Why An Adult Ed Emphasis
Idaho's economic growth depends in large part on maintaining and enhancing the competencies of its active population. In this context, employment-related adult education and training and continuing education are responsibilities shared by various players not only in education but also in our community’s economic, cultural, scientific and other sectors. Individuals and businesses are becoming more involved in lifelong learning in order to adapt to the fast pace of change in our knowledge-based society.
The actions undertaken by our Working Group to combat poverty and social exclusion can have lasting effects only if people enhance and update their competencies, especially when their basic education is lacking. From this perspective, lifelong learning is of strategic importance for our region. The new individual and collective challenges that adults face in our society and the changes that are currently taking place demand immediate and energetic action. The globalization of markets, the speed and ease of communications, the rapid pace of change in knowledge and technology, the accelerated rate of social change, the need for job market retention or reentry, and the increasing complexity of social life are all factors that require adults to have adequate basic education and to update their competencies in order to adapt.
The objectives of learning as a process that goes on throughout life are to develop the autonomy and the sense of responsibility of individuals and communities, to enable them to deal with changes in the economy, in culture and in society as a whole. Promoting coexistence, tolerance and the informed and creative participation of citizens in society, will enable individuals and communities to take control of their destiny and that of society in order to face the challenges ahead.
Adult Education & Training ... Lifelong Learning: These two related terms refer to the learning process, formal or otherwise, whereby adults develop their abilities, enrich their knowledge, and either improve their technical or professional qualifications or consider a new direction to meet their individual needs as well as those of society. The concept of education typically refers to academic learning, while that of training has a socioeconomic connotation and covers employment-related learning in the context of labor force development as it exists in Eastern Idaho. The common denominator is adults and the fundamental idea that learning takes place throughout life. In any case, in adult education, continuing education and training, all of the needs of adults, whether they are work-related, cultural or personal, should be taken into consideration.
The Working Group is currently researching each of the 16 counties in our region to identify the resources that already exist. Next, the Group will discuss what to do with the information it gathers. Will it discuss the possibility of encouraging consolidation of certain facilities and change the orientations of others, or perhaps inject new energy into existing programs and innovate? Will it be the opinion of the Group that we need to add to the existing services or adopt a coherent approach and adapt it to the diverse needs of individual adults and various groups? Will the Group identify gaps and search for funding to fill them? It is only by acting together with the people of East Idaho that we will be able to establish a culture of lifelong learning beginning with adapting the supply of educational services and training support to the various contexts in which adults live and work.
For some people, however, acquiring all of the elements that make up a basic education may represent an insurmountable challenge despite all of the support provided. The supply and content of education must be adapted for these adults and their life experience and prior formal learning must be taken into account. In this case, an appropriate combination of basic general and occupational competencies which favor social integration and job entry might be the best option.
Soon, the Working Group will be posting links to Adult Education & Training resources (which we have worked hard to identify) on the P4P website. While we can be proud of the existence of these resources and possibilities for adults to complete or continue their education, certain elements still need to be improved. It is essential that approaches to adult education and lifelong learning are based on heritage, culture, values and personal experiences and that they be implemented in such a way that they enable and encourage active involvement and expression.
The Group has developed a FY06 action plan and is taking the initial steps in the development of a culture of lifelong learning here in Eastern Idaho. The plan marks the Groups intention, and that of Partners for Prosperity, to ensure that East Idahoans continue to learn throughout their lives.
P4P and the regional community are in the infancy stages of developing partnerships that create a collective endeavor based on the renewal and strengthening of relationships among the players in lifelong learning. Partnerships are necessary because the challenges involved in establishing a true culture of lifelong learning in our community are considerable and they require the determined and sustained involvement of all of us.
We would like to thank all those who have contributed to the Adult Education & Training Working Group (AETWG) and encourage participation from anyone interested in lifelong learning.
News and Announcements
- Adult
Education and Training Working
Group meetings are held
the 4 th Thursday of the month
in the P4P conference room at
625 W. Pacific in Blackfoot
from 9:00 ~ noon. Please get
involved and help adults in
Eastern Idaho learn a living!