Experts advocate leveraging technology in lifelong learning to remain competitive

In a fast-paced, knowledge-based and technology driven world individuals need to constantly update themselves to be able to create value, stay relevant and competitive. This is becoming increasingly necessary because skills that were necessary in the past are rapidly becoming obsolete. Lifelong learning, leveraged through technology breaks old moulds, opening up new vistas of opportunities.

Analysts say lifelong learning entails acquiring and updating all kinds of abilities, interests, knowledge, and qualifications from pre-school years to post-retirement, valuing all forms of learning, promote the development and competences that would enable adaptation to knowledge-based society.

Stella Soni, a surveyor and entrepreneur, observe that learning can no longer be dichotomised into a place and time to acquire knowledge (school) and a place and time to apply knowledge (workplace). Today’s students are flooded with more information than they can handle, and tomorrow’s workers would need to know far more than any individual can retain.”

Soni noted that in a knowledge-based economy, lifelong learning is necessity to enable societies continually re-invented themselves and their future. “Lifelong learning is a mindset, unconfined to space-time learning activities like adult education or training. More and more knowledge, especially advanced knowledge, is required well past the age of formal school, and in many situations through educational processes that do not centre on the traditional school.”

In a report, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), observed that the advent of the internet, and the subsequent proliferation of connected devices, is democratising learning and levelling the field for all. The report also highlighted the snail pace adoption of technology in education “while different sectors of the economy have adopted technology at varying speeds, the education sector in particular has remained cautious, largely relying on traditional teacher-student interaction in the classroom setting.” However, this is changing and its value for education is invaluable.

Obiageli Okwuagwu, a make-up artist based in Lagos said “I learn constantly about my art from experts around the world through Youtube.com. I keep up with developments through Youtube videos and tutorials. I do not learn only about my art, because recently I started learning French through these tutorials with the intention of expanding my business into neighbouring Francophone countries.”

Godson Ikiebey, a researcher at First Bank Sustainability, Lagos Business School, suggested “it is shocking how very few people in Nigeria realise the potentials of the internet and its value for lifelong learning. Adults who engage the internet and associated technologies have an incredible resource at their disposal. To profit from this engagement, open-mindedness is critical.”

Experts recognise the enormous benefits of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in fostering lifelong learning. Leading universities would wish to preserve their lofty status, in teaching as well as in research. Therefore, they should give serious consideration to providing answers to the growing and special needs of the lifelong learning era, in order not to leave the field open to other institutions (local or foreign), even if the latter are capable of providing high-quality teaching (at least at a level not leading to research).

STEPHEN ONYEKWELU