By Dr. Livingston Smith
The new year presents a perfect opportunity to reemphasize the importance of lifelong learning as a personal development imperative that recognizes that as individuals, we must acquire new skills, knowledge, and competencies throughout our lives. One’s age is irrelevant. Self-motivation is key. With technological progress, globalization, and evolution in the job market, we have no choice, the country has no alternative but to constantly educate, re-educate, skill and reskill. Life-long learning is both a personal development goal and a requirement of our society.
So much is being said about AI for example. Whatever our views, the fact is that the revolution it is causing affects us all. It is shaping the very foundation, the very fabric of education, and will continue to do so. It presents countless opportunities and pathways for the learner to sharpen skills and advance educationally. The key is adaptability.
Artificial intelligence has expanded access to education. I encourage readers, if they have not yet done so, to do basic online courses in AI. AI for everyone: master the basics, provided by IMB on the edX platform, AI essentials provided by Google on the Coursera platform, and Elements of AI, provided by the University of Helsinki are good ones to begin with. Platforms such as Coursera, edX, Khan Academy, etcetera, utilizing AI, make life-long learning accessible. Geographic location is now irrelevant.
Lifelong learning means investing in people’s capabilities, enabling them to acquire skills, reskill and upskill and supporting them through the various transitions they will face over their life course says the International Labor Organization (ILO), while UNESCO defines it as “all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and/or qualifications for personal, social and/or professional reasons”. The European Commission explains that it is “all general education, vocational education and training, non-formal education and informal learning undertaken throughout life, resulting in an improvement in knowledge, skills, and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective. It includes the provision of counselling and guidance services”.
Lifelong learning must take place in our homes, schools, and workplaces. Our homes must instill a love for learning. We must model this for our children through encouragement of reading and discussions of current events and ideas. Our schools must encourage curiosity and self-directed learning. Our methods of teaching must evolve with the times. Many students begin to yawn twenty minutes into a lecture. Our workplaces must be forward thinking about the opportunities they provide for their employees to keep abreast of the times as employees, to stay productive, must be acquainted with emerging technologies and trends in industry. Life-long learning and professional development are non-negotiable.
Benefits of life-long Learning
Those who are motivated enough to pursue additional learning have many choices. They can register for one of the many evening courses at UCCI, including its many short courses, pursue another formal academic qualification, work and leisure skills, not for credit courses, professional development, and on-the-job-training, taking on a massive open online course (MOOC), or one of the Great Courses, or independent online learning offered for free by several online universities.
The Great Courses are a condensed series of lectures given by professors and other experts in their various fields. The courses cover an enviable breadth of academic areas including economics and finance, fine arts, mathematics, philosophy and intellectual history, literature and language, science, religion etcetera. I find the Great Courses to be especially useful and they are not too expensive.
The benefits to those who commit to life-long learning are many and enduring. These individuals are more marketable, versatile, and intellectually nimble. They are more able to keep up with trends in their industries, more adaptable to the ever-changing economy and its various demands. Studies in the field of lifelong learning are finding that lifelong learners are healthier, more fulfilled and productive, have sharper minds and a greater sense of purpose and confidence and are better able to take on new opportunities as they engage in new challenges, passions, and career goals.
Off course the benefits are not limited to the individual. Lifelong education helps to build and sustain a country’s social and institutional capital making it more attractive for investment in multiple areas. The more educated the citizenry, the better the society.
And this takes us to the question of who should fund lifelong education. Individuals must themselves be motivated to do as much as they can. We must invest in ourselves as far as we are able to. Our workplaces must also lead the way as many are. Many employees leave their jobs for new ones, as they find they have little or no opportunities to learn and grow in their current roles. Investment in the continuing education of employees is a win-win experience. Employees have up-to-date knowledge which improves their own performance and thus that of the organization. It ensures innovation. With exposure to new knowledge, even seasoned employees can do things differently and better. Innovation is key, continuing education is vital.
Continuing education is the way to cultivate new skills in employees and short courses are key to accomplish this. Micro credentials are viable ways for employees to bring new skills to the table making themselves more valuable as employees while adding value to their organizations. With new knowledge being continuously created in a dynamic, modern world, skills and learning need constant updating. When organizations provide opportunities for continuing education it demonstrates that they value their employees and desire to see them grow professionally as persons. It signals to employees that they can grow in their work environments, and this is likely to make them more engaged and wanting to stay and produce.
Continuing education is for everyone, whether skill or academically inclined. And these two areas are not dichotomous. Both can go together. Continuing education is for helpers and nannies and everyone else. As the director of the CXC Education Volunteer Programme, which offers a second chance at education by engaging the voluntary commitment of over forty-five teachers of some sixteen subjects, done at various levels, I am constantly encouraged by the zeal of many adults who sit and pass CXC subjects and go on to receive a college education.
The recent no age limit for government scholarship recipients is certainly inspired and a step in the right direction. It would be interesting to find out the extent to which older persons are utilizing this opportunity. With longevity rates now up to 90 for women and 85 for men, and with far a more dynamic local and global economy, we must be constantly keeping up to be viable, productive, and current.
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