Search results

This paper proposes adequate strategies that companies, public administrators and organisations in the education industry can undertake to successfully face the challenges of digital transformation in a regional innovation system. This research considers stakeholders that operate in the Tyrol–Veneto macroregion (the Tyrol, South Tyrol and Veneto areas), a significant case of moderately innovative European macroregion.

This study undertakes explorative research based on a qualitative method. It adopts a place-based multi-stakeholder approach to emphasise the role of three categories of stakeholders (companies, educational system and regional governments) in facing digital changes. More precisely, interviews with 60 stakeholders from the Tyrol–Veneto macroregion were conducted and examined via both text mining analysis and content analysis. First, correspondence factor analysis was performed using IRaMuTeQ software to identify homogeneous subsets of concepts (pillars–i.e., macroareas of strategic actions). Second, two coding phases were implemented using NVivo software to detect strategic fields of action and specific strategic actions undertaken to address the challenges of digital transformation.

The results highlight that digital transformation is a pervasive challenge of regional innovative system that requires a multifaceted set of strategic actions falling into three main pillars. The first pillar, named “culture and skills”, includes three strategic fields of action as follows: digital education, talents and digital culture. The second pillar, named “infrastructures and technologies”, points out the need of information, interaction and artificial intelligence as key strategic fields of action. The third pillar, named “ecosystems”, highlights the importance of investing in medium- to long-term visions, partnerships and life quality. In brief, this study shows that standalone interventions are insufficient to tackle digital transformation from a systemic perspective. Moreover, this study outlines the potential contribution of each category of stakeholder to foster the digitalisation of the Tyrol–Veneto macroregion.

This study highlights the importance of developing digital culture and skills before investing in digital infrastructure and technology in a moderately innovative macroregion. Companies should alter their vision before reconfiguring their business models, invest in smart working and establish contacts with start-ups. In addition, this study recommends that public administration should mainly invest in digital education and partnerships, while, in terms of education and training organisations, it suggests providing digital skills to several cohorts of both students and workers. Policy implications call for the creation of new occasions of cooperation among stakeholders by fostering “table talks” as strategic and policy actions and by making more financial resources available to encourage the digital transformation processes.

The results of this study may be adapted to the characteristics of other regional innovative systems and used as a reference point in terms of the improvement of business, market and local development.

Acquiring a foreign language may be a lifelong endeavor, and this requires one to approach it from a lifelong learning perspective. However, learners may not always be ready for such an approach. It is important to know where learners stand in their orientations toward learning and consider this when planning educational activities. Therefore, it is necessary to determine language learners’ readiness for lifelong learning (LLL) in order to support their language development. This paper reports the findings of a study conducted to identify the LLL propensities of some Turkish and Emirati university students learning English as a foreign language in their local contexts. The study included 61 Emirati and 47 Turkish students, with a mean age of 19. Data were collected using a research tool with three sections: Demographics, the Lifelong Learning Tendency Scale (LLLTS – developed by Coskun & Demirel (2012)), and a survey with six open-ended questions. Student’s t-test, the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U-test were used to compare the quantitative data in terms of the participants’ nationalities, gender and length of study. The results showed that both Turkish and Emirati students had a moderate level of propensity for LLL. However, the Turkish students’ overall LLLTS scores as well as certain sub-skills were found to be higher than those of the Emirati students. Gender was not found to make a significant difference in the students’ LLL orientations, while motivation was found to be lower at a statistically significant level for those learning English for more than a year. Suggestions are offered for the development of language learners’ LLL skills.

This research attempts to reveal ways of addressing challenges in open universities related to empowering lifelong learning; establishing policies and strategies in dropouts, student portfolio and support services for students with special needs; and implementing online instructional design and strategies. Two institutions were investigated, namely National Open University (NOU) Taiwan and Universitas Terbuka (UT) Indonesia, both founded in the 1980s to serve lifelong learners with diverse backgrounds and needs. This study was aimed at understanding good practices and challenges for improvement for the two open universities in those areas being investigated.

This research was qualitative using document analysis along with focus group discussions and interviews with administrators, academic staff, students and alumni to collect data for analysis.

Lifelong learning is the necessity of individual in societies for continuing professional development through enabling access to quality university education. Open universities have been tasked to cater for lifelong learners using non-traditional approaches, new technology and adapting to online learning and teaching in digital age. This research was exploratory, and the findings were expected to improve understanding of lifelong learning in open universities, particularly in NOU and UT.

Findings of this research are relevant to open universities to enhance its missions and define its possible new roles to serve lifelong learners.

This research reveals the roles of open universities in lifelong learning and enhances understanding of open universities that have a wide range of responsibilities in offering programs and courses to accommodate lifelong learners.

This study aims to provide an overview of the past two decades of lifelong learning (LLL) policies for enhancing employability and reduce social exclusion in young people of European countries through the development of the so-called LLL key-competences.

Built on a quasi-systematic review, this contribution explores traditional and new methods for promoting the LLL transition, and then employability, in young adults (e.g. apprenticeship, vocational training, e-learning, etc.).

It argues the need to identify all the possible approaches able to support policymakers, as they can differently impact key-competence development.

Finally, based on the consolidated EU policy experience, we propose a strategy of implementation of the LLL programmes that facilitates the institutions’ decision processes for policy-making through the use of decisional support system.

Not all first-year university students possess the academic self-concept necessary for an effective transition from high school to university. This may impact their aptitude for learning so negatively that their engagement in lifelong learning (LLL), a prerequisite for success at and beyond university, may be limited. Therefore, the relationship between self-concept and LLL tendency is critical. This paper aims to describe this relationship among Arab first year university students. 149 students (77 males and 72 females) in two consecutive courses were involved in the study. Data were collected using two surveys, one on students’ self-concept, and another on their LLL tendency. Comparisons were made to determine whether gender and courses attended played a role in students’ academic self-concept and LLL tendency. The relationship between academic self-concept and LLL tendency was also analyzed. Results showed that students possessed a relatively high academic self-concept and that their LLL tendency scores were higher than the scale midpoint. The female students’ scores for academic effort (a sub-scale of self-concept), and for curiosity (a sub-scale of LLL), were comparatively higher than those for males. The courses attended did not make a significant difference in students’ perception of their academic self-concept; however, students in the second level course scored higher for self-regulation, a sub-scale of LLL, therefore receiving a slightly higher rating for LLL. Results also indicated a positive relationship between self-concept and LLL scores. The association between the academic effort and self-regulation domains of the scales was noteworthy. Recommendations are made to enhance students’ academic self-concept and LLL tendency, with an aim to strengthen the relationship between the two concepts.

ﻻ ﯾﻣﺗﻠ ك ﺟﻣﯾ ﻊ طﻼب اﻟ ﺳﻧﺔ ا ﻷوﻟ ﻰ ﻓ ﻲ اﻟ ﺟﺎ ﻣﻌﺔ ﻣﻔﮭوم اﻟذا ت ا ﻷﻛﺎدﯾﻣ ﻲ اﻟ ﺿ رور ي ﻟ ﻼﻧﺗﻘﺎ ل اﻟﻔﻌﺎ ل ﻣ ن اﻟ ﻣد رﺳﺔ اﻟﺛﺎﻧ وﯾﺔ إﻟ ﻰ اﻟ ﺟﺎ ﻣﻌﺔ. ﻗد ﯾؤ ﺛ ر ھذا ﻋﻠ ﻰ ا ﺳﺗ ﻌدا دھم ﻟﻠﺗ ﻌﻠ م ﺑ ﺷﻛ ل ﺳﻠﺑ ﻲ ﻟ د رﺟﺔ أ ن ﻣ ﺷﺎ رﻛﺗ ﮭم ﻓ ﻲ اﻟﺗ ﻌﻠ م ﻣد ى اﻟ ﺣﯾﺎة ) LLL (، وھ و ﺷرط أ ﺳﺎ ﺳﻲ ﻟﻠﻧ ﺟﺎ ح ﻓ ﻲ اﻟ ﺟﺎ ﻣﻌﺔ وﺧ ﺎ رﺟﮭﺎ، ﻗد ﯾ ﻛو ن ﻣ ﺣدودًا. وﻟ ذﻟ ك، ﻓﺈن اﻟ ﻌ ﻼ ﻗﺔ ﺑﯾ ن ﻣﻔﮭوم اﻟ ذا ت واﺗ ﺟ ﺎه LLL أﻣر ﺑﺎﻟ ﻎ ا ﻷھﻣﯾ ﺔ. ﺗ ﮭد ف ھذه اﻟ ورﻗﺔ إﻟ ﻰ و ﺻ ف ھذه اﻟﻌ ﻼ ﻗﺔ ﺑﯾ ن ط ﻼ ب اﻟﺟ ﺎ ﻣﻌﺎ ت اﻟﻌر ب ﻓﻲ اﻟﺳ ﻧ ﺔ ا ﻷ و ﻟ ﻰ . ﺷ ﺎ ر ك ﻓ ﻲ اﻟد ر ا ﺳ ﺔ 149 ط ﺎ ﻟ ﺑًﺎ ) 77 ﻣن اﻟذﻛور و 72 ﻣن اﻹ ﻧﺎ ث( ﻓ ﻲ دورﺗﯾ ن ﻣﺗ ﺗﺎﻟﯾﺗﯾ ن. ﺗم ﺟﻣﻊ اﻟﺑﯾﺎﻧﺎ ت ﺑﺎ ﺳﺗ ﺧدا م ﻣﺳ ﺣﯾن ، أﺣدھﻣﺎ ﻋن ﻣﻔ ﮭوم اﻟ ذا ت ﻟ د ى اﻟط ﻼ ب ، وا ﻵﺧر ﻋن اﺗ ﺟﺎه LLL . أ ﺟرﯾ ت ﻣﻘﺎ رﻧﺎ ت ﻟﺗ ﺣدﯾد ﻣ ﺎ إ ذ ا ﻛ ﺎ ن ا ﻟ ﺟ ﻧ د ر و ا ﻟ د و ر ا ت ا ﻟ ﺗ د ر ﯾ ﺑ ﯾ ﺔ ﻗ د ﻟ ﻌ ﺑ ت د و ر اً ﻓ ﻲ ﻣ ﻔ ﮭ و م ا ﻟ ط ﻼ ب ا ﻷ ﻛ ﺎ د ﯾ ﻣ ﻲ ا ﻟ ذ ا ﺗ ﻲ و ا ﺗ ﺟ ﺎ ه LLL . ﻛﻣﺎ ﺗم ﺗ ﺣﻠﯾ ل اﻟ ﻌ ﻼ ﻗﺔ ﺑﯾ ن ﻣﻔ ﮭوم اﻟذا ت ا ﻷ ﻛﺎ دﯾ ﻣ ﻲ و اﺗ ﺟ ﺎه LLL . أ ظ ﮭر ت اﻟﻧﺗﺎﺋ ﺞ أ ن اﻟ ط ﻼ ب ﯾ ﻣ ﺗ ﻠ ﻛ و ن ﻣ ﻔ ﮭ و ﻣً ﺎ ذ ا ﺗ ﯾًﺎ ﻋ ﺎ ﻟ ﯾًﺎ ﻧ ﺳ ﺑ ﯾًﺎ ، وأ ن د رﺟﺎ ت ﻣﯾﻠ ﮭم ﻟﻠﻐﺔ ا ﻹ ﻧ ﺟ ﻠﯾ ز ﯾ ﺔ ﻛﺎﻧ ت أﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﻣ ن ﻣﻧﺗ ﺻ ف اﻟﻧ طﺎ ق. ﻛﺎﻧ ت ﻧﺗﺎﺋ ﺞ اﻟ طﻼب ا ﻹﻧﺎ ث ﻟﻠ ﺟﮭد ا ﻷﻛﺎدﯾ ﻣ ﻲ )ﻣﻘﯾﺎ س ﻓ رﻋﻲ ﻟ ﻣﻔﮭوم اﻟ ذا ت(، وﻓﺿ ول )ﻣﻘﯾﺎ س ﻓ رﻋﻲ ﻣ ن LLL (، أﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﻧ ﺳﺑﯾﺎ ﻣ ن ﺗﻠ ك ﺑﺎﻟﻧ ﺳﺑ ﺔ ﻟﻠ ذﻛور. ﻟ م ﺗ ؤد اﻟ دورا ت اﻟﺗ ﻲ ﺣ ﺿ رو ھﺎ ﻓ رق ﻛﺑﯾ ر ﻓ ﻲ إ د را ك اﻟ طﻼب ﻟ ﻣﻔ ﮭوﻣﮭم اﻟ ذاﺗ ﻲ اﻷﻛﺎدﯾ ﻣ ﻲ؛ وﻣ ﻊ ذﻟك ، ﻓﺈن اﻟ ط ﻼ ب ﻓ ﻲ دورة اﻟ ﻣ ﺳ ﺗ و ى اﻟﺛﺎﻧ ﻲ ﺣ ﺻ ﻠ وا ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ د رﺟ ﺎ ت أ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﻓ ﻲ اﻟﺗﻧ ظ ﯾم اﻟذاﺗ ﻲ ، وھ و ﻣﻘﯾﺎ س ﻓ رﻋﻲ ﻟـ LLL ، وﺑ ﺎﻟﺗﺎﻟ ﻲ ﺣ ﺻ ﻠ و ا ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﺗ ﺻ ﻧ ﯾ ف أ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﻗ ﻠ ﯾ ﻼً ﻟ ﻠ ـ LLL . أ ﺷﺎ ر ت اﻟﻧﺗﺎﺋ ﺞ أﯾ ﺿ ﺎ إﻟ ﻰ وﺟود ﻋﻼ ﻗﺔ إﯾ ﺟﺎﺑﯾ ﺔ ﺿ ﻌﯾﻔﺔ ﺑﯾن ﻣﻔﮭوم اﻟذا ت وﻧﺗ ﺎﺋﺞ ا ل LLL . ﻛﺎ ن ا ﻻ ر ﺗ ﺑ ﺎ ط ﺑ ﯾ ن ا ﻟ ﺟ ﮭ د ا ﻷ ﻛ ﺎ د ﯾ ﻣ ﻲ و ﻣ ﺟ ﺎ ل ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻧ ظ ﯾ م ا ﻟ ذ ا ﺗ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻘ ﺎ ﯾ ﯾ س ﺟ د ﯾ رً ا ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ ﻣ ﻼ ﺣ ظ ﺔ . ﻟذ ا ﻧ و ﺻ ﻲ ﺑﺄ ھﻣﯾ ﺔ ﻟ ﺗﻧﻣﯾ ﺔ ﻣﻔ ﮭوم اﻟ طﻼب ا ﻷﻛﺎ دﯾ ﻣ ﻲ اﻟذاﺗ ﻲ و اﺗ ﺟ ﺎه ال LLL ، ﺑﮭ د ف ﺗﻌزﯾ ز اﻟ ﻌ ﻼﻗﺔ ﺑﯾ ن اﻟ ﻣﻔ ﮭوﻣﯾ ن.

This paper aims to understand what drives people – their motivations, autonomous learning attitudes and learning interests – to volunteer as mentors for a program that helps families to ideate technological solutions to community problems.

A three-phase method was used to build volunteer mentor profiles; elicit topics of interest and establish relationships between those. The mentor profiles were based on self-assessments of motivation, attitude toward lifelong learning and self-regulated learning strategies. The topics of interest were elicited through content analysis of answers to reflection questions. Statistical methods were applied to analyze the relationship between the interests and the mentor profiles.

Bottom-up clustering led to the identification of three mentor groups (G1 “low”; G2 “high” and G3 “medium”) based on pre-survey data. While content analysis led to identifying topics of interest: communication skills; learning AI; mentoring; prototype development; problem-solving skills; working with families. Analyzing relationships between mentor profile and the topics of interest, the group G3 “medium,” with strong intrinsic motivation, showed significantly more interest in working with families. The group with the overall highest scores (G2 “high”) evidenced also substantial interest in learning about AI, but with high variability between members of the group.

The study established different types of learning interests of volunteer mentors and related them to the mentor profiles based on motivation, self-regulated learning strategies and attitudes toward lifelong learning. Such knowledge can help organizations shape the volunteering experience to provide more value to volunteers. Furthermore, the reflection questions can be used by volunteers as an instrument for reflection and by organizations to elicit the learning interests of volunteers.