Title: A European research agenda for lifelong learning

Authors: Peter Sloep, Jo Boon, Bernard Cornu, Michael Klebl, Paul Lefrere, Ambjorn Naeve, Peter Scott, Luis Tinoca

Addresses: Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies (formally OTEC), Open Universiteit, P.O. Box 2960, 6401 DL, Heerlen, Netherlands. ' Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies (formally OTEC), Open Universiteit, P.O. Box 2960, 6401 DL, Heerlen, Netherlands. ' Centre National d'Enseignement a Distance, BP 30241, 86963 Futuroscope Chasseneuil, France. ' Fernuniversitat in Hagen, 58097 Hagen, Germany. ' Knowledge Media Institute, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK. ' Knowledge Management Research Group, Royal Institute of Technology, School of Computer Science and Communication, S-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden. ' Knowledge Media Institute, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK. ' Universidade Aberta, R. da Escola Politecnica 147, 1250 Sao Mamede, Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: It is a generally accepted truth that without a proper educational system no country will prosper, nor will its inhabitants. With the arrival of the post-industrial society, in Europe and elsewhere, it has become increasingly clear that people should continue learning over their entire lifespans lest they or their society suffer the dire consequences. But what does this future lifelong learning society exactly look like? And how then should education prepare for it? What should people learn and how should they do so? How can we afford to pay for all this, what are the socio-economic constraints of the move towards a lifelong-learning society? And, of course, what role can and should the educational establishment of schools and universities play? This are questions that demand serious research efforts, which is what this paper argues for.

Keywords: lifelong learning; knowledge society; research agenda; distance learning; Europe.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2011.039403

International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2011 Vol.3 No.2, pp.204 - 228

Published online: 26 Feb 2015 *

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