FE and Lifelong Learning: Realigning the Sector for the Twenty‐First Century

Citation

Williams, J. (2000), "FE and Lifelong Learning: Realigning the Sector for the Twenty‐First Century", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 8 No. 3, pp. 152-155. https://doi.org/10.1108/qae.2000.8.3.152.3

One of the problems of any book dealing with education policy is the number of policy announcements, initiatives and changes that can serve to render an assessment of policy obsolete by the time it is published. This book is a collection of articles, with its main rationale being the need for a strategic analysis of the FE sector because of its importance to the success of a number of initiatives around the theme of social inclusion. However, a central message is that the sector suffers from strategic drift because its role is unclear in comparison with higher education (HE) and post‐16 education in schools.

Chapter 1 analyses the development of FE and sees incorporation in terms of continuity with the past, while Chapter 2 focuses specifically on the funding mechanisms that were brought in to accompany incorporation. The theme of Chapter 3 also looks at funding mechanisms, particularly the implications for adult education in FE and the aim of trying to be responsive to community needs. Chapter 4 deals with the interface between HE and FE, while Chapter 5 looks at the implications of information and learning technology (ILT) for notions of learner centredness. This chapter argues for a constructivist model of learning that will empower learners within communities of practice. Chapter 6 focuses on inclusive learning, while Chapter 7 examines the student’s experience of learning amidst an ever‐widening group of FE students. Chapter 8 explains the need for a more strategic approach to curriculum reform and Chapter 9 discusses initial teacher education, staff development and professionalism, suggesting that the concept of the learning professional rather than the reflective practitioner is more appropriate for the sector.

The final chapter provides an overview of the book and of the key issues, arguing that FE needs a strategic re‐alignment in relation to schools, HE and the workplace. The chapter illustrates how the sector is fragmented and has been squeezed by other providers, developing more by serendipity than by design. There are international comparisons and the case is made for a more collaborative regional approach that would bring together the main stakeholders. This the editors describe as a democratic regional model that would determine the nature of provision and set education and training targets.

The book is accessible for anyone who wants a good overview of contemporary, post‐compulsory themes and issues. It would provide suitable reading and study material for initial teacher education, continuing education and postgraduate courses. The strength of the book is its breadth and range but, as with any collection, this is sometimes achieved at the expense of coherence and gaps in coverage. The organisation of the chapters could have been better arranged around some key themes; for example, curriculum and qualifications, the student experience, policy and strategy, and professionalism. Given the focus and concerns of the book it is surprising that rather more attention is not given to analysing the implications of alternative provision in the shape of Employers, University for Industry, Open College and other private sector providers.