Century. 2010; 21 :153–162. [ Google Scholar ]
• Tsatsaroni A, Evans J. Adult numeracy and the totally pedagogised society: PIAAC and other international surveys in the context of global educational policy on lifelong learning. Educational Studies in Mathematics. 2014; 87 (2):167–186. doi: 10.1007/s10649-013-9470-x. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Tuijnman, A., Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development., OECD Education Committee. Meeting (4th : 1996 : Paris, F. (1996). Lifelong learning for all : Meeting of the Education Committee at Ministerial level, 16–17 January 1996. (Vol. 9). http://hdl.voced.edu.au/10707/97779
• Tuparevska E, Santibáñez R, Solabarrieta J. Equity and social exclusion measures in EU lifelong learning policies. International Journal of Lifelong Education. 2020; 39 (1):5–17. doi: 10.1080/02601370.2019.1689435. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Tuparevska E, Santibáñez R, Solabarrieta J. Social exclusion in EU lifelong learning policies: Prevalence and definitions. International Journal of Lifelong Education. 2020; 39 (2):179–190. doi: 10.1080/02601370.2020.1728404. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Tyson LS, Vega VW. Why we need to talk about lifelong learning and intercultural universities. London Review of Education. 2019; 17 (3):347–361. doi: 10.1854/LRE.17.3.10. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• UIL, R. Y. (2017). Lifelong learning in transformation : Promising practices in Southeast Asia. In UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (Issue 4). ERIC.
• Usher R. Riding the lines of flight. European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults. 2015; 1 (1–2):67–78. doi: 10.3384/rela.2000-7426.rela0011. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Valiente O, Capsada-Munsech Q, de Otero JPG. Educationalisation of youth unemployment through lifelong learning policies in Europe. European Educational Research Journal. 2020; 19 (6):525–543. doi: 10.1177/1474904120908751. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Valiente O, Lowden K, Capsada-Munsech Q. Lifelong learning policies for vulnerable young adults in post-recession Scotland. British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2020; 41 (2):218–233. doi: 10.1080/01425692.2019.1685937. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Walters, S., Yang, J., & Roslander, P. (2014) Lifelong Learning in Selected African Countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda and Tanzania. UIL Publication Series on Lifelong Learning Policies and … . ERIC. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED560506%0Ahttps://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED560506.pdf
• Watson, L. (2003). Lifelong learning in Australia . https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Lifelong-learning-in-Australia-Watson/30be62bbe2448a4f9df723b70c2e2ab0f96cc854
• Yang, J., Schneller, C., Roche, S., & (Germany), U. I. for L. L. (UIL). (2015). The Role of Higher Education in Promoting Lifelong Learning. UIL Publication Series on Lifelong Learning Policies and Strategies: No. 3. In UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning . ERIC. https://login.proxy.hil.unb.ca/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED564050&site=ehost-live&scope=site
• Yen CJ, Tu CH, Sujo-Montes LE, Harati H, Rodas CR. Using personal learning environment (PLE) management to support digital lifelong learning. International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design. 2019; 9 (3):13–31. doi: 10.4018/IJOPCD.2019070102. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Yorozu, R. (2017). Lifelong learning in transformation: Promising practices in Southeast Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. In UNESCO Insitute for Lifelong Learning (Issue 4). UNESCO Insitute for Lifelong Learning. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000253603
• Zuhairi A, Hsueh ACT, Chiang I-CN. Empowering lifelong learning through open universities in Taiwan and Indonesia. Asian Association of Open Universities Journal. 2020; 15 (2):167–188. doi: 10.1108/AAOUJ-12-2019-0059. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

Advertisement

Reimagining adult education and lifelong learning for all: Historical and critical perspectives

• Introduction
• Published: 30 May 2022
• Volume 68 , pages 165–194, ( 2022 )

Cite this article

• Aaron Benavot   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4115-0323 1 ,
• Catherine Odora Hoppers   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5324-7371 2 ,
• Ashley Stepanek Lockhart   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6647-2391 3 &
• Heribert Hinzen 4  

10k Accesses

25 Citations

11 Altmetric

Explore all metrics

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

This special issue of the International Review of Education explores the future of adult education and lifelong learning from different historical and contemporary vantage points. It starts from a premise that the international adult education community is poised at a pivotal historical juncture. Looming large are the educational implications of climate change, environmental degradation and unsustainable lifestyles; widening social and economic divisions; weakening democratic institutions and processes; outbreaks of war, conflict and hate crimes; massive shifts in technology, globalisation and workplace relations; and migration movements and intergenerational demographic trends. How might the adult education community respond to these shifting realities and to what appear to be fragile and uncertain futures? The convening of the Seventh International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII) provides a timely opportunity for the proponents and practitioners of adult education to consider ways of addressing these serious challenges.

Bringing our diverse experiences from the worlds of scholarship and policymaking to our collaboration as joint guest editors of this special issue, we see value in posing thought-provoking questions, recasting historical ideas in a new light, interrogating concepts and well-established policies, as a means of opening new windows into the future of adult education. Although we employ different writing styles and narrative voices, as is discernible in this introductory essay, we share a belief that now is a crucial time for the international adult education community to reimagine the purpose, vision, scale and scope of lifelong learning for adults. In addition to the points raised in the articles featured in this special issue, we put forward a series of suggestive guideposts to facilitate dialogue and debate. These include: (1) a retrospective look at the ambitious visions of the adult education community in the aftermath of the Second World War, when the foundational concept of “fundamental education” (UNESCO 1949a ) held sway; (2) possible openings to reposition adult education and lifelong learning in light of the ongoing integration of the agendas of global development, education and sustainability; and (3) notable insights and ideas emerging from the African experience and perspective of adult education and lifelong learning.

The articles featured in this special issue explore ways of expanding and institutionalising adult education for all within a lifelong learning perspective. They seek to contribute to discussions that bridge the CONFINTEA process of reviewing and improving with the wider 2030 Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, in so doing, carve out new vistas on the futures of adult education. In the final section of our editorial, we draw out key findings from the articles, together with ideas explicated in this Introduction, to formulate a succinct set of recommendations for due consideration.

Preliminary remarks

In this introductory essay, we refer to the adult education community and its organisational entities as an “adult education movement”. The reasons for this are many. First, it is worth recalling that organised labour and trade unions have been among the strongest supporters – and sometimes providers – of worker education in many countries and viewed expanding education opportunities for workers as part of a larger political agenda to secure workers’ rights (ILO 2007 ). Second, references to an “adult education movement” can be found in many national contexts, including the United States (Knowles 1994 ), Canada (Selman and Selman 2009 ) and South Africa (Aitchison 2003 ). Third, in recounting its history, the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) refers to an international adult education movement: “The idea of having an international non-governmental body for the adult education movement was born in a discussion in a room in the Tokyo Prince Hotel in Japan where the Third International Conference on Adult Education was taking place in July of 1972” (ICAE, n.d., emphasis added). Fourth, some histories of adult and continuing education also use the term “movement” (Shannon 2015 ). Fifth, several key global education policy commitments have been framed as “movements” – examples include “the EFA movement” or the “functional literacy movement” or a “mass literacy movement”. Indeed, scholars of adult education have analysed the adult education field in the context of social movements (English and Mayo 2012 ). A recent indication of a growing adult education movement is the re-launch of ICAE’s flagship journal Convergence , after a break of more than a decade, focusing on areas like gender and environment, knowledge democracy and professional strengthening (Hall and Clover 2022 ), as well as links between ICAE and UNESCO (Hinzen 2022 ).

Our reference to an “international adult education movement” here is also meant to serve as a counterweight to the marginalisation of adult education around the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Representatives of the international adult education community were present at the Global Education for All Meeting in Muscat (May 2014) and later at the World Education Forum in Incheon (May 2015) during lively discussions over the post-2015 global education goal and its targets. However, when consensus emerged around several contentious issues, advocates of adult learning and education (ALE) were asked to get under the big tent notion of “lifelong learning”, to be mentioned in the formulation of the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) itself,

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (UN 2015 , p. 14).

They were expected to be content with three – potentially four – targets that referenced adults: “women and men” should be provided with equal access “to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university” (SDG Target 4.3; ibid., p. 20); “youth and adults” should be equipped with “relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship” (SDG Target 4.4; ibid.); “all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women” should be enabled to “achieve literacy and numeracy” (SDG Target 4.6; ibid., p. 21), and finally “all learners” – including adults – should “acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development …” (SDG Target 4.7; ibid.). In agreeing to work under the banner of lifelong learning, the ALE leadership effectively conceded explicit references to the provision of adult learning and education inside the 10 SDG targets instead of pushing for a dedicated separate one, and thus inadvertently contributed to its subsequent invisibility (Benavot 2018 ). In this introductory essay, our reference to international adult education as a “movement” serves to reclaim the value, power and spirit of ALE as a collective and organisational manifestation.

In the next section, we focus on how supporters of adult education fashioned and established a broad international vision of the field in the post-World War II era. This focus is not meant to minimise the importance of international activities of adult educators in the first half of the 20th century. For example, the first international conference of adult education was held in 1929, in Cambridge (England), under the auspices of the World Association for Adult Education (WAAE), which was founded by Albert Mansbridge in 1918 (Ireland and Spezia 2014 ). Representatives of 33 governments and more than 300 stakeholders attended the one-week conference. In conjunction with this initial WAAE meeting, authors from 26 countries contributed chapters to the first International Handbook on Adult Education (ibid.).

Adult education: an international movement born out of war and crisis

In the aftermath of the Second World War, which resulted in unimaginable death, destruction and discontent, many international leaders sought to promote peace and understanding by eradicating “ignorance” and “illiteracy” in the world. Footnote 1 As the Preamble of the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) famously states: “since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men [and women] that the defences of peace must be constructed” (UNESCO 1945 , p. 1). Promoting international understanding and diminishing the prospects of war were not the only motives behind the push to expand education and increase literacy. International leaders at that time also articulated economic and social motives while addressing the root causes of the crisis.

Three-fourths of the world’s people today are under-housed, under-clothed, under-fed, illiterate. Now, as long as this continues to be true, we have a very poor foundation upon which to build the world (Yan Yangchu, quoted in Boel 2016 , p. 154).

These words by the Chinese educator Yan Yangchu, aka James Yen, a fierce advocate of adult literacy campaigns and mass education movements in pre-War China, helped convince UNESCO delegates to establish its first flagship programme – the Fundamental Education Programme – in May 1946. Education should involve instruction in all areas that

contribute to the development of well-rounded, responsible members of society … it is proposed that the Organization [UNESCO] should launch, upon a world scale, an attack upon ignorance by helping all Member States who desire such help to establish a minimum Fundamental Education for all their citizens (internal UNESCO Memorandum, quoted in Boel 2016 , pp. 153–154). Footnote 2

UNESCO’s understanding of “fundamental education” in these early years was humanistic, global, holistic and equity-oriented (Boel 2016 ; Watras 2010 ). It went beyond adult literacy campaigns to include a wide array of projects and programmes targeting marginalised adults and out-of-school youth and can thus be regarded as a forerunner of lifelong and life-wide education (Elfert 2018 ). The first of the 12 Monographs on Fundamental Education, published by UNESCO in 1949, stressed that “the aim of all education is to help men and women to live fuller and happier lives” (UNESCO 1949a , p. 9). In practical terms, the idea was that education would alter basic living conditions in social life through, for example, health education, domestic and vocational skills, knowledge and understanding of human society, including economic and social organisation, law and government. Fundamental education was thus an integrated community strategy to improve material conditions and reduce the impact of poverty as preconditions for an array of educational activities that would support the development of individual qualities needed “to live in the modern world, such as personal judgment and initiative, freedom from fear and superstition, sympathy and understanding for different points of view” (UNESCO 1949a , p. 11). Footnote 3 The notion and value of fundamental education gained further legitimacy after countries adopted Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN 1948 ), which stated that education at the “fundamental” stage was to be free. Footnote 4

Soon afterwards, when the (First) International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA I) convened in Helsingør (Elsinore), Denmark in 1949, the 106 delegates agreed that adult education could and should play a formative role in fostering international understanding and world peace. Footnote 5 The idea was that adult education should serve as a bridge for intercultural exchange and reconciliation by contributing to the study of the life and circumstances of other peoples, their history, literature, art and other cultural achievements, as well as promoting technical assistance in low-income countries, and supporting the efforts of international organisations and the United Nations (UNESCO 1949b , pp. 28–30). The conference also embraced a decidedly holistic view of adult education, arguing that given the “deterioration in the material, spiritual and moral fabric of civilized life” (ibid., p. 28), adult education should help “rehabilitate world society with a new faith in [its] essential values and using knowledge in the pursuit of truth, freedom, justice and toleration” (ibid.). Although the delegates could not settle on a precise definition of adult education, they did agree on certain humanistic principles as a basis for expanding the adult education movement. These principles included, for example, the idea that adult education should practise a spirit of tolerance, uphold the value of freedom of thought and discussion, promote the study of world problems from both national and international perspectives, and emphasise the positive role of voluntary associations. The inspiring vision advanced at CONFINTEA I – to transform adults’ engagement within their communities and in the world – was clearly aligned with the growing interest in “fundamental education” as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN 1948 ).

UNESCO’s Fundamental Education Programme (FEP) sprouted many shoots during its heyday (Watras 2010 ). In 1947, UNESCO and the Haitian government inaugurated a first pilot project in the Marbial Valley region, a poor rural area of southern Haiti, with more than 20 trainers and teachers. To share ideas and experiences across newly established projects, UNESCO launched an Associated Projects scheme in 1949, which included more than 34 projects in 15 countries by 1951 (Boel 2016 ). UNESCO’s Regional Centre of Fundamental Education in Mexico opened its doors in 1951, and became a training centre for fundamental education teachers, trainers and professionals. A year later, UNESCO established another training centre in Egypt and passed a resolution creating an international network of Fundamental Education Centres. During the FEP’s existence (1946–1958), UNESCO was active in expanding literacy campaigns, building community centres, introducing new crops, promoting handicrafts and reducing disease in more than 60 of the then 82 UNESCO Member States. In many instances, these activities involved other United Nations (UN) agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO – raising awareness of land erosion), the World Health Organization (WHO – promoting hygiene and health) and the International Labour Organization (ILO – fostering handicrafts and local industries). These projects were designed to be participatory, empowering and contextualised. As Conrad Opper, then Director of UNESCO’s Fundamental Education Pilot Project in Haiti, stated:

Fundamental education … means a mass attack on poverty, disease and ignorance … Fundamental education must aim at changing lives from within. It must not impose on a community large social and economic development schemes, but lead the people patiently and unobtrusively to work for their own improvement, using as far as possible their own social institutions and their own leadership …. There is … no blue-print for fundamental education. Everything will depend on the team resources available, the human resources of the people and the way in which these two forces are brought together … fundamental education is not just bull-dozers, penicillin and cinema vans; it is bringing new life to a people. And in these sombre days, mending a life is a far tougher job than ending it (Opper 1951 , p. 5).

In time, however, the ambitions of the FEP collided with insufficient financial resources from UNESCO Member States to carry out additional projects and expand the network of training centres (Watras 2010 ). In addition, critiques about the notion and practice of fundamental education emerged both externally and internally (Boel 2016 ). The UN took issue with the scale and scope of FEP activities. UNESCO and the other specialised agencies (ILO, FAO and WHO) argued that they should have programme-execution responsibilities in their specific fields of competence and that the UN’s exclusive function should be inter-agency coordination. The UN, on the other hand, expressed concerns that the all-inclusive nature of “fundamental education” meant that UNESCO was moving beyond education into other sectors, and insisted that the work of the FEP be seen as only one aspect of the broader process of community development. Internally, several UNESCO Member States, such as the United States, took issue with the largesse of funds allocated to FEP projects and the lack of clearly defined outcomes and measurable results (Boel 2016 ). While data were collected on “the number of teachers and trainers trained, new literates, community centres, new crops introduced, handicraft production and reduction of victims of diseases”, it was more challenging to determine the number of adults leading “fuller and happier lives” (ibid., p. 161). External critiques of and internal opposition to fundamental education were followed by executive deliberations and commissioned reports which raised questions about the impact of UNESCO’s flagship programme and whether it was meeting its lofty ideals. In 1958, UNESCO’s General Conference decided to drop the use of this foundational concept, close the Fundamental Education division, merge it into another unit, and substitute less contentious terms like “adult education”, “adult literacy” and “youth activities” (Watras 2010 ). The final Monograph in the series on Fundamental Education was published in 1959 (Boel 2016 ).

Intensifying crises, different in scale and scope

Today, some 75 years after the FEP and the establishment of CONFINTEA conferences to review and improve ALE strategies, many more adults are considered “functionally literate” and rates of adult literacy have increased – albeit based on narrow definitions of literacy, conventionally measured (Benavot 2015 ). Despite this progress, adult literacy rates remain shockingly low in many countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, there are significant disparities in literacy rates according to household income, geographical location, ethnicity and gender. For example, in 2020, globally, 90% of men over the age of 15 were defined as “literate”, whereas only 83% of women were so defined (UNESCO 2021a , p. 303). Indeed, women constitute nearly two-thirds of all “illiterate” adults in the world and this share has changed little since the turn of the century. Overall, recent progress in adult literacy, conventionally understood, has been painstakingly slow. It mainly reflects demographic shifts in life expectancy and fertility and higher levels of formal education among younger birth cohorts and only minimal effects of increased access to adult literacy programmes (UNESCO 2015a , pp. 143–144, 2020a , p. 268).

Participation rates in ALE programmes vary greatly around the world (UIL 2019 ). Limited and unverified information on ALE participation rates is available for only 96 UNESCO Member States, entirely based on country self-reports in the survey conducted by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) for the Fourth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education ( GRALE 4 ). Of these countries, 28 reported adult participation rates below 5%; 24 countries reported participation rates between 5% and 10%; 11 countries reported rates between 11% and 19%; 19 countries reported rates between 20% and 50%; and only 14 countries reported adult participation rates above 50% (ibid.). We have almost no reliable information about ALE participation for the remaining 97 UNESCO Member States.

Undoubtedly, when the international adult education community convenes for CONFINTEA VII in Marrakech, Morocco in June 2022, it will recommit itself to the strengthening and funding of ALE and to boosting participation in ALE programmes, even in the absence of reliable data. It remains to be seen whether the strategies and policies emerging from the conference will also target participation among vulnerable groups – for example, minorities, migrants and refugees; people with disabilities; older adults – who require dedicated systems of financing and other support.

Notwithstanding limited ALE progress in recent decades, its endeavours pale when considered alongside emerging challenges and crises, which are profound in scale and scope. Growing evidence suggests that life on Earth hangs in the balance and ALE must be part of a comprehensive solution. Carefully researched scientific reports present disturbing evidence of the impact of human activities on species extinction, Footnote 6 climate change, Footnote 7 and water scarcity, Footnote 8 which are likely to adversely impact natural ecosystems, animal species and many human populations.

The list of anthropogenic-induced tipping points that are growing nearer or being crossed on our planet is long. Researchers have devised quantitative measures to determine if humanity is operating within the limits of nine boundaries – namely, climate change, ocean acidification, stratospheric ozone depletion, interference with global phosphorus and nitrogen cycles, rate of biodiversity loss, global freshwater use, land system change, aerosol loading, and chemical pollution (Asher 2021 ). At present, we have exceeded four of these boundaries (biodiversity loss, nitrogen cycle, land system change and climate change) and we are on the cusp of exceeding another four – all but the chemical boundary.

Concurrently, language vitality is on the wane: at least 50% of the world’s more than six thousand languages are losing speakers, especially among the young (UNESCO 2003 ). UNESCO estimates that, in most world regions, about 90% of the languages still in use today may be replaced by nationally dominant languages by the end of the 21st century. The endangerment of languages is especially profound among Indigenous peoples, a sign of further denigration of their heritage and knowledge systems (Dei 2002 ).

It is projected that most people on Earth today are likely to experience another extreme pandemic like COVID-19 in their lifetime (Marani et al. 2021 ). WHO’s Coronavirus Dashboard estimates that globally, since the onset of COVID-19, there have been more than half a billion confirmed cases and at least 6.26 million deaths (WHO 2022 ). As the pandemic spread, and communities were placed in lockdowns or restricted movement, main modes of formal and non-formal education either ceased or were disrupted. At its peak, the COVID-19 pandemic forced 194 countries to close their schools, affecting nearly 1.6 billion children and youth (UNESCO 2022 ). At least one in three students were unable to access remote learning (UNICEF 2020 ). In addition to educational disruption and learning loss, school closures massively eroded children’s – and adults’ – sense of routine, heightened their perceptions of fragility, and exacerbated socio-economic and racial inequalities in accessing education, as some were able to continue learning remotely, often by digital means, while many others could not.

Adult literacy and numeracy programmes were also hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. A rapid assessment in mid-2020 suggested that 90% of adult literacy programmes were partially or even fully suspended (UNESCO 2020a ). Moreover, with a few exceptions (e.g. Chad and Senegal), ALE programmes were mostly absent from countries’ initial education response plans to the pandemic (UNESCO 2020b ). Among member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a recent study estimated that pandemic-induced shutdowns of economic activities decreased workers’ participation in non-formal learning by an average of 18%, and in informal learning by 25% (OECD 2021 ).

Can adult education reimagine itself at this critical juncture in human history?

Given the profound and urgent crises facing humanity today, the question is whether the adult education movement can rise to the occasion, mobilise the political will and financial resources, and reimagine its purpose and trajectory in the coming decades. In the aftermath of the Second World War, adult educators faced unimaginable moral, spiritual, economic and political crises and raised the banner of Fundamental Education as an innovative strategy for transforming communities. The current multifaceted crises pose equally daunting – although perhaps less apparent – challenges, so the issue arises once again: Can leaders of today’s adult education community find the wherewithal to raise new banners that address the unprecedented forces impacting our communities and villages, our cities and countries – indeed, the future existence of our planet? Can the adult education movement effectively serve as a bridge for intercultural exchange and reconciliation, and as a platform that brings together actors and agencies with distinctive worldviews and interests to work together in common purpose?

There are certainly signs of a greater recognition of the importance and value of ALE today, though they are far from universal. To list a few: adults are living longer, generating more demand for learning throughout life in diverse settings and formats. New technologies, growing automation and shifting locations of production are influencing the skills needed by, and career trajectories of, workers in evolving labour markets. National populations are growing more diverse, partly due to intensified migration, thus highlighting the role of adult education in promoting nation-building and social solidarity. Many young adults have been leaving formal education due to the impact of higher costs, lower quality and remote instruction and will be looking for new pathways of learning as adults. Growing numbers of refugees and peoples displaced due to armed conflict have increased the need for adult education in emergencies as well as opportunities for (re)training and skill acquisition. Adult education is expected to contribute to greater awareness of climate change and to promote resilience through enhanced knowledge of mitigation and adaptation strategies. The turn away from democracy and the weakening of public support for democratic institutions (Freedom House 2022a , b ) are increasing interest in civic education and global citizenship education for learners of all age brackets. In short, despite persistent impediments, the rationale for governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector to invest in adult education could not be stronger and more urgent.

ALE and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Unlike the past, when the voices of adult educators seeking to transform the world may have been faint echoes in the ears of government leaders, today they can collaborate with numerous governmental and non-governmental actors within a comprehensive international development agenda: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN 2015 ). Education and lifelong learning Footnote 9 are understood to be drivers of broad social, political, economic and environmental transformation. The fact that promoting “lifelong learning opportunities for all” (SDG 4; UN 2015 ) has been adopted as an official international development priority is unprecedented.

References to ALE are found throughout the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their respective Targets – sometimes explicitly, often implicitly. In addition to the global goal dedicated to Education (SDG 4), there are numerous direct and indirect references to ALE in the other 16 SDGs (ISCU and ISSC 2015 ). As John Oxenham noted:

Each of the 17 goals has a set of targets and each set has at least one target that deals with or implies learning, training, educating or at the very least raising awareness for one or more groups of adults. Goals 3 [health], 5 [women], 8 [economy], 9 [infrastructure], 12 [consumption] and 13 [climate] especially include targets that imply substantial learning for ranges of adults – and organised, programmatic learning at that (John Oxenham, quoted in Rogers 2016 , p. 29).

Moreover, the lasting impact of education on many SDGs is apparent in two other ways (UNESCO 2016 , p. 368 ff.). First, when SDG Indicators (UIS 2018 ) are disaggregated by education levels, there is often a significant link between more educated adults and various sustainability outcomes, thereby confirming long-standing research findings. Second, progress in the 2030 Agenda depends on whether and how formal and non-formal education builds critical capacity in society. Improvements in health and sanitation services, agricultural productivity, climate change mitigation and crime reduction – to name a few – are contingent on training professionals who can implement policies, lead information campaigns, and communicate with targeted communities. Whether considered non-formal adult education or university-based extension services (Rogers 2016 ), adult education programmes are found in many fields – e.g. health promotion, agriculture, human resource enhancement, environmental management and community development – but there is rarely a co-ordinating idea illuminating the work and purposes of such programmes. Small ALE fiefdoms, under the purview of non-education ministries or non-state actors, often remain unaware of the shared world they occupy (UNESCO 2021a ), and ministries of education have few incentives to accurately reflect the vast and colourful portrait consisting of diverse adult education activities. If ALE is an essential means of capacity building, then the need for such capacities is acute in many under-resourced settings. Effective capacity building through ALE can significantly contribute to SDG progress. And yet, ALE continues to play the role of an “invisible friend” for the SDGs (Benavot 2018 ).

Future visions of ALE and lifelong learning

Until recently, the main foci of the international educational community have been on universal completion of primary education, reduced gender disparities in basic education, enhanced quality education, mainly in terms of increased learning levels, and a growing interest in early childhood care and education. Apart from emanating conventional calls for fostering adult literacy and life skills, the Jomtien and Dakar conferences (UNESCO 1990; WCEFA 2000) had little to say about ALE beyond a recognition of intergenerational or family-based literacy acquisition. The broader opportunity to recognise the secondary benefits of ALE for sustainable development was missed.

In addition to deploying its convening power to bring together governments and other stakeholders in major policy-generating international gatherings, UNESCO has also commissioned over the years four forward-looking reports:

Learning to be: The world of education today and tomorrow (Faure et al. 1972 )

Learning: The treasure within. Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the 21st Century (Delors et al. 1996 )

Rethinking education: Towards a global common good? (UNESCO 2015b )

Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education (UNESCO 2021b ).

In many ways it is in and through these highly influential reports that the broad value of lifelong education and lifelong learning is fleshed out (see Biesta 2021 ). Arguably, the rationale and groundwork for the inclusion of lifelong learning in the SDGs were laid in the first two reports listed above. Nevertheless, an interesting contradiction has arisen: while members of the international community may embrace the term and sometimes the discourse of lifelong learning, in practice, they often do so in truncated ways – highlighting some aspects (early childhood education or formal education) and downplaying others (adult and non-formal education). Notable exceptions are the European Union (through its adult education targets and monitoring efforts) and the OECD (through skills assessments in its Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies [PIAAC]), which continue to focus on ALE as a critical policy lever – albeit dominated by economic considerations. In addition, there is a small group of countries – for example, Canada, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Singapore – which are deeply committed to implementing lifelong education policies. Footnote 10

It is also noteworthy how ALE and lifelong learning are conceived in these two recent UNESCO reports: Rethinking education (UNESCO 2015b ) and Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education (UNESCO 2021b ). The first report emphasises the humanistic and holistic nature of lifelong learning:

It is necessary … to reassert a humanistic approach to learning throughout life for social, economic and cultural development. Naturally, focus on particular dimensions may shift in different learning settings and at different stages of the life course. But in reaffirming the relevance of lifelong learning as the organizing principle for education, it is critical to integrate the social, economic and cultural dimensions (UNESCO 2015b , pp. 37–38).

The report further underscores the moral and ethical issues raised in and through lifelong learning:

… the concept of humanism has given rise to several, often conflicting, interpretations, each of which raises fundamental moral and ethical issues that are clearly matters of educational concern. It can be argued that sustaining and enhancing the dignity, capacity and welfare of the human person in relation to others, and to nature, should be the fundamental purpose of education in the twenty-first century. The humanistic values that should be the foundations and purpose of education include: respect for life and human dignity, equal rights and social justice, cultural and social diversity , and a sense of human solidarity and shared responsibility for our common future (UNESCO 2015b , p. 38; emphases in original).

The timing of the Reimagining our futures together report (UNESCO 2021b ) – amid a global pandemic, growing international crises, and in the run-up to CONFINTEA VII – means that it too is likely to influence thinking about ALE and lifelong learning in the coming years. The report underscores the transformative potential of ALE and the need to reimagine its purposes beyond economic considerations by forging synergistic connections with other sectors:

Adult learning and education must look very different a generation from now. As our economies and societies change, adult education will need to extend far beyond lifelong learning for labour market purposes. Opportunities for career change and reskilling need to connect to a broader reform of all education systems that emphasizes the creation of multiple, flexible pathways. Like education in all domains, rather than being reactive or adaptive (whether to change in labour markets, technology, or the environment), adult education needs to be reconceptualized around learning that is truly transformative (UNESCO 2021b , pp. 114–115).

The Reimagining our futures together report advocates for a multidimensional view of ALE – empowering, critical and transformative – which takes responsibility for shaping a just, peaceful and sustainable world:

Adult learning and education play multiple roles. It helps people find their way through a range of problems and increases competencies and agency. It enables people to take more responsibility for their future. Furthermore, it helps adults understand and critique changing paradigms and power relationships and take steps towards shaping a just and sustainable world. A futures orientation should define adult education, as much as education at all moments, as an education entangled with life. Adults are responsible for the world in which they live as well as the world of the future. Responsibility to the future cannot be simply passed on to the next generations. A shared ethic of intergenerational solidarity is needed (UNESCO 2021b , p. 115).

Interestingly, these quotations harken back to the broad-based, life-altering FEP agenda initiated many decades ago. They also recognise the distinctive challenges of our times, which again require holistic approaches and energetic thinking that transcend interagency politics and turf wars.

In preparing the Reimagining our futures together report (UNESCO 2021b ), UNESCO commissioned dozens of background papers, a handful of which focus on the future of ALE and lifelong learning. For example, in “Knowledge production, access and governance: A song from the South”, Catherine Odora Hoppers ( 2020 ) argues for expanding our understanding of education itself, from a narrow view of school-based learning, to one that embraces non-formal adult education, and then expands holistically into lifelong learning. Others note the challenges facing the adult education community if it is to meet a surging and diversified demand for ALE in the coming years. While noting the importance of contextualising solutions, the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), an international civil society organisation, calls for:

strengthening institutional structures (like community learning centres for delivering ALE) and securing the role of ALE staff,

improving in-service and pre-service education, further education, training, capacity building and employment conditions of adult educators, [and]

developing appropriate content/curricula and modes of delivery adequate for adult learners, based on research results (ICAE 2020 , p. 13).

Africa: education as a source of restoration

Although many current crises are global in scope, they impact world regions differently and often unequally. Here, we briefly focus on Africa, given its centrality in international education development discourse as well as its potential to be a thought leader in reimagining education and lifelong learning going forward.

In the African context, relationships with, and to, nature, human agency, and human solidarity underpin African knowledge systems. African communities create and derive their existence from them. Relationships between people hold pride of place – best explained by the concept of ubuntu (Oviawe 2016 ). It does not seek to conquer or debilitate nature as a first impulse.

Thus, from an African perspective, education must first and foremost facilitate restoration. This means employing education and social literacies (Street 1995 ) to build pathways of return for the empowerment of African children and adults – in other words, to foster a sense of coming home. There need to be concerted efforts to restore human agency among Africans. From an epistemological point of view, the objective is to enable African civilisations to be recovered, breathing life to Indigenous forms of knowledge and restoring their place in the livelihood of communities so that they can, without coercion, determine the nature and pace of the development they seek going forward (Ocitti 1994 ). Thus, the right to adult literacy and the achievement of universal literacy are not only important for personal fulfilment, enhanced skill levels and social development, but also as a source for restoration and renewal.

It is estimated that about sixty per cent of Africans live in rural areas (UN 2018 ). They use their bequeathed rural assets as the basis for establishing a livelihood, securing their existence, contributing to different modes of development, subsidising state social welfare, and caring for the old and the young. An appropriate strategy for adult education is to frame sustainable development around what people currently have and, from this vantage point, re-link lifelong learning with humanity from the ground up. This means systematising and integrating diverse social and non-Western knowledge systems into mainstream processes.

Education systems in Africa continue to be deeply rooted in Western values and cultural frames as a vestige of colonialism. They also narrowly attend to the supply side of the equation, obsessively focused on instrumental policies to increase attendance and school completion rates. Education needs to anticipate a liberation of the mainstream from its narrow, parochial, and eschewed understanding of what is “universal”. To do so would mean recognising the dissonance in the application of dialogue in the Freirean sense of “naming the world” (Freire 1970 ), and the under-articulation of strategies that enable the effective participation of African knowledge systems in this naming.

Which “life skills” should be realised through lifelong learning?

For education and lifelong learning to truly become authentic pathways to sustainable development, empowerment and restoration, they must go beyond the articulation of new visions for the future, and deal sensitively with the consequences of inherited practices. Continued focus on socialising children and adults into dominant cultural milieus or on adapting the provision of formal and non-formal education to existing economic structures to ease the school-to-work transition contributes little to a new vision of lifelong learning.

One potential point of departure is recasting the value of different “life skills” and competencies that adults acquire through ALE in consideration of an alternative set of societal purposes. At the World Education Forum in Dakar in May 2000, countries committed themselves to a broad “life skills” goal: to ensure “that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programmes” (EFA Goal 3; WEF 2000 , p. 16). Although various international organisations and civil society groups held different understandings of this goal, some consensus did eventually emerge: (1) that “equitable access to appropriate learning” included all modes of delivery, i.e. formal and nonformal education, vocational training, distance education, on-the-job training and self-learning; and (2) that life skills programmes could be characterised by the major types of skills they conveyed – namely, basic skills (e.g. literacy, numeracy), practical/contextual skills (e.g. health promotion, HIV prevention, livelihood and income-generation skills) and psychosocial skills (e.g. problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, interpersonal, communication, negotiating and collaboration/teamwork skills). Although EFA Goal 3 was, unsurprisingly, one of the most difficult goals to measure or monitor, it did embrace a broad view of the learning needs of younger and older learners (UNESCO 2014a , 2015a ).

The post-2015 global education policy agenda (SDG 4) contains more specific formulations of adult learning needs, albeit in separate targets (WEF 2016 ). SDG Target 4.3 focuses on equitable access to affordable and quality TVET and higher education; SDG Target 4.4 on relevant skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship; SDG Target 4.5 on eliminating discrimination and disparities in all forms of education; SDG Target 4.6 on youth and adult literacy and numeracy; and SDG Target 4.7 on knowledge and skills needed for sustainable development through education for sustainability and global citizenship. Footnote 11

While the SDG Targets invoke a wide array of skills and competencies, they mainly refer to economic productivity, social equality and sustainable development. But which transversal skills and competencies are needed to grapple with the imperatives of peaceful co-existence, social solidarity, global awareness and human dignity, which appear to be in short supply? For example, understanding human dignity and working towards its revitalisation presupposes an awareness of humiliation, deprivation, cognitive justice and other forms of disenfranchisement. In today’s world, commitments to democratic institutions and processes and securing human rights, taken on their own, are insufficient to ensure human dignity. While SDG Target 4.7 offers a handle for ALE programmes to diversify the competencies they seek to engender, most efforts around this target are exclusively focused on school-based learning. Can lifelong learning opportunities be designed to address emergent societal and global challenges? As we have seen, the stakes today are much higher than in the past.

Future educational trajectories, based on lifelong learning for all, must look with the eyes of a chameleon, taking a full 360-degree view, to embrace humanity where it stands and build upon what people have, instead of reinforcing the deficit-oriented and toxic formula that has been endemic to borrowed educational practices for so long. Lifelong learning is about learning throughout life in formal, non-formal and informal settings. And yet, more often than not, informal and non-formal approaches to learning are undervalued, mentioned in passing, and largely invisible. Why do so many advocates of lifelong learning turn to the safely tarmacked highways of formal learning? Non-formal and informal learning may require different measurement tools, but they are ubiquitous in people’s lives and deserve our full attention.

Shifting from education with a small “e” to Education with a capital “E”

For many, the term “lifelong learning” has a wider and a narrower meaning. In its wider meaning, lifelong learning refers to all forms of formal, non-formal and informal learning – irrespective of whether it is planned or unplanned, intentional or unintentional – involving children, youth and adults. In a narrower sense, lifelong learning refers to planned learning activities , including those both inside and outside of education and community institutions (e.g. workplace learning and private-sector provision) for specific populations (e.g. toddlers, adults). In the first sense, no one is a non-participant; everyone learns, even if the learning is unconscious and unintentional. In the second sense, there are some adults for whom it can be claimed that they “have done no ‘learning’ since leaving school”. Thus, “lifelong learning” policies seek to ensure that more and more adults participate in learning opportunities over the course of their lives (Rogers 2016 ).

Lifelong learning, in principle, does not discriminate between culturally distinct traditions in education. As Odora Hoppers ( 2020 ) argues, education with a small “e” is tied up with Eurocentrism, and a long tradition of school-centric and discipline-based ways of thinking that create artificial boundaries and barriers, leading to rigid outcomes, international league tables and limited interest in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary learning. By contrast, Education with a capital “E” refers to lifelong relearning, and unlearning, combining formal, informal and non-formal insights and wisdom from many cultures. It embraces traditional knowledge, Indigenous knowledge, civilisational knowledge systems from all parts of the world (Odora Hoppers 2020 ).

For Education with a capital “E” to take root and blossom, a dialogic context must be created in which the democratic imagination and conversation are constructed between different knowledge systems and across diverse disciplines and sectors (UNESCO 2000b ). Such a context would raise issues about governance, science and education and address questions of global ethics, learning and plurality (Bindé 2001 , 2004 ). This could result in a new governance model of local–global interfaces, focusing on issues of restoration, sustainability and increased human consciousness as well as self-cultivation and self-improvement. Such new governance should be underpinned by a lived ethics, instead of the conceptual compliance-driven ethics that are commonplace today. Current frameworks of governance fetishise information over knowledge as an ecology. This must change. The epistemics of governance of education with a capital “E” must be worked out in terms of a new vocabulary to replace the present model of governance which is puritanical and quite un-nuanced about the suffering it creates (Odora Hoppers 2018 ).

To facilitate the shift to “Education”, emergent knowledge systems need to learn from and validate one another in future pursuits. Indigenous ways of living and knowing open up learners to the crucial distinction between “frugal subsistence” and “poverty” (Gupta 1999 ). Education should produce leaders who look beyond the “classroom” and its world of objects, categories and restrictive logic and foster a wider understanding of science, history, technologies and cultural sciences as practised by other knowledge systems.

Lastly, lifelong learning should seek to create “ethical spaces” that allow individuals from different knowledge traditions to engage in interactions based on dialogue, reciprocity, respect, courtesy, valorisation and recognition of the “Other”. Such spaces open windows of opportunity for critical conversations about race, gender, class, freedom and community. It is in and through ethical spaces that substantial, sustained and deeper understandings between cultures and peoples can emerge. When two sorts of entities with two sorts of intentions meet in an abstract theoretical location in the thought world, it becomes a space where different cultures, worldviews, knowledge systems and jurisdictions agree to interact. Non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities can come and participate, debate, discuss and finally have meaningful dialogue. Instead of maintaining unequal relations in terms of a hierarchical order, a space is created in which both entities experience vulnerability – in other words, they meet on equal terms, naked, without agendas or titles. Ethical spaces create a level playing field with opportunities for dialogue between entities and for the possible crossing of existing cultural borders (Ermine 2007 ).

Can lifelong learning reimagine itself as the purveyor of emancipatory platforms (Biesta 2012 )? Can it enable individuals to engage with distinctive knowledge traditions and with decolonised, alternate forms of knowing of, and being in, the world? If so, then it will help to address the crises of our times.

The articles featured in this special issue

The six articles we present in this special issue reflect opportunities and gaps in ALE and lifelong learning in the broad SDG agenda and how these might be bridged to bring forth more meaningful social transformation as discussed thus far. This compilation therefore highlights a range of strategies for creating abundant, fair, accessible, diverse and monitorable pathways and equivalencies both within and between formal, non-formal and informal learning. It also addresses the need to better align the links between ALE policy, governance, financing, quality and participation, the five key areas of the Belém Framework for Action (BFA; UIL 2010 ), and the five ALE-related Targets of SDG 4 (WEF 2016 ). Overall, this special issue aims to rethink and re-position ALE, the core construct of the CONFINTEA process of reviewing and improving, within the conception of lifelong learning in the SDGs as a key lever for development and addressing global challenges touched on earlier. In this respect it also complements forthcoming reports and papers being prepared for the CONFINTEA VII conference, including the Fifth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education ( GRALE 5 ) which will focus on education for active citizenship (UIL 2022 ).

This special issue aims to bring the agendas of CONFINTEA and the SDGs closer together. Much of the success of each respective agenda depends on mobilising funding to implement policy commitments. This is especially true for ALE, an education policy arena in which financing is far more precarious.

We begin with an article by David Archer , who was a member of the BFA Drafting Group in 2009, representing civil society through the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), and is a key expert on education financing within ActionAid. His article, “Avoiding pitfalls in the next International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA): Lessons on financing adult education from Belém”, is an interesting first-hand account from someone who was deeply engaged in the discussion and drafting ideas of how big the education part in a country’s overall national budget should be, and what the share of ALE of the national education budget should be moving towards by asking for concrete figures and percentages. He specifically points to the interventions of delegates who argued for no figure or percentage to be put into the BFA, and that they unfortunately succeeded on that point. This may have contributed to the reality of today where each GRALE points to the low level of ALE financing in most countries. Archer shares those insights in detail and offers a number of potential solutions, looking beyond education into progressive ways of tax reform or debt service suspension. It is to be hoped that key lessons have been learned and the outcome document of CONFINTEA VII, the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA), will be more explicit in terms of financing goals. The currently available draft for the online MFA consultation formulates financing as follows:

We are determined to increase public spending on education in accordance with country contexts to meet the international benchmarks of allocating 4–6% of GDP and/or 15–20% of total public expenditure to education, including at least 4% for ALE (CONFINTEA VII online consultation, accessed 10 April 2022).

The second article we present, “Financing adult learning and education (ALE) now and in future” was written by Idowu Biao , professor of lifelong learning at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin. He throws the net wider in helping to understand why ALE is grossly underfunded while the education community is pushing lifelong learning for all as stipulated in SDG 4. Biao starts off by talking about ALE as a human right, arguing that there is no good reason why ALE is not funded like other parts of a country’s education system. He identifies four factors which he deems responsible for this current state of affairs: (1) the world’s obsession with the provision of school education; (2) the lack of adequate instruments to work out ALE’s returns on investment; (3) the delusion that employers will ultimately supply ALE, a hope which disregards the fact that a large proportion of youth and adults are not in formal employment; and (4) the assumption that an expansion of formal schooling will eventually lead to the establishment of literate societies free of intergenerational crises. Since ALE is generally framed as a broad literacy education project, Biao undertakes a review of literacy education costing. He continues by looking into several funding models in which individuals, communities, governments, or employers play a key role at the national level, and also considers the use of international development aid or the Official Development Assistance (ODA) model. Both are needed: the increase in domestic funding for ALE as well as new perspectives of funding ALE within lifelong learning for global agencies, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, as well as large NGOs, whose ALE funding is minimal.

Adult literacy

Adult literacy is also of particular interest to Ulrike Hanemann and Clinton Robinson , both of whom are influential in this area through their work for UNESCO and in the field. In “Rethinking literacy from a lifelong learning perspective in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and the International Conference on Adult Education”, they raise concerns about the challenges of connecting literacy to the principle of lifelong learning, focusing in particular on SDG Target 4.6, which is dedicated to adult literacy. The authors use a holistic framework labelled “lifelong literacy” not only to strengthen global approaches to adult literacy – which they consider insufficiently prioritised in recent years – but also to inform policy and programme approaches that better link country, institution-based, community, family and individual learning. This integration, they argue, is necessary when considering literacy as a socially situated practice. Hanemann and Robinson also provide analyses of literacy policies, strategies and programmes that have been successful in adopting a lifelong learning approach, drawing out some important lessons on how this can be achieved. In particular, they argue, more attention needs to be paid to the demand side of a literate environment and to motivation, enabling continuity of learning by making literacy part of people’s broader learning purposes. The authors make a number of points that support the framing of adult literacy in this way, noting that learning begets learning and therefore motivation is highly implicit in this process if learning opportunities actively relate to the realities, aspirations and learning journeys of adults in different social contexts (i.e. matching learners’ language needs and local forms of knowledge). As such, education systems must make their inclusion more flexible and permeable through the creation of responsive infrastructure, also, for example, by broadening national qualifications frameworks to include literacy and basic skills gained in non-formal and informal learning environments, raising the value of recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) of these learning outcomes as a basis of learning continuity for all. To contribute to the ongoing discussion on reframing literacy from a lifelong learning perspective in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the potential development of a new “framework for action” during CONFINTEA VII, this article offers three fundamental considerations that should inform policy and strategic planning regarding conceptual orientation, programmatic responses and institutional connections.

Participation

After considering financing and literacy, we now turn to participation. GRALE 4, Entitled Leave no one behind: participation, equity and inclusion (UIL 2019 ) makes the claim in its concluding chapter that the global monitoring architecture in place is not adequately equipped to fulfil its purpose, and that country-level collection of ALE data is far from sufficient. Who participates in ALE, and who does not, in what forms and at what levels is hardly known. Aggregated data reflecting age and gender, access and inclusion, demand and supply, digital or institutionalised provision are limited.

The fourth article we present in this special issue is “Community learning centres (CLCs) for adult learning and education (ALE): Development in and by communities”, written by Sonja Belete, Chris Duke, Heribert Hinzen, Angela Owusu-Boampong and Khấu Hữu Phước. Aiming to get a clearer understanding of participation in community-based ALE, often conducted in community learning centres (CLCs), their article shows that institutionalised forms of ALE are found in most parts of the world. They are embedded in different traditions, with stronger roots in Europe and Asia, and as spaces offering opportunities for literacy and skills training, health and citizenship promotion, general, liberal and vocational education, in line with a fuller recognition of the meaning of lifelong learning, and in the context of local communities. They operate according to a multitude of modes, methods and materials, and often form the basis for even more informal and participatory learning, like study circles and community groups. The authors review relevant literature and identify recent studies and experiences with a particular focus on the Asia-Pacific and Africa regions, but also consider insights related to interventions at the global level. Findings point to low levels of participation of adults in general, and more specifically of vulnerable and excluded groups struggling to overcome various barriers. The authors’ discussion is guided by the question: What conditions are conducive to having more and better ALE for lifelong learning – and which roles can CLCs and other community-based ALE institutions play? They take into consideration that while most learners in CLCs are adults, sometimes children and youth also participate. As institutions, CLCs provide opportunities for engagement in different thematic areas through courses and other activities. To strengthen policy support for good practice, convincing examples of successful methods and related policies, legislation and financing are needed, along with a much deeper shared grasp of the full meaning of lifelong learning (throughout life, in depth, and including a wide range of locations and modes of learning). This discussion is timely – the authors argue that CLCs need to be given more attention in international commitments such as those made in the context of the series of CONFINTEAs and the UN’s 17 SDGs. Indeed, CLCs are up for discussion in a thematic workshop during CONFINTEA VII, and also featured in a recommendation in the draft MFA – both of which will take CLCs deeper into the proceedings and hopefully outcomes.

Two articles in this special issue focus on how monitoring ALE against international commitments can be improved in different ways, both to enhance scope, collaboration, reliability and usability of data findings and conclusions, but also to provide evidence for foundational arguments of ALE benefits, spill-over effects and financing needs. In the first of these two contributions, Ellen Boeren and Kjell Rubenson , both academics who have been involved in several GRALE reports, take a close look at its utility as a monitoring mechanism. In “The Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) : Strengths, weaknesses and future directions”, they use an evaluative framework developed by Pär Mårtensson et al. ( 2016 ) to investigate to what extent the GRALE approach to monitoring and reporting on ALE so far has been (1) credible (e.g. based on rigorous research methodologies and methods); (2) contributory (e.g. relevant and applicable to practice, generalisable); (3) communicable (e.g. accessible, understandable and readable in terms of report structure); and (4) conforming (e.g. with ethical standards). The authors arrive at several critical observations, such as concerns over GRALE data quality, given that the mechanism only relies on one response per country rather than triangulating information sources for a more impartial view of ALE activities on the ground. Another is on how countries with dramatically different ALE contexts are analysed in groups (by region, income level), potentially making it difficult for policymakers to distil specific learnings for their national settings and also challenging to see particular gaps or issues, aside from those reported through open-ended questions. While GRALE provides a unique dataset from regularly (at roughly three-year intervals) tracking progress on political commitments to the BFA and RALE across a wide swathe of UNESCO Member States, it is unclear what direct impact its insights and findings have had on ALE policy, strategy and programme developments over the past 13 years. This creates a nebulous space for supposition about impact, rather than having evidence of impact in various settings that underwrites and ultimately strengthens GRALE ’s concrete value in shaping ALE directions and driving social norms. To get to the bottom of this question, Boeren and Rubenson suggest an in-depth impact evaluation to be conducted during the next CONFINTEA cycle, in addition to GRALE focusing more on tracking not only progress but also impacts from meeting ALE commitments and linking this query to the SDGs.

The second article on monitoring, “Bringing together monitoring approaches to track progress on adult learning and education across main international policy tools”, was written by Ashley Stepanek Lockhart , who has also been involved in GRALE. She explores ways of leveraging the report and monitoring strategies of ALE-related SDG 4 Targets (4.1–4.7) and “means of implementation” (4.a–4.c) to increase coverage and efficiency of these processes by combining efforts from within different parts of UNESCO, while also maintaining their separate added value. This is important since, at least in theory, different UNESCO institutes and departments are talking to the same countries about ALE monitoring even if the approach, timeline and type of information collected may differ. While there are content overlaps, Stepanek Lockhart argues that aligning GRALE and monitoring strategies of ALE-related SDG 4 Targets/means of implementation could help to backstop information that each requires for sharper or more comprehensive analysis, whether to fill gaps on missing data or to verify data in hand, with the aim of increasing robustness and reliability of resulting reports. She provides examples of where data may be missing in one monitoring approach and how a question could be added to another to make up the difference, and vice versa (e.g. adding a question to the GRALE survey to build on limited information about SDG Indicator 4.3.1 on participation in informal and non-formal education in training in the last 12 months, by sex; conversely, sharing data with GRALE on SDG Indicator 4.4.1 on youth and adults with ICT skills, by skill type, to enhance analysis). Moreover, demonstrating that there are significant gaps between relevant targets, indicators and data sources, the author argues that mutually beneficial activities and information sharing could contribute to monitoring the fuller intent of SDG 4 Targets concerning ALE, which may overlap with commitments made in the BFA and in the 2015 Recommendation for Adult Learning and Education (RALE; UNESCO & UIL 2016 ). Among other recommendations, the author highlights the need for GRALE to enlarge its focus on tracking ALE teacher development, since – while SDG Target/means of implementation 4.c focuses on increasing the supply of qualified teachers generally, and especially in economically developing countries – in practice they are otherwise not being monitored.

This introductory essay and the articles in this special issue constitute a clarion call for meeting the unprecedented challenges of our times by reimagining the roles of adult education and lifelong learning for all. Collectively, we consider abstract conceptualisations as well as concrete experiences. We draw on the historical record as well as on insights from adjacent fields of knowledge. From an African perspective, we reconsider the vast education project – formal, non-formal and informal – through a different lens. It prioritises education that serves as a platform for bridging diverse worldviews, cultivating encounters with the Other, and recognising, publicly and without duress, the co-existence of multiple forms of knowledge. Education that transforms must be holistic. Adult education that transforms must acknowledge different knowledge systems, including Indigenous ways of knowing and being, which have been neglected and devalorised. Working towards these ideals is among the deepest challenges for the ALE movement going forward.

Recommendations for the future of adult learning and education

On the relevance, contextualisation and interactive potential of ale.

Adult learning and education should be firmly embedded in local contexts of culture and language, and derive its purposes, major content areas and pedagogies from local communities regardless of location (i.e. rural, urban, mixed landscapes).

ALE programmes should encourage learners to encounter different knowledge and historical traditions and to engage in interactions based on dialogue, reciprocity, courtesy and mutual respect.

Indigenous knowledge and local learning practices are important for people to navigate their specific contexts and aspirations. Creating physical, emotional and intellectual spaces in support of these processes should be encouraged.

On institutionalising, professionalising and governing ALE

Countries should formally acknowledge that the right to education for all includes the right to adult education for all.

ALE systems should be an acknowledged sub-sector of a country’s education system (like primary, secondary and higher education) to more fully reflect and act on long-term political and financial commitments in this field.

Steps should be taken to enhance the provision of, and participation in, ALE within clearly demarcated spaces supported by an explicit infrastructure, one that facilitates local engagement. Community learning centres, for example, and other community-based institutions can be developed as cornerstones to local infrastructure.

The governance of a country’s education system should be redesigned to take full account of all sub-sectors from a lifelong learning perspective, including formal and non-formal education and informal learning. Policy decisions should draw on documented evidence of the flexible and permeable pathways adults utilise in their lives, which can be recognised and broadened to support a variety of learning journeys. Mechanisms and support structures should prioritise adults living and working in the informal and agricultural sectors, ensuring that no one is left behind.

The institutionalisation and professionalisation of ALE are important for organisational development as well as capacity building, training and research to enhance quality. Drawing on evidence of best practices, higher education institutions should play a supportive role in preparing ALE professionals, who serve in leadership, management, administration, teaching and research capacities in the ALE sub-sector. The research functions of universities and specialised institutions should be mobilised to improve all aspects of ALE systems, especially in terms of quality, diversity and equity through a lifelong learning approach.

On financing

ALE financing should be fully embedded and concretised in policy and legislation and move beyond well-intentioned political commitments. Without an urgent increase in financing, the potential role of ALE to respond to the major crises of our time will go under/unrealised.

All countries should widen the tax base by ending harmful tax incentives and preventing tax evasion and use these funds to increase the share of existing government budgets allocated to ALE.

Many countries should increase their tax to GDP ratios – say, by five percentage points by 2030 – to raise more financial resources for all forms of lifelong learning: formal, non-formal and informal.

Increased budget allocations to ALE should prioritise excluded groups, improve equity of provision and increase the scrutiny of spending in practice to make sure ALE resources reach disadvantaged communities.

International donors should support partner countries’ efforts to increase ALE funding levels by meeting their commitment to 0.7% of Gross National Income and thereby ensure equitable resource allocation to underserved communities.

On measuring, reporting and monitoring

Countries – with the support of international partners and agencies – should make concerted efforts to expand the collection and reporting of ALE-related information and statistics based on national census data, other national surveys and innovative indicators, thereby contributing to improvements in national reporting and global reviews of ALE and, ultimately, improved implementation.

Steps should be taken to upgrade the reliability and validity of information about the participation in and provision of ALE in all its forms and modalities, regardless of who the provider is (e.g. government agencies, or private-sector, civil-society, faith-based or distance learning organisations).

Information on other aspects of ALE (e.g. ALE programme descriptions, learner characteristics, programme quality, funding, educators and facilitators, outcomes, programme effectiveness and efficiency) should also be compiled. Such information should be utilised for improved policy deliberation, policy interventions, advocacy, the institutionalisation and professionalisation of ALE, as well as for evaluation research and innovation in the field. ALE data should become an integral and transparent part of overall education statistics and monitoring systems, and should help create a more robust evidence base for GRALE monitoring.

Countries should measure adult literacy based on a continuum of literacy levels (not dichotomised into literate and illiterate categories) and define clear measurable ALE targets within lifelong learning. Approaches to measuring literacy as a continuum at scale must be explored to ensure the quality and coverage of interventions in different places without becoming rigid or too prescriptive.

The Global Report on Adult Learning Education ( GRALE ) should be strengthened, and its independence enhanced. GRALE reports should be externally evaluated by an independent entity to determine its impact and fitness for purpose. The terms of reference for the evaluation should be developed by an independent body of diverse stakeholders. This evaluation could be the launch pad for a global research programme into ALE.

Greater synergies should be realised between GRALE and SDG 4 measurement and monitoring efforts, positioning al ALE as an integral part of the overall effort to support transformative lifelong learning and development.

The fact that the major parties to the conflict included the most educated and literate populations in the world did not detract from the abiding faith of post-WWII leaders that the spread of education and literacy would promote international understanding and peaceful relations.

These quotes are taken from the Memorandum on the education programme of UNESCO, Paper No. 1, prepared by the Education Staff of the Preparatory Commission, 13 May 1946. UNESCO.Prep.Com./Educ.Com., UNESCO Archives.

See also Educación Fundamental: Ideario, principios, orientaciones methodológicas (CREFAL 1952 ).

Internally, UNESCO delegates debated the use of the term “fundamental” in contrast to “elementary” or “primary”. Many preferred the former over the others since, for example, it “contained the more recent and much broader concept of education” or because it “conveyed more clearly the conception of basic education which was the right of everyone” or that it was “a new and modern concept … particularly well adapted to countries where adult education became imperative for those persons who had not enjoyed the opportunities of grade-school instruction” (UNESCO 2000a , p. 98). In explaining the choice of terms, Kuo Yu-Shou, Senior Counsellor for Education, claimed that the term “fundamental education” could include education for adults and children. Most importantly, this term suggested that teachers could accept the differences among individuals, while the term “mass education” implied teachers should treat everyone in the same manner (Watras 2010 , p. 221).

This was an insight from the aftermath of the massively disruptive First World War. In 1919, Imperial Germany had moved with deliberate speed towards establishing a democratic polity. The new Constitution of the Weimar Republic contained a special clause requesting local, regional and national authorities to support adult education, including the folk high schools. Despite further disruption (and misappropriation) during the Second World War, it was this constitutional anchoring of ALE in policy, legislation and financing which enabled the German adult education system to flourish for more than a century. The parallel with the evolution of the international adult education movement is striking (Hinzen and Meilhammer 2022 ).

As of the end of 2019, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global authority on the status of the natural world, included assessments for 112,432 species (a small proportion of all species), of which 30,178 (or 27%) have been found to be threatened with extinction (IUCN 2020 ). The IUCN’s Red list of threatened species currently estimates that 41% of amphibians, 26% of mammals, 13% of birds and 21% of reptiles are threatened with extinction (IUCN 2022 ).

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that human activities are estimated to have caused approximately 1.0°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels (IPCC 2022 ). If global warming continues to increase at the current rate, it is likely to reach 1.5°C between 2030 and 2052. Warming from human-caused emissions from the pre-industrial period to the present will persist for centuries to millennia and will continue to cause further long-term changes in the climate system, such as arctic cap melting, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, many with adverse impacts on natural, animal and human species.

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification estimates that over one-third of the world’s population currently lives in water-scarce regions (UNCCD 2022 ). By 2030, up to 700 million people could be displaced by drought. “By 2050, over half of the world’s population and half of global grain production will be exposed to severe water scarcity” (ibid., p. 41).

Lifelong learning comprises all learning activities, from cradle to retirement and beyond, undertaken with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competencies, within personal, civic, social and employment-related perspectives (UIL 2016 ). In much of the world, individuals are engaged in a multiplicity of learning activities – formal, non-formal and informal – throughout their lives, following diverse – and often discontinuous – learning pathways. While it may be difficult to capture empirically how learners of various ages traverse different learning entry and re-entry points, the fluidity of learning profiles has increasingly become the norm.

For Japan, see Centre for Public Impact ( 2018 ).

It is noteworthy that an earlier version of SDG Target 4.7, which was adopted during the Global EFA Meeting in May 2014 in Muscat, Oman, included learning outcomes beyond knowledge and skills. The Muscat Agreement (UNESCO 2014b ) adopted “Global Target 5”, which stated: “By 2030, all learners acquire knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to establish sustainable and peaceful societies, including through global citizenship and education for sustainable development” (ibid., p. 3). Had these social and emotional skills subsequently been included in SDG Target 4.7, it would have contributed to the legitimacy of non-cognitive learning outcomes in, for example, climate change education, human rights education and global citizenship education. The Education 2030 Framework for Action sought to rectify this issue (WEF 2016 , p. 49)

Aitchison, J. (2003). Struggle and compromise: A history of South African adult education from 1960 to 2001. Journal of Education , 29 , 125–177

Google Scholar  

Asher, C. (2021). The nine boundaries humanity must respect to keep the planet habitable. Mongabay , 30 March [online article]. Retrieved 11 May 2022 from https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/the-nine-boundaries-humanity-must-respect-to-keep-the-planet-habitable/

Benavot, A. (2015). Literacy in the 21st century: Towards a dynamic nexus of social relations. International Review of Education , 61 (1), 273–294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-015-9463-3

Article   Google Scholar  

Benavot, A. (2018). The invisible friend: Adult education and the Sustainable Development Goals. Adult Education and Development , 85 . 4–9. Retrieved 10 May 2022 from https://www.dvv-international.de/en/adult-education-and-development/editions/section-1-playing-a-role/introduction/the-invisible-friend-adult-education-and-the-sustainable-development-goals

Biesta, G. (2012). Have lifelong learning and emancipation still something to say to each other? Studies in the Education of Adults , 44 (1), 5–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/02660830.2012.11661620

Biesta, G. (2021). Reclaiming a future that has not yet been: The Faure report, UNESCO’s humanism and the need for the emancipation of education. International Review of Education . https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-021-09921-x . online first

Bindé, J. (Ed.). (2001). Keys to the 21st century . Paris/New York: UNESCO/Berghahn Books

Bindé, J. (Ed.). (2004). The future of values: 21st century talks . Paris/New York: UNESCO/Berghahn Books

Boel, J. (2016). UNESCO’s Fundamental education program, 1946–1958: Vision, actions and impact. In P. Duedahl (Ed.), A history of UNESCO: Global actions and impacts (pp. 153–167). New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan

Chapter   Google Scholar  

Centre for Public Impact (2018). Japan’s lifelong learning promotion law [online article]. London: Centre for Public Impact. Retrieved 10 May 2022 from https://www.centreforpublicimpact.org/case-study/lifelong-learning-japan

CREFAL (Centro Regional de Educación Fundamental para la America Latina) (1952). Educación Fundamental: Ideario, principios, orientaciones methodológicas . Patzcuaro: CREFAL. Retrieved 19 May 2022 from https://www.crefal.org/images/publicaciones/recientes/Ideario.pdf

Delors, et al. (1996). Learning: The treasure within. Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first century . Paris: UNESCO

Dei, G. J. S. (2002). Rethinking the role of Indigenous knowledges in the academy. NALL Working Paper #58. Toronto, ON: New Approaches to Lifelong Learning (NALL). Retrieved 17 May 2022 from https://nall.oise.utoronto.ca/res/58GeorgeDei.pdf

Elfert, M. (2018). UNESCO’s utopia of lifelong learning: An intellectual history . New York: Routledge: Routledge Research in Education series

English, L. M., & Mayo, P. (2012). Adult education and social movements. In L. M. English, & P. Mayo (Eds.), Learning with adults: A critical pedagogical introduction (pp. 109–130). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers

Ermine, W. (2007). The ethical space of engagement. Indigenous Law Journal , 6 (1), 193–203

Faure, et al. (1972). Learning to be: The world of education today and tomorrow . Paris: UNESCO/Harrap. Retrieved 10 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000223222/PDF/223222eng.pdf.multi

Freedom House (2022a). Democracies in decline [dedicated webpage]. Washington, DC: Freedom House. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://freedomhouse.org/issues/democracies-decline

Freedom House (2022b). Nations in transit 2021: The antidemocratic turn . Washington, DC: Freedom House. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://freedomhouse.org/report/nations-transit/2021/antidemocratic-turn

Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed . Transl. by M. Bergman Ramos. New York: Continuum

Gupta, A. (1999). Conserving biodiversity and rewarding associated knowledge and innovation systems: Honey bee perspective. Paper presented at the World Trade Forum. Berne, 27–29 August 1999

Hall, B. L., & Clover, D. E. (2022). Contemporary conversations and movements in adult education: From knowledge democracy to the aesthetic turn. Convergence , 43 (1), 4–16

Hinzen, H. (2022). Convergence and ICAE in the context of CONFINTEA and UNESCO: Memories, reflections and perspectives. Convergence , 43 (1), 17–30

Hinzen, H., & Meilhammer, E. (2022). 100 years of Volkshochschule in Germany – 50 years of DVV International: Signposts for local and global comparative perspectives on adult learning and education. International Review of Education , 68 (1), 125–154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-022-09944-y

ICAE (International Council for Adult Education) (n.d.). History of ICAE [dedicated webpage]. Belgrade: ICAE. Retrieved 19 (May 2022). from http://icae.global/en/about/history-of-icae/

ICAE (2020). Adult Learning and Education (ALE) – because the future cannot wait. Contribution of the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) to UNESCO’s Futures of Education initiative. Belgrade: ICAE. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://en.unesco.org/futuresofeducation/sites/default/files/2020-10/ICAE%20-%20Futures%20of%20ALE%20FINAL.pdf

ILO (International Labour Organization) (2007). The role of trade unions in workers’ education: The key to trade union capacity building. Background paper for the International Workers’ Symposium. Geneva, 8–12 October 2007. Geneva: ILO Bureau for Workers’ Activities. Retrieved 19 May 2022 from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_dialogue/@actrav/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_112434.pdf

Ireland, T., & Spezia, C. H. (2014). Adult Education in Retrospective 60 years of CONFINTEA . Brasilia: UNESCO. Retrieved 19 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000227635/PDF/227635eng.pdf.multi

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) (2022). Climate change 2022: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/

ISCU & ISSC (International Council for Science and International Social Science Council) (2015). Review of Targets for the Sustainable Development Goals: The science perspective. Paris: ISCU and ISSC. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://council.science/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/SDG-Report.pdf

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) (2020). IUCN 2019: International Union for Conservation of Nature, Annual report 2019. Gland: IUCN. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2020-025-En.pdf

IUCN (2022). The IUCN Red list of threatened species [dedicated website]. Gland: IUCN. Retrieved 12 May 2022 from https://www.iucnredlist.org/

Knowles, M. (1994). A history of the adult education movement in the United States . Revised edition. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing

Marani, M., Katul, G., Pan, W., & Parolari, A. (2021). Intensity and frequency of extreme novel epidemics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , 118(35), Art. e2105482118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105482118

Mårtensson, P., Fors, U., Wallin, S. B., Zander, U., & Nilsson, G. H. (2016). Evaluating research: A multidisciplinary approach to assessing research practice and quality. Research Policy , 45 (3), 593–603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2015.11.009

Ocitti, J. P. (1994). An introduction of Indigenous education in East Africa: A study in the cultural foundations of education. IIZ/DVV Supplement to Adult Education and Development, 42. Bonn: Institute for International Cooperation (IIZ)/DVV International

Odora Hoppers, C. A. (2018). Global Institute for Applied Governance in Science and Innovations: Framework Document . Gulu: Global Institute for Applied Governance in Science and Innovations (GIAGSI)

Odora Hoppers, C. A. (2020). Knowledge production, access and governance: A song from the South. Background paper for the UNESCO Futures of Education report 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374033

OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) (2021). Adult learning and COVID-19: How much informal and non-formal learning are workers missing? OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19), March 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/adult-learning-and-covid-19-how-much-informal-and-non-formal-learning-are-workers-missing-56a96569/

Opper, C. J. (1951). Bringing new life to sick regions. UNESCO Courier III (12), 5. Retrieved 11 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000071299/PDF/071299engo.pdf.multi

Oviawe, J. O. (2016). How to rediscover the ubuntu paradigm in education. International Review of Education , 62 (1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-016-9545-x

Rogers, A. (2016). The adult learning dimensions to the Sustainable Development Goals. Report of the 2016 Uppingham Seminar. Bury St Edmunds: Uppingham Seminars. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from http://www.uppinghamseminars.co.uk/REPORT%20-%20ALL-final.pdf

Selman, G., & Selman, M. (2009). The life and death of the Canadian adult education movement. Canadian Journal of University Continuing Education , 35 (2), 13–28. https://doi.org/10.21225/D5X59M

Shannon, D. (2015). A selective look at the history and practice of continuing education. In D. Shannon, & R. Wiltenburg (Eds.), Centennial conversations: Essential essays on professional, continuing and online education (pp. 3–14). Washington, DC: University Professional and Continuing Education Association

Street, B. (1995). Social literacies: Critical approaches to literacy in development, ethnography and education . London: Routledge

UIL (UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning) (2010). CONFINTEA VI Belém Framework for Action. Harnessing the power and potential of adult learning and education for a viable future. Hamburg: UIL. Retrieved 8 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000187789

UIL (2016). Conceptions and realities of lifelong learning . Background paper prepared for the 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report: Education for People and Planet: Creating sustainable futures for all. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000245626

UIL (2019). Leave no one behind: Participation, equity and inclusion . Fourth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education ( GRALE 4 ). Hamburg: UIL. Retrieved 2 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000372274/PDF/372274eng.pdf.multi

UIL. (2022). Citizenship education: Empowering adults for change. Fifth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE 5) . Hamburg: UIL

UIS (UNESCO Institute for Statistics) (2018). Quick guide to education indicators for SDG 4. Montreal, QC: UIS. Retrieved 11 May 2022 from http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/quick-guide-education-indicators-sdg4-2018-en.pdf

UN (United Nations) (1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. United Nations General Assembly. A/RES/217 (III). Paris: United Nations. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

UN (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September. New York: United Nations. Retrieved 11 May 2022 from https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

UN (2018). World urbanization prospects: The 2018 revision – key facts . New York: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved 12 May 2022 from https://population.un.org/wup/Publications/Files/WUP2018-KeyFacts.pdf

UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) (2022). Global land outlook, second edition: Land restoration for recovery and resilience. Bonn: UNCCD. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://www.unccd.int/resources/global-land-outlook/global-land-outlook-2nd-edition

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) (1945). Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), 16 November 1945. London: UNESCO. Retrieved 29 April 2022 from https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ddb73094.html

UNESCO. (1949a). Fundamental education: A description and programme. Monographs on Fundamental Education, no. 1 . Paris: UNESCO

UNESCO (1949b). Summary report of the International Conference on Adult Education, Elsinore, Denmark, 19–25 June 1949. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000071263/PDF/071263engo.pdf.multi

UNESCO (2000a). The right to education: Towards education for all throughout life . World Education Report 2000. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 29 April 2022 from https://www.right-to-education.org/sites/right-to-education.org/files/resource-attachments/UNESCO_World_Education_Report_The_RTE_Towards_Education_For_All_Throughout_Life_2000_En.pdf

UNESCO (2000b). Science agenda: Framework for action. In UNESCO, World Conference on Science: Science for the twenty-first century, a new commitment (pp. 476–485). London: Banson. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000121035

UNESCO (2003). Language vitality and endangerment. UNESCO Ad Hoc Expert Group on Endangered Languages. Document adopted by the International Expert Meeting on UNESCO Programme Safeguarding of Endangered Languages Paris, 10–12 March 2003. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000183699

UNESCO (2014a). Teaching and learning: Achieving quality for all. Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2014. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/report/2014/teaching-and-learning-achieving-quality-all

UNESCO (2014b). The Muscat Agreement . 2014 GEM Final statement made at the Global Education for All Meeting; UNESCO, Muscat, Oman 12–14 May. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 8 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000228122

UNESCO (2015a). Education for All 2000–2015: Achievements and challenges. Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2015. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 8 May 2022 from https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/report/2015/education-all-2000-2015-achievements-and-challenges

UNESCO (2015b). Rethinking education: Towards a global common good? Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 8 May 2022 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002325/232555e.pdf

UNESCO (2016). Education for people and the planet: Creating sustainable futures for all. Global Education Monitoring Report 2016. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/report/2016/education-people-and-planet-creating-sustainable-futures-all

UNESCO & UIL (2016). Recommendation on adult learning and education, 2015. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 24 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000245179/PDF/245179eng.pdf.multi

UNESCO (2020a). International literacy day. Background paper on “Youth and adult literacy in the time of COVID-19: Impacts and revelations”. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374187

UNESCO (2020b). 2021 Global education meeting – High-level segment: Invest in education – a global mobilization for COVID-19 recovery. Background document. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/global-education-meeting-hl-2021-background-en.pdf

UNESCO (2021a). Non-state actors in education: Who chooses? Who loses? Global Education Monitoring Report 2021/2. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379875

UNESCO (2021b). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education . Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379707.locale=en

UNESCO (2022). Education: From disruption to recovery [dedicated webpage]. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 8 May 2022 from https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse

UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) (2020). COVID-19: Are children able to continue learning during school closures? New York: UNICEF. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://data.unicef.org/resources/remote-learning-reachability-factsheet/

Watras, J. (2010). UNESCO’s programme of fundamental education, 1946–1959. History of Education , 39 (2), 219–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/00467600903043282

WCEFA (World Conference on Education for All) (1990). World declaration on education for all and Framework for action to meet basic learning needs. Adopted by the World Conference on Education for All: Meeting Basic Learning Needs, Jomtien, Thailand, 5–9 March. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 12 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000086290/PDF/086290engb.pdf.multi

WEF (World Education Forum) (2000). The Dakar framework for action. Education for all: Meeting our collective commitments. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 11 May 2022 from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000121147/PDF/121147eng.pdf.multi

WEF (2016). Education 2030 Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 8 May 2021 from http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/education-2030-incheon-framework-for-action-implementation-of-sdg4-2016-en_2.pdf

WHO (World Health Organization) (2022). WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) dashboard [dedicated website]. Geneva: WHO. Retrieved 12 May 2022 from https://covid19.who.int/

The authors

Download references

Acknowledgements

The Editors wish to thank Zvi Bekerman, Jean Bernard, Sergio Cardenas, Maren Elfert, Timothy Ireland, Maria Khan, Katarina Popovic, Clinton Robinson, Un Shil Choi, Margaret Sinclair, Andy Smart, Noah Sobe, Alan Tuckett and Dayong Yuan for their thoughtful comments on an earlier version of this Introduction.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Educational Policy and Leadership, School of Education, University at Albany – State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA

Aaron Benavot

Global Institute of Applied Governance in Science Knowledge Systems and Innovations (GIAGSI), Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda

Catherine Odora Hoppers

Independent Consultant, Paris, France

Ashley Stepanek Lockhart

Independent Senior Consultant on Adult Education and Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development, Bornheim, Germany

Heribert Hinzen

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aaron Benavot .

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Benavot, A., Hoppers, C.O., Lockhart, A.S. et al. Reimagining adult education and lifelong learning for all: Historical and critical perspectives. Int Rev Educ 68 , 165–194 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-022-09955-9

Download citation

Published : 30 May 2022

Issue Date : April 2022

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-022-09955-9

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

The Benefits of Lifelong Learning: 3 Best Essay Examples

Lifelong learning is not just a buzzword; it's a necessity in a rapidly changing world. The constant pursuit of knowledge helps individuals stay relevant in their careers, fosters better personal development, and enriches society as a whole. Whether you're a student, a professional, or a retiree, lifelong learning offers numerous benefits. In this article, we'll explore how to write compelling essays on the benefits of lifelong learning, complete with three illuminating examples.

• What Is Lifelong Learning?

Before diving into essay examples, it's crucial to understand what lifelong learning really means. Lifelong learning refers to the continuous, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for both personal and professional reasons. It's not confined to the classroom; it occurs in various settings, including online courses, workshops, seminars, and even through hobbies.

• Crafting a Strong Thesis Statement

When writing an essay on lifelong learning, start by creating a strong thesis statement. A thesis statement serves as the backbone of your essay, encapsulating the main argument in a concise manner. For example:

"The benefits of lifelong learning are manifold and go beyond mere knowledge acquisition, impacting career advancement, personal growth, and societal improvement."

• Structuring Your Essay

A well-structured essay is easy to follow and more engaging for the reader. Here’s a simple structure to consider:

Introduction

• Background Information
• Thesis Statement

Body Paragraphs

• Topic Sentence
• Supporting Evidence
• Transition to the Next Paragraph
• Restate Thesis
• Summarize Key Points

Closing Thoughts

Example 1: career advancement.

Lifelong learning can significantly boost career growth. In an age where technological advancements happen almost daily, staying updated with the latest skills and knowledge is vital for career advancement.

Body Paragraph

Topic Sentence: One of the primary advantages of lifelong learning is career advancement.

Supporting Evidence: According to a 2023 report by the World Economic Forum, individuals who engage in continuous learning are twice as likely to advance in their careers compared to those who don't.

Example: Consider the case of Jane Doe, who took online courses in data science while working a full-time job. Within two years, she received multiple job offers with a 30% salary increase.

Analysis: Jane’s experience shows that continuous learning can open new opportunities and make individuals more competitive in the job market.

Transition: Beyond career benefits, lifelong learning also significantly impacts personal development.

Example 2: Personal Development

The importance of personal development cannot be overstated. Lifelong learning contributes to emotional well-being, cognitive function, and overall happiness.

Topic Sentence: Lifelong learning is a crucial element for personal development and emotional well-being.

Supporting Evidence: Research by Harvard University in 2022 found that continuous learners reported 20% higher life satisfaction than those who did not engage in ongoing education.

Example: John Smith, a retiree, spent his evenings learning to play the piano. This new skill brought joy and a sense of accomplishment, improving his emotional well-being.

Analysis: John's case highlights how learning new skills can boost self-esteem and provide a sense of purpose.

Transition: In addition to personal and career benefits, lifelong learning also plays a critical role in societal development.

Example 3: Societal Improvement

Lifelong learning doesn't just benefit individuals; it has a ripple effect on society. An educated populace is essential for a thriving, innovative, and inclusive community.

Topic Sentence: Societal improvement is another key benefit of lifelong learning.

Supporting Evidence: A study by the Institute of Education in 2023 found that communities with higher rates of lifelong learners experienced lower crime rates and increased civic engagement.

Example: In XYZ town, a community initiative offering free coding classes resulted in the creation of several tech startups, boosting the local economy and reducing unemployment.

Analysis: This example illustrates that when people continue to learn, they not only enrich their own lives but also contribute positively to society.

Transition: Now that we've examined the primary benefits of lifelong learning, let's wrap up our discussion.

Summarizing Key Points

Lifelong learning offers numerous benefits, including career advancement, personal development, and societal improvement. Through the examples provided, it's clear that continuous education positively impacts various aspects of life.

In today’s fast-paced world, staying still is equivalent to moving backward. Embracing lifelong learning ensures that we remain adaptive, innovative, and fulfilled. So, let's commit to a journey of endless learning and reap the innumerable benefits it offers.

Whether you're drafting an essay for school, work, or personal enrichment, focusing on the benefits of lifelong learning can provide an engaging and thought-provoking topic. By using a clear structure and providing relatable examples, you can craft an essay that not only informs but also inspires your readers. Happy writing!

How to Write an Essay on the Benefits of Renewable Resources: 3 Best Examples

In the face of climate change, writing an essay on renewable resources is a timely endeavor. Discover how to highlight their environmental, economic, and social benefits, and see examples to guide your writing journey.

The Benefits of Doing Homework: 3 Best Essay Examples

Debating the value of homework? Discover its myriad benefits and gain insights from our 3 best essay examples. Explore how homework reinforces learning, fosters self-discipline, and prepares students for academic success.

30 ‘In Conclusion’ Synonyms and How To Use Them Write Better Essays

A strong closing section is essential for any essay. Whether you’re writing an argumentative essay, an exposition, or a narrative essay, the conclusion needs to be one of the most impactful parts of your writing. If you’re looking at ‘in conclusion’ synonyms, then you likely need some help with crafting an impactful summary section.

Search Utah State University:

The benefits of being a lifelong learner.

By Emma Parkhurst, Extension Assistant Professor

Many of us spent the entirety of our youth and adolescence learning. Whether it was learning how to multiply or how to ride a bike, it seems like we were constantly engaging our brains. Mental health can be impacted by many different things, and research shows that being intentional about learning throughout the lifespan has a positive impact. Therefore, it is important for us as adults to continue pursuing opportunities to learn in order to benefit our overall mental health and well-being.

What is a lifelong learner?

According to the dictionary, a lifelong learner is someone who pursues both formal and informal opportunities to continually develop and improve one’s knowledge and skills for both employment and personal fulfillment. The act of learning can look different to everyone – to some it may be returning to school, taking stand-alone workshops, using an app to learn a new language or simply learning how to make the newest trendy meal, what really matters is that it is something you find useful, interesting, meaningful or enjoyable. When we dedicate time to voluntarily engage in learning opportunities, research shows our mental health can flourish.

Mental health benefits

• Self-esteem and confidence: adult learning has been shown to increase self-esteem, confidence, and self-efficacy throughout the lifespan, but may be most effective when the concepts or skills are meeting a need for the learner. It also increases confidence in our ability to learn and to share the information with others, and gives us a sense of purpose.
• Cognition and memory: as we age, it is common to experience a mental decline which may affect our memory. Research shows that continuing to learn throughout the lifespan may reduce our risk of dementia as we age and keep the mind sharp.
• Social connection : research shows that most people are likely to find connections with like-minded people that share similar interests. Engaging in lifelong learning can present opportunities to develop new relationships with other learners, or to nurture existing connections by sharing or exchanging knowledge.
• Positivity and accomplishment : some experts suggest that setting and achieving goals and learning new skills can lead to positive feelings of accomplishment. People engaged in learning report feeling better about themselves and a greater ability to cope with stress, as well has feeling a greater sense of hope and purpose.

Becoming a lifelong learner

If you are ready to start your journey as a lifelong learner, there are different ways to get started. One of the easiest and least expensive ways is to access self-learning resources is on the internet. There are videos available on websites like TED.com, podcasts on about any topic you can think of, and of course, there is social media with micro-learning opportunities, such as “quick tip” or “did you know” videos or posts. As you navigate through any self-learning resource, try to be aware of who is providing the educational content to make sure it is legitimate and accurate.

Another great resource when looking for opportunities to learn something new is USU Extension. We provide both informal and formal learning opportunities through in-person and online classes, events, and activities. There are workshops and webinars on financial wellness, gardening, beekeeping, nutrition, food preservation, and more – you name it! Visit your local County Extension Office website or Facebook page to see what classes are currently being offered.

References:

Marjan, L. (2012). Benefits of lifelong learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 46 (2012) 4268 – 4272.  Sabates, R. & Hammond, C. (2008). The Impact of Lifelong Learning on Happiness and Well-being. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/32125048/The_Impact_of_Lifelong_Learning_on_Happiness_and_Well_being  Living Well AU: Keep on learning. Retrieved from https://livingwell.org.au/well-being/five-ways-to-mental-wellbeing/keep-on-learning/#:~:text=It%20can%20boost%20self%2Dconfidence,self%20confidence%2C%20hope%20and%20purpose.  University of Cincinnati: New Year, New You: 4 reasons to become a lifelong learner for the New Year. Retrieved from https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2022/01/4-reasons-to-become-a-lifelong-learner-for-the-new-year.html#:~:text=It's%20good%20for%20your%20brain%20and%20your%20mental%20health.&text=Research%20shows%20mental%20activity%20could,hope%20and%20feelings%20of%20competency

• “Globalization, Lifelong Learning and the Learning Society: Sociological Perspectives: 2” by Peter Jarvis Words: 2770
• Lifelong Learning in the Context of the Army and SHARP Program Words: 739
• Learning Style: How to Choose and How to Use? Words: 2494
• Situated and Networked Learning Approaches Words: 3694
• Situated Learning and Networked Learning Approaches Words: 2765
• What Is Very Important to Learning? Words: 2256
• Evaluation of Concept of Learning Organization Words: 1221
• Multimodal Learning Preferences and Strategies Words: 836
• Collaborative Learning in Saudi Arabia Words: 4520
• Informal HRD vs. Formal Learning Opportunities Words: 4983
• Adult Learning in the Workplace Words: 1150
• Online Learning vs. In-Person Learning Words: 580
• Learning Style and Reading Achievement Words: 1104
• Role of Mobile Learning in Mathematics Words: 1639
• Learning Styles Analysis in Nursing Words: 1253
• What Makes Family Learning in Prisons Effective? Words: 1675
• Multiple Learning Styles and Strategies Words: 864
• The Role of Environment in Learning Words: 879
• Information Technology Enabled Online Learning Words: 1099

Concept of Lifelong Learning

Welcome to our lifelong learning essay sample! Here, you’ll find a lifelong learning example from personal experience. Get some inspiration for your lifelong learning essay with the help of our essay sample.

Lifelong Learning Essay Introduction

Lessons from the military, lessons from employment, lessons from family life, lifelong learning versus book reading, optimization of lifelong learning, lifelong learning essay conclusion.

Teenagers share many things in common in their learning experiences as they grow up. Among this, is the long school life in which they are taught many life’s lessons on how to react to different situations that confront them at later stages of life.

They are forced to read different books from various writers so are to relive the experiences these writers had in mind and avoid making similar blunders. The books act as forerunners who inform them of the road ahead and help make appropriate choices.

However, I consider this not only misleading but obstruction from valuable lessons that one would never have learnt through their personal experiences. Unlike the ordinary classroom learning, lifelong learning conveys its lessons firmly and articulately. Through this form of learning the students have to plan their study topics and learn to assess themselves besides learning different uncorrelated lessons at the same time and in informal settings.

This is completely opposite to the normal classroom learning. Just as the learning process is different so are the lessons. Participation in a single activity in life could offer a range of lessons and deliver them in better a manner than any book would ever do (Knapper & Cropley, 2000).

I grew up in a military family and developed hatred for the profession due to the kind of life it drove us to. However, I served two years as a sergeant in Iraq before resuming civilian employment. Through amazing circumstances, I met my present wife with whom we have a charming daughter.

In each of these stages of life there were challenges that were faced but the most important were the lessons learnt in the process. The minor day to day experiences, I believe, have shaped my life to what it is today.

In my early teenage years, my father came home to a great celebration.He had just gotten a promotion as the military commander in a nearby barrack. This was great news but as he always said: with authority came responsibility. Later years of his career would be marked by a few technical appearances at home. This made me hate being a soldier.

However, when I enlisted for two years as an army officer, I began to appreciate the lessons that came with this line of work. The frequent change of residence that marked my life and of which I was now part of, taught me that goodbyes were a necessary and inevitable part of life.

Every time we changed location, I had to begin making new friends as well as get used to the new surroundings. This taught me that no matter how good things maybe in any particular situation, they were bound to change. No circumstance is permanent and all that matters in the end is the lesson we take as we go through the different stages of life.

Secondly, I learnt of the importance of blooming wherever one is and at whatever circumstance. One should do the best of every situation presented before them. There were several lives I had saved in the short period I served in the army.

Each time I recall them, I realise that every second life offers you a chance to shape history. Some of us are too engrossed in lamenting in our present circumstances that we hardly notice these opportunities. Being positive in whatever circumstance one is trapped in is often the best way to handle life.

Every day, a soldier’s life is different and comes with new things. There are great expectations and there are big disappointments. One minute we would be having fun and a second later we would be mourning a friend. This taught me to expect surprises from life and ensure we express our love to those we treasure whenever possible.

Procrastination of our feelings does not always pay and could cause us to live heavy-hearted for a larger part of our lives. When contemplating any investment, am usually prepared for any outcome and thus do not hesitate to make the right choices. Many of the times, I have ended up losing greatly but have equally succeeded in numerous other ventures due to this daring spirit.

There is no greater sacrifice than putting your life on the line for the sake of someone we love or have an obligation to protect. As a soldier, such judgment calls arise every once in a while. Moreover, life is often difficult with very few basic amenities. Therefore, soldiers basically survive. This taught me how to handle life when am hardest hit. I learnt that even with the little I have I can still share with a needy person and still live pretty much the same as before.

If I could risk my life for another then so can I risk my wallet. It is from these experiences that I made it an unwritten rule to make at least two contributions annually to a children’s home. This will help the children feel more appreciated and face life more courageously. Nothing is as fulfilling as a smile of gratitude from a soul that desperately needed one’s help. The feeling is wonderful.

In addition, life as soldier instilled the importance of respect, order and teamwork. There is no single battle that is worn by a single soldier. All battles are as result of careful planning under the stewardship of the leader and the contributions of each soldier no matter how small. I learnt how to respect those in authority as their decisions often bordered on life and death.

Moreover, every single thing must be assessed in detail without ignoring any information. Every detail is important even if not presently. This has helped me in my various business ventures as I maintain a keen eye for details. This shields me from property loss.

Once I completed service in the army, I took up a job as an insurance company manager. Here, new life lessons began to unfold. First was the how to handle people while remaining in authority. I learnt how to motivate workers to work harder without having to force them.

These are vital skills I apply in my personal businesses to date. Despite being entitled to a basic salary, I had to arrive first at work and leave the last. This were sacrifices I learnt came with management. Sometimes people work for a greater cause than just the monetary remuneration. It is more about how many people depend on you to make the right decision than it is about the money.

Moreover, one various occasions I made the right decisions but offended the greater majority. Later, the same people who were against my decision would come to congratulate me on the same if things turned out positively. From this, I learnt the importance of sticking by the right decision irrespective of the opinion of the majority.

This has formed the basis of my success in the stock market investments where public influence can easily cloud one’s judgment. It has also helped me forge better relationships with people when they realize I have their interests at heart in whatever decision I take.

Due to unfortunate or fortunate circumstances, I became a father at an early age. It was unfortunate because it happened when I did not have any source of income to support myself. However, today I view it as fortunate because of the lessons I learnt early in life.

Having a child and wife to look after made me responsible at a tender age. Despite having no meaningful job at the moment, I had to be creative enough to come ensure the two people in my life were comfortable enough. I started a small restaurant as my source of income long before I joined the army.

Though it did not succeed as I expected, the lessons I learnt from its failure formed the basis for the start of my successful chain of hotels, Beef inn. My first lessons in learning a business were acquired at the restaurant.

The difficult times forced me to halt any meaningful studies and look for means to survive. During this time, my dad succumbed to cancer leaving behind two teenage boys and the jobless mother. The responsibility of the whole family fell on my shoulders.

However, the smile on my daughters face (then barely two years) and my wife’s constant encouragement, taught me the importance of family in times of crisis. I also learnt skills of juggling work and family during this period. These are lessons that have served me all my life and will continue to do so all my life.

Taking a look at how much application I have made of the book-acquired knowledge compared to lifelong lessons, I realize the importance of this form of learning. First, lifelong learning helps discover and apply one’s natural talents. For instance, it is only through life’s experiences stated above that I discovered my business acumen that has ended up becoming an integral part of me.

Books only relate to us other people’s lives (sometimes fictional characters) rather than mould us into the people we should be. Secondly, lifelong experiences open up our thinking to help us exploit different options available.

Having a daughter at an early age and without any source of income forced me to think up alternatives of solving my problems. First I opened the restaurant and when this failed to kick off, I joined the army where I had a chance to learn numerous lessons.

Having undergone various challenging times and emerged victorious does not only make us stronger, but also wiser. Wisdom is being able to discern right or wrong by predicting the possible outcomes of each action.

Having a personal experience of a situation equips one with the relevant wisdom to evaluate similar life occurrences and make the best decision. Books cannot equip one with such amazing knowledge. A personal encounter is not comparable to a simple familiarization though a book.

In addition, lifelong learning assists us in finding purpose in our lives. Before my daughter was born, all that mattered to me was attending lavish parties and drinking alcohol with a bunch of friends. However, all that changed when the little bundle of joy came. I had to stay home with the mother and her or go find a reliable source of income. I now had a duty to dedicate myself to rather than waste my life.

When at the battle field, I had to ensure I came out alive every time as someone depended on me. She had added meaning to my otherwise meaningless life. No matter how many books I had read on the similar experiences, not a single one moved me enough to change. However one lifelong experience altered all that (Kember, 1997).

The best place to optimize lifelong learning is at the learning institutions. Universities and colleges dedicated to research avail the best platforms for promotion of lifelong learning. Students should be allowed to plan their research, determine the scope of this research and carry it out in informal places. The research topics should involve the integration of several topics so as to emulate life in all aspects.

However, if this has to happen, then the teaching format in these institutions has to take a different angle. For instance, students should be taught how to plan and assess their own research (Angelo & Cross, 1993). They should cease from being passive learners and become active learners who are conversant with the proceedings of the research. Peer assessment should also be encouraged greatly.

Lifelong learning does not take any definite sequence. It, instead, varies from person to person. Since all people are also different, the dissimilar experiences become the mostly appropriate in bringing out differences in our talents and abilities. This sets apart lifelong learning from ordinary literature studies that only impart the same knowledge and expected different results.

Angelo, T. & Cross, K. (1993). Classrooom Assement Technique . Sanfrancisco, Jossey-Bass,1993.

Kember, D. (1997). A reconceptualization of the research into the university academics’ conceptions of teaching. Learning and Instruction , 7, 255-275.

Knapper, C. & Cropley, A. (2000). Lifelong learning in higher education. London: Kogan Page.

Cite this paper

• Chicago (N-B)
• Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2020, January 9). Concept of Lifelong Learning. https://studycorgi.com/concept-of-lifelong-learning/

"Concept of Lifelong Learning." StudyCorgi , 9 Jan. 2020, studycorgi.com/concept-of-lifelong-learning/.

StudyCorgi . (2020) 'Concept of Lifelong Learning'. 9 January.

1. StudyCorgi . "Concept of Lifelong Learning." January 9, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/concept-of-lifelong-learning/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "Concept of Lifelong Learning." January 9, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/concept-of-lifelong-learning/.

StudyCorgi . 2020. "Concept of Lifelong Learning." January 9, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/concept-of-lifelong-learning/.

This paper, “Concept of Lifelong Learning”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: June 10, 2022 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

• LEARNING SKILLS

Lifelong Learning

Search SkillsYouNeed:

Learning Skills:

• A - Z List of Learning Skills
• What is Learning?
• Learning Approaches
• Learning Styles
• 8 Types of Learning Styles
• Understanding Your Preferences to Aid Learning
• Decisions to Make Before Applying to University
• Top Tips for Surviving Student Life
• Living Online: Education and Learning
• 8 Ways to Embrace Technology-Based Learning Approaches
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Critical Thinking and Fake News
• Understanding and Addressing Conspiracy Theories
• Critical Analysis
• Study Skills
• Exam Skills
• Writing a Dissertation or Thesis
• Research Methods
• Teaching, Coaching, Mentoring and Counselling
• Employability Skills for Graduates

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter and start improving your life in just 5 minutes a day.

You'll get our 5 free 'One Minute Life Skills' and our weekly newsletter.

We'll never share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Most people associate learning with formal education at school, college, university etc.  We are all told, from an early age, that we should ‘get a good education’.

Generally speaking it is true that a formal education and the resulting qualifications are important. Education may maximise our potential to find better, more satisfying jobs, earn more and, perhaps, become more successful in our chosen career.

However, ‘schooling’ is only one type of learning. There are many other opportunities to further your knowledge and develop the skills you need throughout life.

Knowledge can be acquired and skill-sets developed anywhere – learning is unavoidable and happens all the time. However, lifelong learning is about creating and maintaining a positive attitude to learning both for personal and professional development.

Lifelong learners are motivated to learn and develop because they want to: it is a deliberate and voluntary act.

Lifelong learning can enhance our understanding of the world around us, provide us with more and better opportunities and improve our quality of life.

There are two main reasons for learning throughout life: for personal development and for professional development . These reasons may not necessarily be distinct as personal development can improve your employment opportunities and professional development can enable personal growth.

Learning for its own sake brings its own advantages. For example, learning in whatever context:

• Boosts our confidence and self-esteem
• Makes us less risk averse and more adaptable to change when it happens
• Helps us achieve a more satisfying personal life
• Challenges our ideas and beliefs

Learning for Personal Development

There does not need to be a specific reason for learning since learning for the sake of learning can in itself be a rewarding experience.

There is a common view that continuous learning and having an active mind throughout life may delay or halt the progress of some forms of dementia, although there is actually very little scientific evidence to support these claims. However, keeping the brain active does have advantages since learning can prevent you from becoming bored and thus enable a more fulfilling life at any age.

There are, of course, many reasons why people learn for personal development.

You may want to increase your knowledge or skills around a particular hobby or pastime that you enjoy.

Perhaps you want to develop some entirely new skill that will in some way enhance your life – take a pottery or car mechanic course for example.

Perhaps you want to research a medical condition or your ancestry.

Perhaps you’re planning a trip and want to learn more about the history and culture of your destination.

Maybe you will decide to take a degree course later in life simply because you enjoy your chosen subject and the challenges of academic study.

Learning for Professional Development

Our capacity to earn is directly related to our willingness to learn.

Being well-educated is not necessarily the key to employment.

Although qualifications may get you an interview, actually getting the job can take a lot more.

Employers are looking for well-balanced people with transferable skills . This includes the ability to be able to demonstrate that you are keen to learn and develop.

If you do find yourself unemployed then use the time wisely. Learning something new can pay-off with new opportunities which might not otherwise have arisen.

While you are employed, take advantage of training, coaching or mentoring opportunities and work on your continuous professional development as you will likely become better at what you do and more indispensable to your current or future employer.

Putting the time in for extra learning brings its own rewards.

It means we can get more personal satisfaction from our lives and jobs as we understand more about who we are and what we do. This can lead to better results and a more rewarding working day in turn.  If you choose to learn about another complementary sector, this enables opportunities to specialise and potentially earn more or move to a connected industry. In turn this gives us wider experience on which to build our knowledge and more transferable skills in readiness for your next move.

From a financial point of view, a more highly skilled and knowledgeable worker is an asset to any company and can lead to faster promotion with associated salary increases.

Someone who can offer more expertise will be of more value not just to employers but also to customers. Expertise is also, often, a key quality of an effective leader.

If you are frustrated with your job, continuing to hone your skills will make it easier to find new ways out of a potentially stressful work situation. Keeping an open mind to learning and giving yourself room for flexibility is key to job satisfaction.  Furthermore, potentially staying ahead of competitors for jobs by being more experienced or knowledgeable can give you an edge.

MASTER your Learning

In his book, Master it Faster, Colin Rose uses the mnemonic MASTER to describe the six stages he believes are key to becoming an effective learner. These stages can be applied to any type of learning, either formal or informal.

• M otivation

Lifelong learning requires self-motivation. You need to feel positive about learning and about your ability to learn. If you struggle to see the point of learning what you are learning, you are unlikely to do well.

See our page Self-Motivation for more.

Effective learning requires that you acquire information through reading, listening, observing, practising, experimenting and experience. Information is all around you: the trick is to acquire relevant and meaningful information and develop this into knowledge and skills.

See our Study Skills section for more on effective learning techniques.

Learning is successful when we can search for a personal meaning in the information we’re acquiring. We find it hard to remember facts without understanding them or being able to put them into context.

Learning is about applying what you acquire and asking yourself questions such as: ‘ How does this idea help in my life? ’ or ‘ What has this experience taught me about myself? ’

Human beings are notoriously bad at retaining information. You cannot and will not remember all that you read, hear and experience. You can help to trigger recollection in a variety of ways. For example, you can take notes, practice, discuss and experiment with new ideas and skills to help you learn and develop.

Our pages on Note-Taking may help here.

You should regularly examine your knowledge to help reinforce in your mind what you have learned.  You should always try to keep an open-mind, question your understanding and be open to new information.

Talking to others and seeing their point of view can be a powerful way of examining your own perception and understanding of a subject.

Finally, you should reflect on your learning. Think about how and why you learned, including how you felt about a particular topic or situation, before and after you developed your knowledge.

Learn from your mistakes as well as from your successes and always try to remain positive.

See our page on Reflective Practice for more.

Further Reading from Skills You Need

The Skills You Need Guide for Students

Develop the skills you need to make the most of your time as a student.

Our eBooks are ideal for students at all stages of education, school, college and university. They are full of easy-to-follow practical information that will help you to learn more effectively and get better grades.

Learning Gives You Options

The bottom line is that, whatever your life path, there are a number of sometimes unanticipated benefits to continual personal and professional development.

Whatever your age, it's never too late to start.

Successfully changing career path in mid-life and spending time informally developing expertise is more common than ever, especially during rapidly changing market conditions.

Most people still rely on succeeding in employment for their ability to earn a living. The more flexible we can be about our direction, the easier we make our lives.

Our economy is shifting increasingly towards short-term and part-time contracts with more flexible work-patterns whilst old industries are shifting abroad.  We have to adapt to changes going on in the work-world and make more of ourselves by stepping out of our comfort zones and ideas of how we believe our life is going.

Relying on job permanence for earnings and promotion is not as feasible as it once was.

Because of work-life instability, more people of all ages are turning their hobby into a business idea. Continually following one’s passion outside of work hours can lead you to get paid for doing what you love, and typically you will develop business and other transferable skills as you go along until the point that you can delegate your least favourite jobs.

Continue to: Personal Development Continuing Professional Development

See also: Curiosity Learning Styles

Lifelong Learning Plan Application Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Learning needs diagnosis, learning objectives, sources of learning, implementing learning strategies.

Renowned German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein once said that “wisdom is not a product of schooling, but the lifelong attempt to acquire it” (Hager, 2004 p. 23). Today, more than ever before, I hold these words in very high esteem as I chart my way forward and design my strategies to acquire the ‘wisdom’ that Einstein talked about by undertaking the challenge of lifelong learning. This paper is a blueprint of how I plan to go about achieving the goals of lifelong learning.

To effectively expound on the various dimensions contained in this paper it is imperative that I create a comprehensive understanding of what lifelong learning entails. The European Association of Executives (n.d.) defines lifelong learning as “…all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence within a personal, civic, social, and/or employment-related perspective” (p. 22).

This definition, in my view, demonstrates that learning can no longer be dichotomized into a place and time to acquire knowledge (university) and a place and time to apply the knowledge (the workplace); rather, it is a necessary life-long pursuit of knowledge that I must engage in if I expect to make a difference and invest into the future of my country Saudi Arabia.

As an individual who would like to take up a career in the domain of mechanical engineering, my learning needs revolve around several issues that I believe are key to not only a successful career in the domain, but also to a life that will assist my immediate community in Saudi Arabia achieve its potential through undertaking philanthropic work.

Consequently, my learning needs into the future include:

• Undertaking a comprehensive management course in a world-class learning institution to assist me realize my dreams of becoming a manager at the Saudi Arabian Oil Company;
• Undertaking short courses in information and communication technology (ICT) to keep abreast of the changing technology trends and learn to use different applications as they hit the marketplace;
• Undertaking short-term engineering courses provided by professional engineering bodies, with the view to constantly update my human capital at a regular interval in order to avoid skills obsolescence. It is clear that “…the durability of knowledge in the fields of science and engineering is much shorter than in other academic fields” (De Grip & Smits, 2012 p. 583), and;
• Undertaking short-term philanthropy and community development courses offered by various accredited institutions, with the view to efficiently and effectively be of service to my community and country.

To date, I am still influenced by the philosophical thought of John Dewey that “…work should assist workers to develop a capacity for judgment applicable beyond their practice at work” (Hager, 2004 p. 23).

To achieve this orientation, it is imperative that my engineering practice and discourse be informed by some overall concepts of purpose and intention that link to practices that are not obviously related to work at all, hence the importance of illuminating my learning objectives.

Overall, my lifelong learning objectives include:

• To Pass all the examinations for the mentioned courses with distinction;
• To internalize the skills and expertise needed to operate effectively and efficiently as a mechanical engineer in the future;
• To successfully transition to the knowledge-based society and be able to use my position as a manager to make positive contributions in others;
• To demonstrate excellent use of contemporary technology applications in my work practice, and;
• To be successful in uplifting the lives of fellow community and country members by helping them to achieve their dreams in life through community development initiatives.

Learning should be an integral component of people bent on achieving professionalism and excellency in whatever they decide to do (Williams, 2007). Indeed, extant literature demonstrates that people are always “encouraged to make meaningful choices about their learning and development at different stages of their working lives” (Leader, 2003 p. 361).

Upon graduating from the university, I plan to embrace various dimensions of learning such as the following:

• Learning contracts that will help me to not only identify the skills I shall need for my future practice role, but also to set my objectives in relation to my career and lifestyle:
• Group learning/collaborative learning involving collaborating with other management staff and mentors who share similar interests and orientations;
• Self-directed learning through interacting with professional engineering bodies and undertaking short courses on offer, and also by reading professional engineering articles and periodicals;
• Learning on demand by undertaking short on-line courses offered by various institutions to keep abreast of the various shifts in technology, and;
• Organizational learning through corporate training, technical meetings and on-the-job training.

Adequate financial resourcing is needed to implement life-long learning strategies (Hager, 2004), and I feel highly indebted to the Saudi Arabian Oil Company for standing with me and ensuring that I achieve my objectives in life through the provision of scholarships.

My learning needs revolve around becoming a professional engineer within the management realm, a technology expert having the capacity to apply various innovations and applications in my practice, and a philanthropist who will work with other community members and stakeholders to ensure that others benefit from my progress and insights.

These needs, in essence, translate into my learning options, hence the need to lay the groundwork through which I can successfully satisfy them. In my undertaking to fulfill these needs, it is not lost in me that I must cultivate a positive learning culture and promote positive perceptions of learning and raising awareness of its entitlements and benefits so that others may follow suit (Graff, 2012).

My plan for life-long planning will definitely be facilitated by emerging technologies that ensure flexibility and diversity in learning. Indeed, extant literature suggests that “…flexibility and diversity of learning provision is the cornerstone of an accessible curriculum” (Leader, 2003 p. 366). The Internet and the World Wide Web will be instrumental in ensuring that I achieve my goals of lifelong learning, which are planned as follows.

Table of Implementation.

Available literature reinforces a perception in me that lifelong learning should be viewed as a mere option but rather as a fundamentally important necessity (Hager, 2004). Similarly, the various works I have read on lifelong learning has reinforced a belief in me learning should not be confined to childhood or the classroom; rather, it should take place throughout an individual’s life and in a range of contexts (Williams, 2007).

As I take this bold step in designing my lifelong learning plan, I am persuaded to believe that I’ll face many challenges that may trigger some revisions to the plan. However, I believe that this plan will serve as a blueprint to guide me in the pursuit of knowledge for both personal and professional reasons.

De Grip. A., & Smits, W. (2012). What affects lifelong learning of scientists and engineers? International Journal of Manpower, 33 (5), 583-597.

European Society of Association Executives. (n.d.). What is lifelong learning? The view from the European Commission . Web.

Graff, J. (2012). Is the grass greener on the other side? Experiential learning, lifelong learning and career shift. On the Horizon, 20 (1), 74-83.

Hager, P. (2004). Lifelong learning in the workplace? Challenges and issues. Journal of Workplace Learning, 16 (1), 22-32.

Leader, G. (2003). Lifelong learning: Policy and practice in further education. Education + Training, 45 (7), 361-370.

Smidt, H., & Sursock, A. (2011). Engaging in lifelong learning: Shaping inclusive and responsive university strategies . Web.

Williams, M.A. (2007). Lifelong learning: Reflections of a junior doctor. Development & Learning in Organizations, 21 (4), 10-11.

• Persistent Organic Pollutants: Global Impact & Challenge
• Water Quality and Treatment
• Lifelong Learning and Older Adults Care
• Lifelong Learning in Bedside Nursing
• A Lifelong Experiment: What Made E. E. Cummings Creative
• Factors Affecting Access to Water Resources in South Asia, the Middle East and the Nile River Basin
• China and Global Warming
• The Effect of Nuclear Energy on the Environment
• The Water System: Rivers, Streams and Lakes
• It is About Lake
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, April 16). Lifelong Learning Plan. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lifelong-learning-plan/

"Lifelong Learning Plan." IvyPanda , 16 Apr. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/lifelong-learning-plan/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Lifelong Learning Plan'. 16 April.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Lifelong Learning Plan." April 16, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lifelong-learning-plan/.

1. IvyPanda . "Lifelong Learning Plan." April 16, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lifelong-learning-plan/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Lifelong Learning Plan." April 16, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lifelong-learning-plan/.

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

• Basic site functions
• Ensuring secure, safe transactions
• Secure account login
• Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
• Remembering privacy and security settings
• Analyzing site traffic and usage
• Personalized search, content, and recommendations
• Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

• Remembering general and regional preferences
• Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .