Abstract
National policy agendas for lifelong learning place responsibility for learning as a lifelong endeavor at the feet of individual learners. ‘Failure’ in the labor market – unemployment, underemployment, not achieving progression, or successful switching of careers – is seen as an outcome of an individual’s decisions about education and training. That is, it is individual actions and decisions that are perceived as being entirely in the control of the individual, as it is for individuals to invest in their development to increase their capacity. Those who do not meet this expected undertaking are labeled variously as having ‘gaps’ in their skills and knowledge, and/or as non-learners, as a problem that either needs addressing or is of the individual’s making. Lifelong learning is positioned as a state of mind. This is a very human capital perspective commonly used by government and enterprises alike. Individuals are simultaneously pawns expected to exercise particular kinds of agency, assumed to be operating on a level playing field. Despite even the best of government provision of funding and places, it is no surprise that not all opportunities are equal.
Genuine opportunities are denied to many depending on their circumstances and biographies. Race, class, gender, income, access to childcare, cost of transport, options offered by accessible institutions, being part of a supportive workplace, the nature and design of the work individuals are engaged in: these and more mediate chances to participate actively and meaningfully in lifelong learning. Debates about the realities of lifelong learning addressing inclusion and equity issues are not new. So how to conceive of lifelong learning beyond, for example, government support for places in educational institutions, and who the players are that have a role in contributing to genuine opportunities for lifelong learning? Learning conceived of as social practices brings a focus to individuals’ potential, their genuine opportunities through their biographies, and the contexts in which they live and work. These perspectives position lifelong learning very differently, with different foci, intent, and creation of possibilities for individuals, collectives, and a nation. This conceptual chapter aims to address what a different conception and positioning of lifelong learning ‘looks like,’ and what it might mean for different players.
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Bound, H. (2023). Pawn or Agent in the Lifelong Learning Agenda. In: Lee, W.O., Brown, P., Goodwin, A.L., Green, A. (eds) International Handbook on Education Development in Asia-Pacific. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2327-1_41-1
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