Lifelong learning and informal education

Author(s):

Bernhard SchmidtRudolf Tippelt

Conference:

ECER 2008

Network:

27. Didactics - Learning and Teaching

Format:

Paper

Session Information

27 SES 04A, Discourse Competence, Discursive Focusing and Lifelong Learning

Paper Session

Time:

2008-09-10

16:00-17:30

Room:

B3 316

Chair:

Brian Hudson

Contribution

Lifelong learning is defined as the reception, opening and integration of experience and knowledge into the individual subjective repertoire of action over the entire lifespan. The knowledge of the plasticity of human development even in middle- and old-age plays a constitutive role in lifelong learning. Learning in adulthood, and educational processes over the lifespan in general are exposed to a long list of demands and expectations, as it is the role of lifelong learning to allow for self-directed and creative learning for all. Lifelong learning is implemented using formal, non-formal, and informal learning and aims toward the development of the individual personality as well as self-assertion in old -age. Every age can be characterized by certain learning challenges, but is to be stressed that the experiences made earlier in life have a strong influence on the present situation regarding the realisation of learning competencies. While it has been proven that learning in adulthood is especially influenced by the motivation to learn and learning success within basic education, and that the effects of socialization processes from earlier life still exist in middle- and old-age, it is still important to name possibilities for the further advancement of lifelong learning, which have not yet been adequately implemented. For example, informal learning is considered to be a major source of educational opportunity, especially for elderly learners: travelling, community involvement, caring for relatives, interaction with children and grandchildren etc., are learning opportunities which can be used to build new competencies in old-age. It can therefore be assumed that there is a direct and positive effect on learning activities and on one‘s concept of their age, resulting from an active lifestyle in old-age. The reverse conclusion can also be drawn, that, that a positive concept on one‘s age increases the motivation to take on new challenges, even in old-age. Especially volunteer activities offer a multifaceted spectrum of learning opportunities, as well as provide for access to the offers of adult education. Aside from these connections it must still be determined, whether connections between volunteer activities and a positive concept of one‘s age can be empirically substantiated. The reciprocal transfer of social roles between generations must be seen in direct connection to the generation-specific concept of age. The perspective of a younger and older generation and the perception of one‘s own age interact with one another and have implications for the educational interest and activities. Negative concepts of older and younger generations are seen as barriers for the intergenerational learning processes and are additionally relevant for educational research. The perceptions of various generations of each other form the basic parameters of intergenerational learning. In this speech, new results regarding the problem areas discussed, as well central questions from a current research project will be presented. On the basis of a representative survey of the 45- to 80-year-old German resident population, the relevance of volunteer activities, travelling, intergenerational interchange and caring for relatives as informal learning opportunities can be analyzed. The 4909 computer-assisted interviews also allow to uncover connections between the variables cited above and the behaviour of older adults regarding education. Using the data evaluation, which has momentarily not been finalized, differentiated results regarding the informal educational activities of older adults will be introduced. related to structures of educational offers, and the resulting consequences discussed. At the centre of this process lies the empirically confirmed thesis that informal learning contexts are of particular relevance for older adults. The informal learning context is not to be seen as competition to formally organized educational offers, but rather both areas of lifelong learning can be constructively related to one another.

Method

The data base is a representative survey of the German resident population between the ages of 65 and 80 years old. The 4909 participants of the stratified random sample were personally intervewed by trained intervewers. The interviews lasted between 60 and 90 minutes. The entire data collection was conducted as an extended study of the Adult Education Survey and was supplemented with qualitative data. This qualitative data included 16 group discussions and 60 in-depth interviews.

Expected Outcomes

As the focal point of the data collection was centered (amongst other variables) around the forms informal learning, a detailed set of findings regarding informal learning amongst oder adults is to be expected. The large sample size allows for a strong differentiation of social-demographic facotrs as well as variables regarding the educational biography or lifestyle of the respondents. This allows for the accomodation of the enormous heterogenity within the group of older adults.

References

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Author Information

Bernhard Schmidt

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen

Muenchen

Rudolf Tippelt

Ludwig Maximilians Universität München

München

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