‘Lifelong Learning in Singapore – Senior Citizens’ Learning Perspective’

Thomas KuanThomas KuanVice-President and Hon. Treasurer, Vice-President and Hon. Treasurer, East Asia Forum for Adult Education East Asia Forum for Adult Education (EAFAE) (EAFAE) 1st Vice-President & Past 1st Vice-President & Past President, Singapore Association President, Singapore Association for Continuing Education (SACE); for Continuing Education (SACE); andand9th August 20119th August 2011

2323rdrd October 2011 October 2011

Confucius (Chinese: 孔子;),

(551 B.C. – 479 B.C.)

Confucius (born in b.c.) says…..

• ‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step’.

• Learning is a life-long journey.

• What happens if the first step is in the wrong direction?

In the b.c. (before computer) era………

• Preferred way of learning was by rote learning. Not much fun nor relaxed.

• Teachers’ views were not challenged.

• Autonomous Learning leading to creative outcome was limited.

Asian’s cultural learning style…

• For Confucius, lifelong learning is an important and necessary means for self-cultivation ( ss 7.2 and19.5).

• To him, learning is a never-ending process of accumulation knowledge.. It is part of effortless way to enlightenment. (He was talking to people during his time.

Confucius had studied a lot during his early days.

Participate in lifelong learning, not for personal reasons, but for the board well-being of families and communities (since only a minority of people will have sufficient motivation and talent to devote themselves to constant study).

About 200 years ago….

• World’s population was about 1.0 billion; life-span was 40+ years-old.

• Learning by liberal education was encouraged.

• Life matured (socially) at 20+ years-old?• In Asia, respect for learning is high.

Chinese families were known sell their properties, heirlooms, even their bodies to enable their children to learn.

Today, 2011 (21st century)

• World population is 6.6 billion, with most older citizens in Asia.

• Life span averages 70+ years-old.• Life begins at 40+ or 60?• Learning is relatively fun, challenging

teachers’ views and theories.• Young people learn differently from multi-

tasking, impersonal & on-line learning, more effective use of iconic and graphic,

Senior Citizens of the World

• Out of 100 persons, 61% are Asians. • Asia has 54% or 363 million of the world’s older

persons. • By 2025, Asia and Pacific will have 733 million

older persons. Year 2050 – 1.3 billion older persons.

• There will be more ageing brains; there will be challenges to learning in a globalised world.

• Seniors have ‘crystalline intelligence’ which depends on life experience, verbal skills & judgment (Merriam, 2001).

Projected Median Age of Singapore in Comparison to the World

Source: World Population Prospectus, 2006 Revision, United Nations

Projected median ages, selected countries, 2010 and

2050 (ABS, 2008, 3)     Country     Median

age 2010   Median age 2050

 Difference

    Japan     44.6     54.9     +10.3

    South Korea     38.0     54.9     +16.9

    Singapore     40.6     53.7     +12.9

    Canada     40.0     45.3     +5.3

    Australia     38.2     45.2     +7.0

    China     34.9     45.0     +10.1

    New Zealand     36.8     44.1     +7.3

    UK     40.0     43.4     +3.4

    Vietnam     26.9     41.6     +14.7

    Indonesia     28.2     41.1     +12.9

    USA     36.5     41.1     +4.6

    India     25.0     38.6     +13.6

    PNG     20.3     30.9     +10.6

The Older Learners in Singapore

• By year 2020, 25% of Singapore’s population are older citizens over 60 years-old.

• They have another 20 years to contribute to society.

• They need to make meaning of their learning in life.

A CHRONOLOGY OF ADULT

EDUCATION IN SINGAPORE • 1823 Founding of the first library in the Singapore

Institution which was later changed to the Raffles Institution.

• 1824 Publication of the Singapore Chronicle - the first English language newspaper.

• 1845 Publication of the Straits Times , the oldest English language newspaper.

• 1876 Publication of Jawi Peranakan, the first Malay language newspaper. Publication of Singai Varthamani, the first Tamil newspaper.

• 1881 Publication of Lau Pau , the first Chinese language newspaper.

• 1935 Beginning of radio broadcasting. • 1942-45Japanese Occupation.• 1949 Formation of the University of Singapore.

Learning Needs of Seniors in Singapore

• National Survey on citizens and permanent residents) aged 40 through 74 conducted by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS)

from February 16 to April 18, 2008.

Sample size has 1500 cases.

Interested in Learning % (MCYS Survey)

Frequency -- Percent -- Valid Percent -- Cumulative Percent

Valid• Very Interested 161 10.7 10.9 10.9• Interested 611 40.7 41.3 52.1• Neither 145 9.7 9.8 62.0• Not Interested 357 23.8 24.1 86.0• Not at all 207 13.8 14.0 100.0 Interested ----------------------------------------------------------------------- • Total 1481 98.7 100.0 • Missing 9 19 1.3 • Total 1500 100 100.0

Learning styles (mean scores) (MCYS Table 2.6)

• Learning Style Mean Score I learn best:-

• In a group where I can share with other learners 3.75 • By putting my hands on something and playing with it or figuring it out 3.74 • By watching or listening and then thinking about it 3.72 • By gathering information and then teaching myself 3.46 • In a formal teacher‐classroom situation 3.36

• When I have a guide, tutor, or mentor in a face ‐to‐face situation 3.23

• Through self‐study courses 2.98 [Note: Score range 1 (low) / 5 (high)]

Types of courses interested in (mean scores

“I am (extent to which interested or not interested) in learning topics/courses relating to”: Mean score • 1 Personal health 3.10 • 2 Hobby or pastime 2.91 • 3 Personal growth or effectiveness 2.82 • 4 Spiritual growth 2.80

Types of courses interested in (mean scores) (MCYS Table 2.7)

Type of Courses

I am (extent to which interested or not interested) in learning topics/courses relating to …

Mean score

1. Personal health

2 Hobby or pastime

3 Personal growth or effectiveness

4 Spiritual growth

5. Other skills, computer literacy, foreign languages

6 Higher job skills

7 Basic skills, e.g., reading, writing

8 Higher qualifications

9 Arts and culture

3.10

2.91

2.82

2.80

2.80

2.71

2.66

2.54

2.28

Taking up courses in past 12 months and next 12 months (% saying YES)

Type of Courses Past Next Total Rank

12 months 12 months

1. Personal health 6.3 12.9 19.2 42. Hobby or pastime 7.1 12.0 19.1

53. Personal growth or effectiveness 5.2 10.2 15.4 6 4. Spiritual growth 9.8 13.1 22.9 15. Other skills, computer literacy, foreign languages 6.3 14.8 21.1 2 6. Higher job skills 8.7 10.6 19.3 3 7. Basic skills, e.g., reading, writing 3.1 8.3 11.4 78. Higher qualifications 3.5 7.3 10.8 89. Arts and culture 1.3 4.0 5.3 9

Is there a Model for Lifelong Learning Strategy?

• There may be many good infrastructures like community centres and colleges, cultural centres & museums, libraries, etc.

• Does it satisfy the ‘social needs’ of learners?

• For recognition, for sharing, for teaching, for learning, for work, for skills, for leadership development, for charity, for voluntarisms, etc.

Self-Directed Learning and Autonomous Learning Movement

• The self-directed learning movement certainly added significant perspectives to the perception and concept of learning.

• Is this is the first driver of learning – globalisation – based on market economy model?

• Is there a next driver where there is the explosion of new knowledge and learning based on technological and research and innovation in information and communication? Or based on human’s desires?

Self-Directed Learning

• The need to remain relevance and sustain employable

• Lifelong learning strategies must have encouragement and support from learners as ‘only a small percentage are able to accumulate learning’ (Confucius).

• freedom to seek learning opportunities

Autonomous Learning – A Lifelong Learning Strategy?

• Less individualistic – more interdependent on group’s or team’s effort.

• Identify core competences and long term work plans, especially for older workers.

• Productivity is not just due to training, but to investments and innovations.

Singapore’s Fund for Productivity• US$3.9 billion for next five years to boost

worker productive and R & D efforts and raising innovation.

• Develop a training and education for the workforce – the National Productivity and Continuing Education Council – to coordinate public and private efforts.

• A new scheme to train managers and executives at SMEs to be the productivity mindset.

His grandparents came from China in 1800s……

Who Are We?We have practical wisdoms to share.

• As senior citizens, we have decades of experiences of understanding, appreciation and tolerance of others’ cultures and their way of life.

• We have our way of telling the world that we existed once, regardless of whether it will think differently with or without me.

• Sharing of one’s life experience is one way of ageing with dignity.

• Learning does not always progress in linear (or serial) pattern, but rather as the circumstances created during one episode become the circumstances that trigger the next episode.

Different Learning Styles

• People are different, depending on their background and personalities; and different things work for different people (e.g. some like to interact with drinking and singing songs, etc).

• Not everyone can be as motivated as you in learning.

Formal vs. Informal Learning

Approximately,

10-20% through formal

education

80-90% informal learning

Tough (1971, 1999); Confessore and Confessore (1993)

LEARNING according to Peter Jarvis is:

The combination of processes throughout a lifetime whereby the whole person – body (genetic, physical and biological) and mind (meaning, knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, emotions, beliefs and senses) – experiences social situations, the content of which is then transformed cognitively, emotively or practically (or through any combination) and integrated into the individual person’s biography resulting in a continually changing (or more experienced) person.

The Rise of Informal Learning Groups

• The on-going financial crisis has encourage learners to seek learning for livelihood and social interactions.

• In South Korea, there are lifelong learning cities, like Changwon.

• In India, the number of U3As has risen to 33 within the last 5 years.

• In UK, the UK Trust has reached it quarter million members this year.

• In Australia and elsewhere, U3As of different models are popular learning places.

Informal Learning is a Trend• Communities learning is a powerful trend

where learners network.• There is a need to ‘guide’ informal learning

to develop friendships and active citizens.• “A total learning community” where

everyone, regardless of age or life circumstances, is enthusiastically engaged in learning. This will bring benefits to individuals, families, communities, the economy and the environment.

Changwon’s Lifelong Learning Festival, 2008

‘Fostering Right to Learn’

LEARNING COMMUNITIES

U3A Movement U3A - the University of the Third Age - is an

international movement that encourages senior citizens people to participate in lifelong learning and active ageing activities.

LEARNING CITIES

Supports from International Organisations

• The recent Confintea VI held in Brazil emphasis the need for continuous learning for young people, adult and older persons.

• Government, NGOs, organizations, community groups, families, and individuals of all ages are discovering exercises in remembrance and seeing “the past” in different ways. Seeing events differently affects how the present generations view those who helped shape those events’ ( ESCAP, 2001).

What’s the Learning Future for East Asians?

• Organisations like EAFAE is a pillars of lifelong learning.

• The process of learning from young to senior-young has made us more aware of the need for elderly living.

• The concepts of community learning through learning cities and U3As may help us to realise the potential of learning in our golden lives.

Person who enjoys the early sunlight doing qigong or yoga