The Role of Lifelong Learning in Personal Development

Lifelong Learning: Its Importance as a Concept of Character Development

How many times have you ever considered how much you have actually gathered knowledge in your lifetime? From the playful discovery of the child, to the difficulties of the adult, the learning process never ended it seems… What we refer to as lifelong learning is very important in our day to day lives. Now more than ever it has become a reality to embrace Learning for life which basically means learning for a lifetime. It is now high time that we take a closer look at why this journey of lifelong learning is so important for us.

What is Lifelong Learning?

Thus the question, what is lifelong learning all about? In essence, it can be described as a practice of learning done in one’s free time without pressure and without any prior coercion. This includes, but is not limited to; career additions like degree or certification, and other forms of training which are not categorized under ‘accredited’ such as workshops, online courses, or books, even podcasts. In its broadest sense, it means exercising your brain right from when you are born until you die.

There are many forms to lifelong learning some of which include:

For this reason, lifelong learning can come in many sizes and forms. However, we will look at a few of them in order to understand the variety that this journey holds.

Formal Education

There is formal education which is common with most people nowadays. This entails institutions like; schools, colleges and universities which are well structured learning institutions. Most people tend to stick to the notion that education stops as soon as they get their diplomas or degrees that is more of a myth because even these institutions provide learning for people right from the evenings to adult education. Moreover, sometimes getting another degree or diploma would be a complete game changer in one’s field.

Informal Learning

That on the other hand means that it is equally important to have informal learning. This type of learning takes place outside the normal classrooms and teacher taught methods. It could be through engaging in hobbies, through reading books, through attending some kind of capacity-building workshops, or even just learning whatever comes with the courses that we take online through sites such as Coursera or Udemy. The main advantage or genius of informal learning is that it can be done anytime and anywhere and one can learn on something that interests him or her.

Lifelong Learning: Its Significance

Having given a description of lifelong learning, why is it important? Well, as the saying goes – the world is going round faster and faster and in fact, it literally is going round much faster than ever before! Due to the progress in technology, and changes in the world’s workplace, there is often a mismatch between what we were taught yesterday, and what is needed today. Lifelong learning enables us to be updated and productive in the society so that we can be able to fight for new challenges in the competitive society.

Lifelong learning and personal development and continuous improvement is the third advocacy of the Chamber in relation to human capital.

Let’s get to the heart of the matter: How do continuous education support our growth as individuals in our lifetime? The answer lies in the way it can help us get better at something, become more confident about ourselves and perhaps find purpose in life.

Strengthening Capacity for the Future

Education enables one to gain fresh skills and knowledge that may lead to the discovery of new roles to play in the society. Whether it is a formal language known at work or a name of a popular song sing or cooking method, each skill enriches personalities and careers. It is like developing a set of tools, the larger the list of tools, the right set will be handy in managing different jobs.

Building the Capacity for Flexibility

Yes, life happens and people have to adjust their employment situations due to changes in jobs, on personal front or natural disasters and other catastrophes. When people say learning is a lifelong process, it means that everyone prepares him or herself to face adversities in life; this is indeed private universities must prepare its learners to face adverse situations in life. When we’re growing, if something doesn’t work, it’s easier to change tactics, to face failure head on. It’s like an exercise where one rehearses for a marathon; the more one rehearses, the better he or she is when there is real battle.

Lessons Learned: Removing the Barriers of Lifelong Education

However, there is always a challenge or barrier to lifelong learning in people’s lives. Here we discuss some of the challenges and the ways to further address them.

Time Constraints

“I don’t have time to learn!” Sound familiar? For most of us, life is rather tight with tighter schedules at work, taking care of families and full social calendars. However, the most important point is yet again learning. One can plan to spend a minimum of 15-30minutes of his/her day in the learning activities. Whether it’s reading an article, listening to a podcast in the car, or even taking an online course, all those small steps can add up.

Lack of Motivation

Perhaps, the greatest challenge is first of all, desire; to want to learn and not remain idle. Another way is a definition of concrete and realistic learning objectives. For example instead of apropos, “I want to learn how to take photos”, one could set a goal such as, “by the end of the month I want to finish the photography course and take ten really good photos.” This is because when you set goals, it can at times feel like a daunting task, but when you make them smaller it becomes much easier.

Fifty helpful techniques for effective and continuous education and training.

That being said, it is essential to move on to the next steps and hear about Tues Practical Steps towards the goal of constant learning.

Setting Learning Goals

As postulated earlier, it is important to set particular learning objectives. It is essential to put on paper what you would like to accomplish in terms of learning a new skill or increase your existing knowledge in specific field or topic. This way you are not only held to book but also have a clear network to work with.

Utilizing Online Resources

Internet is the hub of learning for people all over the world. It is possible to find anything from free courses on the internet to a specific You Tube channel that will teach you the basics. Among such resources there are sites similar to Khan Academy, Skillshare, and TED Talks which let study in detail and without interruptions as long as necessary. Therefore, why not use all this great information?

Structural brain injury and subcortical function: implications for a psychobiological theory of traumatic brain injury / Brown GJ, Powell JH, Avey P, Thompson JL, leave, Hoscheid ME, Gorelick PB, Hill-Yan Ç, Winter Mark BB S Hitch.

When it speaks to learning, people should be aware it does not have to be a lonely process. Try to find advanced community or group related to your preference. Contact with others can be helpful, inspiring and eye-opening. It could be a book club, a blog or a social networking page; discussing your learning and any difficulties you come across help in your learning and keep the excitement up.

Conclusion

Just as people do not stop learning just because they turned 18, 25, 30, learning throughout life is not just a trend; it is a prologue to a life-changing process. Stakeholders can therefore capture knowledge through extending their education hence attaining other skills, flexibility, and personal satisfaction. What is even more appealing is the fact that learning can actually be continued throughout the entire lifetime! So, what are you waiting for? Start a new project, sign up for a new online class, or finally start that book you’ve had your eye on for ages. Your course to self-actualization is right here!

FAQs

What is lifelong learning?
The term continues education is used to mean the process of continuous acquisition of knowledge for personal or professional improvement, regardless of the age of the learner, and it is mainly characterized by the acquisition of knowledge in which the learner is not compelled to do so.

Lifelong learning: why?
Lifelong learning ensures that people remain marketable, gain new skills and knowledge, and help them work through the problems of a fast-changing world.

Where can I get time to learn for ever?
As a rule, it is suggested to spend only 15-30 minutes a day on learning activities, they may include reading, taking an online course, listening to an educational podcast.

This paper aims at discussing some of the best practices that promote lifelong learning.
Some of the approaches may include: Establishment of learning objectives, ‘internet footprint’ to include Website, and support in the form of a learning community.

In other words, when does it become too late to learn?
Absolutely not! Education can be a life long process and it is never too late to take up something new, or learn something new.