This article is reproduced with permission from Koper, R. & Tattersall, C. (2005) (Eds.) Learning Design: A handbook on modelling and delivering networked education and training. Berlin: Springer.
The requirements placed on learning technologies to support lifelong learning differ considerably from those placed on technologies to support particular fragments of a learning lifetime. The time scales involved in lifelong learning, together with its multi-institutional and episodic nature are not reflected in today's mainstream learning technologies and their associated architectures. The article presents an integrated model and architecture to serve as the basis for the realization of networked learning technologies serving the specific needs and characteristics of lifelong learners. The integrative model is called a "Learning Network" (LN) and its requirements and architecture are explored, together with the ways in which its application can help in reducing barriers to lifelong learning.
Learning technologies offer new opportunities to meet the rapidly growing demand for new, constructivist ways of learning (such as competencybased, collaborative or adaptive learning). They have the potential to act as catalysts for more effective exchange and reuse of learning objects to enable personalised learning. This article examines the extent to which current learning technology specifications contribute to educational change -to actual sharing and reuse in educational practice. Furthermore, the article describes the need for an Educational Modelling Language centred on learning activities to give instructional meaning to learning objects.To date, specifications for learning objects have primarily been designed to ensure interoperability at a rather low infrastructural level (e.g., test items, meta-data), focusing on technology issues and reuse of learning objects. We argue that more widespread adoption of e-learning specifications and standards calls for a pedagogical framework at a higher infrastructural level (e.g., a complete course), focusing on the instructional value and reuse of learning activities. Such a framework is offered by the new Learning Design (LD) specification. LD enables the description of both learning content and processes from a variety of pedagogical perspectives, both objectivist and constructivist.
The provision of lifelong learning facilities is considered to be a major new direction for higher and distance teaching educational institutes catering for the demands of industry and society. ICT networks will in future support seamless, ubiquitous access to lifelong learning facilities at home, at work, in schools and universities. This implies the development of new ways of organizing learning delivery that that goes beyond course and programmecentric models. It envisions a learner-centred, learner-controlled model of distributed lifelong learning. We present a conceptual model for the support of lifelong learning which is based on notions from self-organization theory, learning communities, agent technologies and learning technology specifications such as IMS Learning Design. An exploratory implementation has been developed and used in practice. We reflect on the findings and future directions. 2 Lifelong Learning NetworksBoth higher and distance education are currently exploring the new possibilities offered by eLearning. Today we find new, collaborative initiatives such as virtual universities, consortia and digital universities, which aspire to share learning resources, increase the quantity and quality of educational services, and explore new markets, particularly in the field of lifelong learning (Brookfield, 1987;Cross-Durrant, 1987;Jarvis, 1987;Smith, 1996Smith, , 2001.The underlying idea is that 'lifelong learning' will ultimately provide a major service catering for the needs and demands of industry and society as a whole (Tuijnman, 1992;Ragget, 1996;Schuetze, 2000). Lifelong learning is the concept that refers to the activities a person performs throughout their life to improve their knowledge, skills and competence in a particular field, given some personal, societal or employment related motives (Aspin & Chapman, 2000;Field, 2001;Griffin, 1999).To achieve these aims, educational institutions must offer facilities that meet the needs of learners at various levels of competence throughout their lives. People must be able to use lifelong learning facilities to upgrade their knowledge, skills and competence in a discipline as required. They can also contribute to the facilities by sharing knowledge and supporting other learners. Lifelong learners are not merely consumers of learning facilities, but can be asked to actively contribute to the facilities themselves (Fischer & Ostwald, 2002).A promising approach to lifelong learning is to use ICT networks to connect distributed learners and providers in a discipline to establish Learning Networks (LNs). ICT networks can support seamless, ubiquitous access to learning facilities at work, at home and in schools and universities. Learning resources from providers such as schools, companies, libraries and the learners themselves can be made available from a single point of access and learners can be helped to perform certain tasks more efficiently by including software support.The use of ICT networks implies the development of new ways of organizing...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.