Lifelong learning has become an increasingly important topic in educational policy debates throughout the world, particularly in the context of digitalisation. According to the European Commission, lifelong learning is “all learning activity undertaken throughout life that serves to improve knowledge, skills and competence”. Our world is changing around us at such a fast pace that if each of us does not continue to grow and develop, we are all at risk of being left behind. Each of us needs to keep our skills sharp and up to date throughout our lives. Lifelong learning helps us adapt to change, and enrich our lives.
Technologies to help learning
The digitalswitzerland/FSEA event on 27th November at the Paul Klee Museum in Bern is a mixture of theoretical and hands-on experiences with new technologies. While many Learning and Development managers are fully familiar with Learning Management Systems (LMS), which enable employees to access learning through technology platforms, new technologies such as avatars and artificial intelligence applied to learning are likely to change both recruitment practices and learning outcomes. With technology, there are many new ways to explore and learn.
Technology allows for a more individualised degree of interactivity in order to customise the learning experience based on the needs of the user, whether it is acquisition of skill sets or refining competences. Technology provides new resources for learning that overcome distance and time and facilitate repetition and practice. Technology does not replace learning objectives and outcomes, which must be set clearly in order to achieve goals. Technology is, in short, not an end in itself but rather a means to an end: to learn how to apply acquired knowledge.
Evolving skills and competencies
Switzerland far exceeds the adult learning target of 15% that the European Union set for 2020. In 2016, our country stood at 32% for the 25-64 age range. This is testimony to the concerted effort by academia, professional associations, government bodies and companies to include as many people as possible in lifelong education. As the workplace changes and evolves, so must skill registries such as the ESCO classification, which identifies and categorises skills, competences, qualifications and occupations relevant for the EU labour market and education and training. At a smaller level, the event will present the findings of a study on evolving digital skills in Romandie and which skills will be looked for in tomorrow’s employment market.
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The programme is limited to 120 people. Please sign up now to make sure you can attend! For more information and the programme, please see here. To remain informed on what digitalswitzerland does, remember to sign up to our newsletter!
