Learning - a lifelong challenge
The imperative of lifelong learning in vocational education and training
URN: 0035-0087-0
In the world of today qualifications acquired serve as the foundations for further learning and, with this, knowledge. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) is working to turn the tried-and-proven initial and continuing vocational education and training system on the whole into an autonomous, equally efficient and integrated vocational training system - in line with the imperative of "lifelong learning".
"Everyone should receive the opportunity of acquiring the knowledge which they need to be active citizens in the knowledge-based society and to engage in work through lifelong learning." (decision of the Council issued on June 27, 2002 on lifelong learning, printed material C 163/1 2002).
At the European level, "lifelong learning" has been declared to be a cross-sectional objective in employment strategies and a guiding principle for general and vocational training. In the "Memorandum on Lifelong Learning" published by the EU Commission at the end of 2000, six fundamental principles were identified to serve as orientation in a debate at the European level: new basic qualifications, greater investment in human resources, innovations in teaching and learning methods, an improvement in methods for evaluating involvement in learning and success in learning, vocational counselling, vocational orientation and bringing learning closer to home.
The EU educational programme for international adult education is making an important contribution to the promotion of lifelong learning. Here the Socrates Programme stands at the heart of attention. Within the framework of this programme, the "GRUNDTVIG" action campaign aims at providing European citizens better access to opportunities associated with lifelong learning. "GRUNDTVIG" is being assisted by the National Agency for Education and Training in Europe at the Federal Institute for Vocational Training (BIBB).
The European discussion is being continued at the national level. Many of the proposals forwarded in the memorandum also offer important impetus for vocational training policy issues in Germany. At the same time it has to always be taken into account that the approach accenting "lifelong learning" also always constitutes a linkage between formal, non-formal and informal learning processes. Greater ease in switching between training and education pathways all the way to concrete approaches to quality assurance and certifying acquisition of lifelong qualifications stand at the forefront of attention. At the same time there is a very current challenge of spelling out all the wide-ranging types of lifelong learning in clearly defined goals and actual activities to be tackled and then shaping these in the field of practice.
In addition to promoting willingness to engage in lifelong learning and developing the competencies required to do so, from the perspective of vocational education and training special importance has to be assigned to constructing optimum conditions for accomplishing the imperative of "lifelong learning".
Structuring the overall system of lifelong learning
BIBB has been working for a long time now to turn the tried-and-proven initial and continuing vocational education and training system on the whole into an autonomous, equally efficient, integrated training system and to boost its efficiency.
An overall system based on the imperative of lifelong learning should ideally be founded on the following cornerstones:
- Spreading learning periods throughout people's entire training, professional and working lives
- Modularisation of the entire training sector and the acquisition of qualifications
- Plurality and networking of all learning sites including vocational training schools, the providers of other training services and lifelong learning possibilitiesDuality as a principle of working and learning in the vocational strategy
- Taking into account the growing importance and recognition of informally acquired competencies
- Linkage with polytechnics and universities
(cf.: Prof. Dr. Helmut Pütz: "Hans lernt weiter .", in: Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis (BWP) 3/2000, p. 3 et seq.)
The topic of "lifelong learning" is examined by BIBB from a wide range of angles and is the subject of ongoing discussions at present.
Lifelong learning and career trajectories
Lifelong learning means formal and systematised learning along with informal and experience-guided learning. The rising importance of lifelong learning as a requirement facing each individual in the effort to cope with the multifarious changes taking place in business and society goes hand in hand with an expansion in perspective: Informal learning in career trajectories as an integral element learning processes is gaining increasingly importance and ways must be found to reward and recognise informally acquired competence as well.
BIBB is currently analysing existing procedures for registering and documenting informally acquired competence in a pilot study entitled "Tools for Registering Informal Learning in Career Trajectories". At the same time a systematic comparison is being made with other European countries in the pilot study. The objective of the pilot study is to analyse existing procedures documenting experience gained to date and to make information available to actors involved in vocational education and training policy. Furthermore proposals are to be made on the development of suitable procedures for the Federal Republic of Germany. The project aims at making people aware of competence acquired in the work process and then documenting this in order to promote "lifelong learning" in a sustained manner.
The growing significance of experience-based learning or "informal learning" compared to formal vocational training programmes at established learning sites in initial and continuing vocational education and training is one aspect which is being studied within the framework of a BIBB research project entitled "Supporting vocational experience-based learning through virtual centres of competence". This project explores inter alia the question of whether developments in training technology offer an opportunity to support experienced-based learning on the job. At the same time it is being analysed to what extent experienced-based learning can be established more firmly alongside formal learning processes and new learning sites linked together.
In the following four pilot model projects, BIBB is attempting to develop, test and transfer model approaches towards reform in the area of initial and continuing vocational education and training:
- Process-oriented initial and continuing vocational education and training (10 projects)
- vocational education and training in learning organisations (18 projects)
- Knowledge management (10 projects)
- Experienced-guided learning (6 projects).
The pilot model projects listed here aim at lending support to the following factors: the benefits of systematic on-the-job experience as a source of vocational competence, t6he promotion of experience-guided learning in networked job and business processes, the linkage of individual, social and organisational learning processes along with reflection and self-evaluation on the part of the individuals involved.
Self-guided learning
The promotion of autonomous, self-guided learning is an important approach when it comes to the imperative of engaging in "lifelong learning". The development of new forms for training programmes also plays a pivotal role in this context.
BIBB is in charge of supervising five lead projects which the Federal Ministry of Education and Research has been promoting within the framework of an "idea contest" on the topic "Harnessing knowledge available worldwide for use in initial and continuing vocational education and training and innovation processes" (PT IAW). It is intended through these projects to make a significant contribution to the transition from traditional forms of learning and studying to a self-guided form of learning. One of these projects, Project L3: lifelong learning - continuing training as a basic need (proposed by a consortium led by the CEC of SAP AG, Karlsruhe) has created the basis for a holistic, multimedia service strategy for training. At the same time an attempt has been made to develop a sustained business model for e-learning, a cooperative learning scenario and offer a stable, high-quality set of tools for users in order to convey knowledge with the aid of the new media.
BIBB is offering a community for training staff through the forum for trainers foraus.de. This constitutes an important contribution to self-guided, informal learning in the proximity of the job site, thereby creating an opportunity to learn which can be integrated in the in-company learning and work organisation.
Quality assurance: a precondition for lifelong learning
Promoting quality is intimately related to quality assurance procedures, procedures for the recognition of degrees, the availability of good information and consulting services for the area of continuing training and the establishment of new media in the training environment. Aspects involving international collaboration in training programmes and cross-border qualification should be afforded attention here as well.
Regarding the assurance of quality in the area of vocational training, the President of BIBB, Professor Dr. Helmut Pütz states in the most recent issue of the BIBB journal "Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis" (BWP): "It is not only in the systematised and institutionalised initial and continuing vocational training, but rather in all phases of lifelong learning that transparency, a certain uniformity and the recognition of established standards need to be secured through quality assurance. This should apply to lifelong learning in a manner similar to the Dual System of vocational education and training by means of statutory framework conditions, quality control, qualifications of vocational training staff, examinations and certifications." (BWP 3/2003, p. 4).
Effective quality assurance measures allow people seeking to engage in vocational training to select a programme which meets their requirements, thus contributing to the promotion of individual willingness to successfully engage in vocational education and training. Promoting quality thus serves people seeking training while benefiting the supply side. The precondition for quality assurance as well is always sufficient transparency, a clear structure and comparability of programmes.
BIBB supports an enhancement of transparency for the continuing training market while at the same time making a contribution to quality assurance in the guise of two actual programmes: The ELDOC database allows people interested in continuing education and training to receive rapid, uncomplicated access to possible e-learning programmes through a specially developed list of criteria.
BIBB promotes a periodical exchange of opinion and information with organisations offering continuing training by furnishing a continuing training reference system known as "wbmonitor". The objective of this system is to document structural data, estimates and problems experienced by organisations offering continuing training, thus improving the transparency of the market.
The establishment of an independent foundation, "Quality Assurance in Continuing Training", was an important milestone for BIBB in the quest for quality assurance. BIBB has already taken a significant additional step in the direction of quality assurance in the form of the "Checklist on the Quality of Continuing vocational training".
A broad analysis of requirements, questions and problems facing the field of vocational training due to the globalisation of the knowledge and service society has taken place within the framework of the 4th BIBB Congress 2002 on the topic of "vocational training for a global society - prospects in the 21st century". In forum 3, "lifelong learning - the importance of experience-based learning on the job in the development of competence", the topics of lifelong learning and experience-based learning are being discussed from a wide range of angles and approaches devised for future action. Forum 4 addresses the topic "E-learning: practice and claim" - especially e-learning as an integral element in lifelong learning.
Additional information on the topic
- Wolfgang Wittwer, Steffen Kirchhof (Hrsg.)
Informelles Lernen und Weiterbildung
2003, 248 Seiten, Luchterhand Verlag, Neuwied - Clear objectives and concrete fields of action along the road to a "learning society": an action programme of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research
"Lebensbegleitendes Lernen für alle" (www.bmbf.de/presse01/Pmprog.pdf) - Strategies for funding lifelong learning in Germany: the Expert Commission on the Funding of Lifelong Learning, instituted by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (http://www.lifelonglearning.de/)
- Strengthening self-responsibility and self-guidance of learners, testing innovative projects through the model pilot programme for "Lifelong Learning" of the Federal-Länder Commission for Educational Planning and the Promotion of Research (http://www.blk-iii.de/)
- Bringing organisations offering training programmes and people interested in undergoing training together at the regional level: the programme "Learning regions - promoting networks" of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (http://www.bmbf.de/563_789.html)
- Learning should increasingly take place on the job:
Interview with the State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Dr. Uwe Thomas
Recommended further literature:
- Uwe Grünewald, Dick Moraal, Gudrun Schönfeld (eds.)
Betriebliche Weiterbildung in Deutschland und Europa
2003, 202 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag GmbH & Co. KG - Dr. Gert Zinke
Lernen in der Arbeit mit Online-Communities - Chance für E-Learning in kleinen und mittelständischen Unternehmen
In: Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis (BWP), 32nd year (2003), v. 1 - Ulf-Daniel Ehlers, Wolfgang Gerteis, Torsten Holmer, Helmut W. Jung
E-Learning-Services
Im Spannungsfeld von Pädagogik, Ökonomie und Technologie
L3 - Lebenslanges Lernen im Bildungsnetzwerk der Zukunft
2003, 546 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag GmbH & Co KG - Brigitte Melms
Relevanz rechtlicher Rgelungen für die Qualitätssicherung in der Weiterbildung auf Ebene der Länder in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
2002, 360 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Gunnar Pfeil, Manfred Hoppe, Klaus Hahne (eds.)
Neue Medien - Perspektiven für das Lernen und Lehren in der beruflichen Bildung
2001, 272 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Claus Drewes, Dietrich Scholz, Dieter A. Wortmann (eds.)
Aus der Arbeit lernen
Situationsaufgaben als neues Leitbild der Qualifizierung zum Geprüften
Industriemeister Metall - Erste Ergebnisse aus den Modellprojekten -
2001, 188 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Uwe Grünewald, Dick Moraal
Betriebliche Weiterbildung
Teil I: Statistik zur beruflichen Weiterbildung
Teil II: Weiterbildung in deutschen Unternehmen
Forschung Spezial - v. 3
2001, 48 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Uwe Grünewald, Dick Moraal
Weiterbildung in deutschen Unternehmen - Reaktionen und Strategien vor dem Hintergrund neuer Herausforderungen
Erste Ergebnisse einer Zusatzbefragung zur zweiten europäischen Weiterbildungserhebung CVTS-II
2001, 24 pages, BIBB - Hans G. Bauer, Fritz Böhle, Claudia Munz, Sabine Pfeiffer, Peter Woicke
Hightech-Gespür - Erfahrungsgeleitetes Arbeiten und Lernen in hochtechnisierten Arbeitsbereichen
Ergebnisse eines Modellversuchs beruflicher Bildung in der Chemischen Industrie
2001, 208 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Guido Franke
Komplexität und Kompetenz
Ausgewählte Fragen der Kompetenzforschung
2001, 360 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Henning Bau, Dorothea Schemme
Auf dem Weg zur Lernenden Organisation
Lern- und Dialogkultur im Unternehmen
2001, 252 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Ute Laur-Ernst
Informelles Lernen in der Arbeitswelt
In: Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis (BWP), 27th year (1998), v. 4 - Margit Frackmann, Ulrich Schwichtenberg, Walter Schlottau
Motivation in der Ausbildung zum lebenslangem Lernen
Handbuch
1995, 136 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Margit Frackmann, Ulrich Schwichtenberg, Walter Schlottau
Motivation in der Ausbildung zum lebenslangem Lernen
Referentenleitfaden
1995, 120 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Margit Frackmann, Ulrich Schwichtenberg, Walter Schlottau
Motivation in der Ausbildung zum lebenslangem Lernen
Veranstalter-Information
1995, 23 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG - Margit Frackmann, Ulrich Schwichtenberg, Walter Schlottau
Motivation in training for lifelong learning
manual, English edition
1995, 136 pages, W. Bertelsmann Verlag & Co KG
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