CREATING INTERSECTIONS OF LIFE AND LEARNING: REDEFINING LIFE-LONG LEARNING

Most members of my generation completed their formal education at least forty years ago, and stepped into a world of rapid change. Swept into the vortex of Globalization, we defined a new era of "Knowledge Workers", became leaders in the field of technology, and recognized the need for a new platform of extended learning. What emerged was Life-Long Learning, an embodiment of the links between experience and knowledge. As students, we had found our voices in the streets, transforming knowledge into action and theory into practice. Now, as adults, we looked for continued learning that was active and would enrich our lives. Life-long Learning evolved not as a continuation of formal education but rather, as a rejection of traditional classroom instruction. Life-Long-Learning was a personal choice; an on-going active pursuit of knowledge and experiences that encouraged one to learn "for the sake of learning." It began when formal education ended. But, it was just for adults; the elite who had completed school. Today, we question "life learning" that addresses the needs of an elite few, and we contemplate why society has made a conscious choice to reinforce the cycle of the under-educated: We have forgotten the Early-life learner-those who are just beginning to explore the world, We are blind to youth who stand on street corners, and, We actively ignore the plight of under-educated adults. Education is excluding entire generations. Few entry points exist for those who wish to return to school. Intersections between life and learning are rare. Why are so many Life Learners ignored?