This article presents a case study of an AR-integrated escape game workshop on infectious disease control in a vocational education and training nursing course. 21 students participated in the workshop, and data was collected through two focus groups, observation notes, and semi-structured interviews conducted with the teacher and two pedagogical counsellors who created and facilitated the workshop. Using a theoretical framework of AR integration in educational contexts, results show that the workshop was successful in facilitating soft skills such as teamwork and collaboration, and demonstrated the importance of factors such as digital infrastructure, digital competency development, and the experiential nature of AR escape games for health students.
The study demonstrates educational eperience with an original teaching concept that aims to introduce future vocational schoolteachers to project-based learning. The aim of the study is to find out what experience future vocational schoolteachers have with this teaching strategy and to identify changes in the perception of benefits and risks after completing the course. The results show that most course students had no experience with project-based learning before completing the course but their perception changed significantly after completing it. Students have begun to appreciate the benefits of project-based learning more and plan to implement it in their future teaching. The benefit of the study is to transform future teaching at secondary vocational schools through innovative university teacher training to better meet the requirements of the 21st century.
Interpersonal communication is widely recognised as a critical 21st - century skill and a cornerstone of lifelong learning. Yet developing such skills remains challenging, as traditional, theory-based approaches often fail to provide adults with the experiential practice needed for meaningful change. This theoretical study offers an integrative overview of clinical simulations with professional actors and highlights the ways they draw on characteristics commonly associated with serious games in adult learning, demonstrating their potential to bridge the persistent gap between abstract knowledge and real-world interpersonal performance. Originally established in medical education and subsequently adopted in teacher training and other professional domains, clinical simulations immerse participants in realistic, actor-facilitated scenarios where they can experiment, make mistakes, and receive immediate, multidimensional feedback without real-life consequences. A case example from faculty development workshops in higher education illustrates how this method fosters awareness of communication styles, empathy for others, and confidence in managing complex interpersonal situations. Although the case presented is situated in academia, the method’s potential extends well beyond this context. Clinical simulations can be adapted for vocational training, leadership development, and organisational learning, offering a scalable approach to cultivating interpersonal competencies across diverse sectors. The paper positions clinical simulation as a valuable contribution to lifelong learning and calls for further exploration of its applications in global professional contexts.
This research demonstrates how the Japanese social education concept was applied to solve underpopulated areas’ aging problems and why it was necessary. First, the aging crisis in underpopulated areas, its related policies, previous research, and the social education concept will be reviewed and analyzed. Then, to investigate older adults’ self-initiated learning activities in underpopulated areas, fieldwork and a survey on social education practice were conducted in Kagoshima prefecture. The research results indicated the importance and the implications of older adults’ self-initiated learning in underpopulated areas. The study pointed to some alternatives and provided recommendations for solving the aging issues encountered by the underpopulated locations in Japan and other countries.
The study analyzed the service quality of Active Aging Learning Centers (AALCs), the learning outcomes, and the life quality perceived by senior learners. The study compared senior learners of different demographic profiles and their perceptions of AALC service quality, learning outcomes, and life quality. The data were analyzed by mean, standard deviation, t-test, F-test, and mixed effect model. It is suggested that AALCs should improve their service quality in the future by taking a more proactive initiative in understanding the needs of senior learners, including the delivery methods and the course topics, especially the ones in health promotion, positive thinking, and career planning for the second half of their lives.
The life expectancy of individuals is increasing in the modern world. However, the recent education paradigm that covers people’s first periods of life of people is exiguous to fulfill their evolving needs. This situation emerges as an issue that remarks on the lifelong learning and education of the elderly. This qualitative study aims to increase the quality of lifelong learning activities offered to the elderly to develop their agreeable milieu through semi-structured interviews with eleven participants. The descriptive analysis method was employed, and the scripts were analyzed under five themes in this research. These themes are (1) the meaning of lifelong learning, (2) the general knowledge of the education of third-age individuals (3AIs) about 65+, (3) the reasons for the new learning of the 3AIs, (4) the qualifications of the education of 65+ individuals, (5) the obstacles that 3AIs face toward lifelong education. According to the results of the research, the third-age individuals need to be adequately informed about the training. It is necessary to design these training courses in line with the needs and interests of these aging individuals and to eliminate the physical and sociological difficulties experienced by these individuals in accessing education.
JANÍK, Tomáš et al., 2025. Výchova a vzdělávání v bodech obratu. Rozhovory s Tomášem Janíkem. Masarykova univerzita. 232 stran. ISBN 978-80-280-0589-4.
Taking care of grandchildren has become an indispensable part of the life of the elderly in rural areas. Although the elderly in rural areas can care for their grandchildren and share parenting responsibilities, the “digital divide” between them and generation differences leads to obvious estrangement and conflict in their values and behaviors. Since 2019, Class 1, Grade 3 of B Town Primary School in Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province, has carried out a series of intergenerational learning activities in the form of home-school cooperation embedded in the “Hello, Winter Vacation!” research project. These intergenerational learning activities encourage grandparents and grandchildren to learn together. We used an interpretive inquiry to explore how participants from a primary school implemented an intergenerational project and learned from its impact. Based on in-depth interviews with 2 teachers, 20 grandchildren, and 22 grandparents, four main findings emerged: (1) Expanding the learning resources, enriching and diversifying learning content, and integrated learning resources; (2) Grandparents’ development of learning interests, motivation, and behaviors; (3) Grandchildren deepening their understanding of older people and enhancing intergenerational relations; (4) The construction of a learning family promoting home-school collaboration and the development of lifelong education. As the proportion of the elderly population continues to grow in rural areas, intergenerational learning shows its great potential in promoting the development of a sustainable society. It also provides new ideas and perspectives for the development of rural elderly education. This insight suggests that researchers should contribute more to this emerging field of research and practice.
This chapter provides insights regarding the promise of lifelong learning in enhancing well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Well-being is statistically examined by looking at life satisfaction and loneliness among US older adults through multiple data sources. Comparisons were made between a general US population survey using SurveyMonkey Audience panel data and surveys of lifelong learning institute learners. Both quantitative and qualitative data are utilized to showcase how lifelong learning bolsters well-being, derived from multiyear surveys of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute learners by the National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes. A working model is crafted that highlights the value of lifelong learning and its linkages to enhance well-being. Notable differences between age and gender are discussed, which are related to claims of a loneliness epidemic among older adults. The chapter provides insights and questions to improve lifelong learning research and institutional practices.
The population of 65-year-old and above has exceeded 14% of the entire population in Taiwan by the end of March 2018, transforming Taiwan into an aged society. Given this rapid growth of the aging population, we must develop a new perspective, attitude, and policies to accommodate the changing environment. Since 2008, the Taiwanese Minister of Education has been promoting the Active Aging Learning Program (AALP). This program calls for the establishment of Active Aging Learning Centers in local areas, encouraging individuals age 55 and above (also known as Le-Ling) to participate in continuing education to foster the mindset of “active aging.” We developed the 1-2-3 Instructional Model to train AALP instructors. The study’s objectives include describing the development, issues, and policies of AALPs, describing the 1-2-3 Instructional Model, analyzing learners’ perceived effectiveness of the 1-2-3 Instructional Model, and providing recommendations on how instructors can better utilize the 1-2-3 Instructional Model. This study used secondary data analysis from our prior studies. Results indicated that AALP has been an effective learning program for individuals 55 years and above, and the 1-2-3 Instructional Model can be used to train instructors and provide effective learning outcomes.
This chapter aims to present digital education as a method of reducing the digital exclusion of older adults in Poland and analyze governmental strategies adopted in this area. The empirical part of the chapter provides statistical data reflecting the scale of the threat of digital exclusion of the elderly population in Poland. In the next step, we provide an overview of strategic activities in digital literacy of the elderly planned within the framework of binding government strategies for national development, regional development, social policy, and digitization. An analysis of the content of government strategies and programs leads to the conclusion that the Polish government has placed a strong emphasis on the Senior Citizen Policy. Digital education activities for senior citizens planned and implemented in Poland in 2019–2020 are coherent, inclusive, and relevant. The methodology behind digital education programs for Polish seniors is consistent with the recommendations of other researchers discussed in the theoretical part of the chapter. Furthermore, the approach adopted in Poland can serve as a model for other countries seeking to address digital exclusion among seniors.
Globally, the issue of aging populations and how to care successfully for their well-being has become a significant concern. Engendering positive and successful aging has drawn recent attention in the literature. One promising approach to positive aging is the development of meaningful and creative communities of older people built around purposeful activities. In this chapter, we explore one such community: a small poetry-writing commune in Melbourne, Australia, that is part of the University of the Third Age (U3A). Using ideas from sociologist Alfred Schütz and his notion of social phenomenology, we explore the life of the group over four years and offer insights into its success and the positive outcomes that are revealed in the research data. One such insight is that a purposeful and effective group of older adults might be best achieved when individual autonomy and agency are held in creative tension with group cohesion and collective values.
This chapter presents and discusses the idea of an age-friendly learning environment to support older people’s media literacies, drawing on theoretical frameworks and previous empirical research related to learning environments and their various elements. Learning environments are understood broadly as dynamic entities entailing five dimensions: (1) providers of instruction and support; (2) learning aims and content; (3) instructional approaches and practices; (4) social resources; (5) technologies and physical spaces; and (6) cultural and political contexts of learning. This chapter contributes to learning environment research, which primarily focuses on the preprimary, primary, high school, and higher education contexts. It provides insights into how to design and fine-tune learning environments to better respond to the needs, learning processes, and preferences of older people.
Digital transformation has fundamentally changed the living conditions and behavior of people in modern society, especially under the circumstances of the COVID-19 crisis. Senior citizens are the most vulnerable group on the Internet. Shanghai University for the Elderly has built a smart campus to cope with this issue. This study aims to analyze the case of the smart campus and further explore the principle and value of building the smart campus. This qualitative study aimed to understand how experiential learning helps the elderly bridge the digital gap through an analysis of the rationale and principle of building a smart campus. The study revealed that education for the elderly should be systematically organized; the smart campus is people-oriented rather than tech-focused. Finally, the study points to future directions of studies on lifelong education for the elderly.
Lifelong learning, as a cornerstone of personal and professional development, holds significant importance in fostering adaptable and equitable societies. This article explores societal attitudes toward lifelong learning, with a particular focus on the Turkish context, analysing cultural, structural, and economic factors that shape participation and perceptions. While Europe has advanced comprehensive policies and frameworks for lifelong learning, Türkiye has faced challenges in integrating lifelong learning into its socio-educational fabric due to limited resources, insufficient awareness, and socio-economic disparities. Drawing on comparative insights, the paper highlights key differences in access, course variety, and affordability between Türkiye and European nations. Findings indicate that European countries benefit from extensive public funding, institutional collaboration, and inclusivity, making lifelong learning accessible to diverse populations. In contrast, Turkish lifelong learning initiatives remain fragmented, with low participation rates, high costs, and a predominant focus on vocational education. Despite these challenges, recent efforts by Turkish policymakers and international partnerships suggest a growing recognition of the value of lifelong learning for national development.
Given current aging trends, considering lifelong learning is essential for shaping our future societies. Lifelong learning extends beyond adult education and training—it is a mindset and habit people adopt as a personal responsibility. People are living longer and healthier lives in some parts of the world. Longer lives require planning. An aging society may impact economic growth and sustainability, family dynamics, resources for older citizens, and international relations. Therefore, all sectors of society must work to develop a better model of lifelong learning. Knowles’ (1973, 1995) eight process elements of andragogy include: (a) preparing the learner, (b) setting the climate, (c) involving learners in mutual planning, (d) diagnosing learning needs, (e) forming learning plans, (f) designing learning plans, (g) carrying out learning plans, and (h) evaluating outcomes. Additionally, Knowles’ (1990) six assumptions about adult learners include: (a) the need to know the reason for learning, (b) learner concept, (c) experience, (d) readiness, (e) orientation, and (f) motivation. To ensure educational; success, andragogical theory emphasizes self-directed, collaborative, and personally relevant to the learner. This chapter highlights education about aging—not only vital for baby boomers reaching retirement but society as a whole.
The objective of this paper is to present the results of a research aimed at finding out whether seniors feel any need to obtain information at all, from which areasfields, and from which fields on a permanent basis; to evaluate the data obtained in terms of gender and educational level of the respondents. The method used was interviewing, with the questionnaire as a mean. The sample consisted of 112 women and 55 men aged 61-70 years. The data were evaluated using the PAST - PAleontological STatistics program, chi-square goodness‑of‑fit test, sign contingency table scheme and Kramer’s V coefficient. The data obtained from all three research questions, confirmed the HA that there is a difference in the need for information between male and female seniors in the research population in terms of fields, the fields are also different in terms of the educational attainment of the respondents, and there is also a difference in the fields of scientific knowledge from which seniors feel the need to obtain information on a continuous basis.
The study analyses the pedagogical competences of university teachers from the evaluative perspective of university students studying in Slovakia. The main purpose of the research was to find out to what extent the defined professional activities and personal characteristics of university teachers are important for university students. As a research instrument, we chose a non-standardized electronic Questionnaire for the Evaluation of the Quality of the Teaching Process by Students, adopted from Rovňanová (2017), not yet published. The questionnaire was modified into a form that suited our research objectives, namely the Questionnaire for Measuring the Importance of Professional Activities and Personal Characteristics of University Teachers. The research population consisted of 388 respondents, of which 90 were male and 293 were female with a mean age of 23.76. Four respondents did not indicate their gender, and one respondent classified himself as genderfluid. The results of the research showed that the most important professional activity and personal characteristic of a teacher for students is his/her respectful, non-judgmental and non-judgmental behaviour. In terms of all three competency dimensions (Dimension 1: Teacher’s focus on students in socio-cultural context; Dimension 2: Educational process; Dimension 3: Teacher’s self‑development), the educational process dimension was rated highest by the students. At the same time, the study wants to highlight the need for lifelong learning of university teachers not only in research and publication competencies, but equally in improving their pedagogical competences.
This study examines the crucial role of lifelong learning in enhancing teachers’ digital and cultural competencies, which are essential for creating an effective educational environment and are newly conceptualised within the upcoming national curriculum framework. The primary objective is to delineate the current level of these competencies among educators and evaluate the transformative impact of lifelong learning on their improvement and practical application in the classroom. The key criterion for assessing the quality of educational institutions (specifically schools) is the active involvement of teachers in their professional development. This includes participation in various educational programmes focused on pedagogical and didactic innovations, implementing new teaching methods, and organisational forms, and developing key competencies. A mixed‑method research design was employed to achieve a comprehensive understanding, integrating quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews. The research sample comprised 186 teachers from primary schools in the Hradec Králové region. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, followed by statistical techniques and thematic coding analysis. The results reveal significant disparities in teachers’ digital and cultural competencies, underscoring the critical need for targeted professional development initiatives. Quantitative data indicate that many educators lack sufficient proficiency in these areas. At the same time, qualitative findings demonstrate a strong willingness among teachers to engage in professional development activities that address these deficiencies. Furthermore, the study shows that lifelong learning not only enhances teachers’ ability to integrate these competencies into their pedagogical practices but also significantly improves overall educational outcomes. The study’s findings highlight the crucial role of lifelong learning in addressing the evolving demands of modern education, aligning with the educational strategy 2030+ and the newly conceptualised national curriculum framework. Ultimately, this leads to improved student performance and educational equity. The research underscores the significance of lifelong learning for teachers, which is crucial for their long-term professional development and adaptability in a rapidly changing educational environment.
