Are you really embracing life-long learning?

We often talk about life-long learning but I don’t think we reflect often enough on what it means and how we are practicing it.

I have been fortunate to have worked with Samuel Isaacs, past CEO of SAQA, and UWC emeritus Professor Shirley Walters – both true advocates of life-long learning.

The following diagram attempts to capture what I have learnt from them and many other experts in this field.

The diagram proposes that a person learns from the day they are born till the day they pass on.

Everyday is a learning opportunity.

The diagram also expands the concept by incorporating the dimensions of life-wide and life-deep learning. And finally, the diagram highlights that learning is a mix of formal, non-formal and informal experiences.

Thinking through and reflectively acting on these dimensions is just as important to the individual as it is to the team or organisation.

As an individual, you should at least ask yourself each year, “what formal, non-formal and informal learning do I need to engage in?” You also need to reflect on the focus of your learning. Do you need to expand on a subject [widen] or dig deeper? And you also need to consider what new fields do you need to challenge.

Organisation must do the same. The annual exercise of developing the so called WSP [workplace skills plan] should not be a SETA burden. It must be seen as the opportunity to review the organisations life-long learning journey.