Lifewide Learning

Abstract

The National Agency for Education has a special action programme for lifelong learning. The action programme is intended to create an overview and picture of the anatomy of lifelong learning in Sweden and to identify and analyse key issues in a strategy for lifelong learning. Taking this as a starting point the programme aims to create good conditions for lifelong and lifewide learning. This text attempts to lay the conceptual foundation for such an overview, analysis and action programme. The aim of this report is to propose and discuss a conceptual framework for lifelong learning, and attempt to give a picture of the components of lifelong learning and the challenges ahead. The ambition is not to draw up the ultimate definition of the contents of the concept, but rather to create the conditions for discussion; to provide starting points and basic tools for such a discussion and to indicate some, but certainly not all the strategic issues around which further thinking is required. Lifelong learning encompasses an area outside the formal educational system and outside the National Agency for Educations traditional areas of responsibility. This report is a contribution to the debate on education and learning in the knowledge society, where this vision has now been transformed into reality.