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Symposium Session 8a - Social Justice and Lifelong Learning in Europe: mid-way findings from the EU Sixth Framework funded project LLL2010 (1290) Part I
- Overview of contents
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Competitiveness and Citizenship in EU Lifelong Learning Policies
The 'qualification providing enterprise' : Employers and employees perspectives
Social structuring in modern society: the impact of continuing Education and Lifelong Learning
Abstract
Lifelong learning serves a number of functions within Europe. It is seen as a means of developing human capital and is one of the few economic levers over which national governments and the EU believe they have some degree of control. At the same time, lifelong learning is seen as a means of building social capital and promoting social justice, another espoused goal of the EU and member states. In addition, many member states use lifelong learning as a means of social control, requiring welfare claimants to undergo education and training as a condition of benefits receipt. Similarly, workers in areas such as health and social care may be required to undergo prescribed training in order to find and retain employment. Finally, individual learners may see lifelong learning not simply as a means of avoiding risk and securing economic advancement, but also as a means of fulfilling their personal desire to forge and renegotiate identity.
The Sixth Framework funded project LLL2010 (www.LLL2010.tlu.ee) has a number of inter-connected strands, all of which are intended to illuminate the contribution of the formal education system to the formation of a knowledge society in thirteen countries in western, eastern and central Europe. This symposium reports findings from three specific strands: the cross-European review of policy and practice in the field of lifelong learning (sub-project 1), the survey of returners to formal education (sub-project 3) and the qualitative investigation of lifelong learning in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (sub-project 4). In addition to the presentation of findings from particular countries, which illuminate similarities and differences across member states, the symposium includes theoretical and methodological reflections.
Methods
The presentations that form part of this symposium examine aspects of life long learning in Europe using a variety of methodologies:
- Analysis of European policy and literature in 'old' as well as 'new' member states
- Quantitative data: survey data and secondary data, e.g. Labour Force Survey, was analysed in order to compare participation and experiences of adult learners in 13 European countries.
- Qualitative data: in-depth semi structured interviews with employers and employees' were analysed to examine formal learning in SMEs in 13 European countries.
Results
In addition to the presentation of findings from particular countries, which illuminate similarities and differences across member states, the symposium includes theoretical and methodological reflections.
Bibliography
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