Lifelong learning as a pedagogical place

Abstract

The dominant form of lifelong learning has relatively recently become a ‘‘pedagogy of the self’’ shaping a particular identity of a ‘‘learner’’ which may limit the flourishing of the individual in society. How did this come about? And what may be needed from educators towards the re-invention of a lifelong learning pedagogy that intentionally assists the flourishing of individuals? These questions, to me as an educator, rank highly as important educational challenges educators may all have come to know in one way or another in our teaching and learning situations today. As it may be possible to recast lifelong learning into a critical pedagogy and to acknowledge a social dimension at the heart of its discourse, what is the best kind of contribution educators could be making in this regard? As a university-based adult education lecturer, in this paper I reflect on the kind of lifelong learning I regard as emblematic of my teaching and learning arrangements. In particular, I seek to understand “critically and systematically” how I could contribute to the revised pedagogy of lifelong learning Hinchecliffe (2006) puts forward. Drawing mainly on phenomenological insights from the work of van Manen to guide my critical self-reflection, one of the main matters for further consideration is finding a shared

understanding among educators of lifelong learning as a pedagogical place, and what a future- focussed lifelong learning pedagogy might look like to inform educational success for all and in ways that are both personally and professionally meaningful to individuals.