President of the European School Heads Association Ton Duif offers insight into the necessity for lifelong learning programmes to be developed with participants.
In spring 2011, 27 stakeholders in education and training signed 'Investing in people through sustainable and inclusive EU programmes'. This document was sent to the European Commission (EC) because many associations are not entirely satisfied with the effectiveness of present lifelong learning (LLL) programmes, particularly because of the associated bureaucracy that goes with them and the huge initial investment costs. In fact, there are some organisations who feel that the whole process is better likened to that of a lottery. The process involves significant preparatory work that takes more than five months to complete before partner associations and groups receive the eventual outcome of their specific proposal. The launch of a broad consultation in preparation for the future of the LLL programme applications is therefore a positive step.
We are all aware of the fact that investing in people has to be the best guarantee for future European welfare, recognising that other countries in the world will increasingly be in direct competition with us. Therefore, we cannot afford to lose any talent, regardless of age or ability. Today, there are many countries in Europe who are increasingly inward thinking and self-orientated as a direct consequence of and reaction to the many languages, not to mention societal and cultural differences, present in the EU. Building a solid European community means that we should learn to live and work together, exchanging ideas and good practices, and setting the foundations to develop new innovations. Since there is little centralised European education politics (with all countries having different school systems that are largely based on traditional and cultural values), it is even more important that we start learning from each other's good practice and achievement. In general, we learn more from differences than from what we have in common.
Four Key Principles
A Holistic Vision On Learning
Because we know that many jobs now will no longer exist in 2020, we need to realise that we have to focus on LLL programmes for all ages if we are to provide sustainable growth. Some jobs and workplaces will be entirely new in the future because knowledge itself devaluates very quickly within an expanding and technologically-driven society. Therefore, we should develop a holistic vision that is focused on meeting the needs of learning methods and learning content.
However, it is a significant challenge to view Europe in such a holistic manner considering its inherent diversity. Moreover, in this perspective, it is not only about knowledge, but even more so, what you can do with it in your job or day-to-day work. The exchange of good practice and ideas throughout and across differing countries will strengthen their social cohesion, which is even more important today where you can see increasing manifestations and expressions of anti-European sentiment. We have to make sure that all European citizens have access to programmes and networks, whilst acknowledging that there are real challenges and difficulties due to language problems; otherwise those with English as a primary language will have increased benefit because it is so often the commonly used language.
Ensuring Equal Access For All
It is not only about language, it is also about age. The programme should be attractive for all European citizens, regardless of age or educational level. In this we need to make more use of technology and the various interactive learning facilities available through the internet. From this perspective, it is strange that it remains so difficult for many to access funding for the necessary translation facilities fundamental within European programmes. It is well known that in the European Parliament almost all such language facilities are readily available. Therefore, it must be considered why we do not think this necessary for the wider success of pan-national educational programmes, and if members of the European Parliament have insufficient skills to use one language, why we presume all European learners must learn in English.
Secondly, it is increasingly important that we raise our children with a collaborative and borderless vision. There are now many effective European networks that we should endorse and support who will provide access to the majority of our schools in Europe. We should imagine the positive results we could achieve if children in Europe were to learn how to work together and begin to accept the many differences within European society as a positive resource for the future. Our youth are open to this, the majority having not yet been brainwashed by other societal and cultural forces. We know that there are many opportunities for building learning networks specifically using new technologies to meet the growing international needs for professions and professionals. We do not have to invent it from a starting point because, in this respect, it's remarkable that we're not using the full potential and possibilities of the existing new social media.
A Learner-Centred Perspective
It is not about push or pull, it is about temptation; from teaching to coaching and advice. It is everything between individual's learning and their engagement with sharing in networks. Therefore, we need interactive programmes from within which we can learn the needs and expectations of the learners themselves. We know that a modern learner is interested in such attitudes as: 'What is in it for me? How can I share it with others? Who can advise me? What forums do I need?' The worldwide success of Twitter, Wikispaces, Wikipedia and LinkedIn should make us think of a new and different approach to building learning networks. Basic questions, therefore, are: 'Where are these learners? How can we meet them? What kind of ambitions do they have?'
A Participative Approach
Many European programmes are designed by groups of educators or educational associations, and built on a prescribed programme model. This is one of the greatest challenges to us all if we want to reshape future European LLL programmes. Due to the prescribed format, many EC LLL programmes all look the same: a couple of seminars or meetings, a dissemination programme, some working programmes and activity, and the necessary number of related partners. There are organisations that currently earn a good living in helping with writing proposals in order to become successful; imagine how much energy is wasted on this. Successful EC LLL programmes must be developed in collaboration with those who participate, even when this means that the outcome could be somewhat different from what was originally expected.
So, if we want to make future LLL programmes more effective, we should diminish the bureaucracy associated with the process. We could also enhance effectiveness by connecting programmes with similar related and relevant purposes; and some should have a longer time perspective, whilst others could focus on more sustainable efficiency. However, most importantly, they must connect the needs of learners in the challenging and exponential technologically- driven society in Europe, today and in the future, where many jobs that now exist will disappear, while many others will emerge and grow. Therefore, we need learners designing and programming their own learning needs.
Source:
publicservice.co.uk
In spring 2011, 27 stakeholders in education and training signed 'Investing in people through sustainable and inclusive EU programmes'. This document was sent to the European Commission (EC) because many associations are not entirely satisfied with the effectiveness of present lifelong learning (LLL) programmes, particularly because of the associated bureaucracy that goes with them and the huge initial investment costs. In fact, there are some organisations who feel that the whole process is better likened to that of a lottery. The process involves significant preparatory work that takes more than five months to complete before partner associations and groups receive the eventual outcome of their specific proposal. The launch of a broad consultation in preparation for the future of the LLL programme applications is therefore a positive step.
We are all aware of the fact that investing in people has to be the best guarantee for future European welfare, recognising that other countries in the world will increasingly be in direct competition with us. Therefore, we cannot afford to lose any talent, regardless of age or ability. Today, there are many countries in Europe who are increasingly inward thinking and self-orientated as a direct consequence of and reaction to the many languages, not to mention societal and cultural differences, present in the EU. Building a solid European community means that we should learn to live and work together, exchanging ideas and good practices, and setting the foundations to develop new innovations. Since there is little centralised European education politics (with all countries having different school systems that are largely based on traditional and cultural values), it is even more important that we start learning from each other's good practice and achievement. In general, we learn more from differences than from what we have in common.
Four Key Principles
A Holistic Vision On Learning
Because we know that many jobs now will no longer exist in 2020, we need to realise that we have to focus on LLL programmes for all ages if we are to provide sustainable growth. Some jobs and workplaces will be entirely new in the future because knowledge itself devaluates very quickly within an expanding and technologically-driven society. Therefore, we should develop a holistic vision that is focused on meeting the needs of learning methods and learning content.
However, it is a significant challenge to view Europe in such a holistic manner considering its inherent diversity. Moreover, in this perspective, it is not only about knowledge, but even more so, what you can do with it in your job or day-to-day work. The exchange of good practice and ideas throughout and across differing countries will strengthen their social cohesion, which is even more important today where you can see increasing manifestations and expressions of anti-European sentiment. We have to make sure that all European citizens have access to programmes and networks, whilst acknowledging that there are real challenges and difficulties due to language problems; otherwise those with English as a primary language will have increased benefit because it is so often the commonly used language.
Ensuring Equal Access For All
It is not only about language, it is also about age. The programme should be attractive for all European citizens, regardless of age or educational level. In this we need to make more use of technology and the various interactive learning facilities available through the internet. From this perspective, it is strange that it remains so difficult for many to access funding for the necessary translation facilities fundamental within European programmes. It is well known that in the European Parliament almost all such language facilities are readily available. Therefore, it must be considered why we do not think this necessary for the wider success of pan-national educational programmes, and if members of the European Parliament have insufficient skills to use one language, why we presume all European learners must learn in English.
Secondly, it is increasingly important that we raise our children with a collaborative and borderless vision. There are now many effective European networks that we should endorse and support who will provide access to the majority of our schools in Europe. We should imagine the positive results we could achieve if children in Europe were to learn how to work together and begin to accept the many differences within European society as a positive resource for the future. Our youth are open to this, the majority having not yet been brainwashed by other societal and cultural forces. We know that there are many opportunities for building learning networks specifically using new technologies to meet the growing international needs for professions and professionals. We do not have to invent it from a starting point because, in this respect, it's remarkable that we're not using the full potential and possibilities of the existing new social media.
A Learner-Centred Perspective
It is not about push or pull, it is about temptation; from teaching to coaching and advice. It is everything between individual's learning and their engagement with sharing in networks. Therefore, we need interactive programmes from within which we can learn the needs and expectations of the learners themselves. We know that a modern learner is interested in such attitudes as: 'What is in it for me? How can I share it with others? Who can advise me? What forums do I need?' The worldwide success of Twitter, Wikispaces, Wikipedia and LinkedIn should make us think of a new and different approach to building learning networks. Basic questions, therefore, are: 'Where are these learners? How can we meet them? What kind of ambitions do they have?'
A Participative Approach
Many European programmes are designed by groups of educators or educational associations, and built on a prescribed programme model. This is one of the greatest challenges to us all if we want to reshape future European LLL programmes. Due to the prescribed format, many EC LLL programmes all look the same: a couple of seminars or meetings, a dissemination programme, some working programmes and activity, and the necessary number of related partners. There are organisations that currently earn a good living in helping with writing proposals in order to become successful; imagine how much energy is wasted on this. Successful EC LLL programmes must be developed in collaboration with those who participate, even when this means that the outcome could be somewhat different from what was originally expected.
So, if we want to make future LLL programmes more effective, we should diminish the bureaucracy associated with the process. We could also enhance effectiveness by connecting programmes with similar related and relevant purposes; and some should have a longer time perspective, whilst others could focus on more sustainable efficiency. However, most importantly, they must connect the needs of learners in the challenging and exponential technologically- driven society in Europe, today and in the future, where many jobs that now exist will disappear, while many others will emerge and grow. Therefore, we need learners designing and programming their own learning needs.
Source:
publicservice.co.uk
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