INTERGENERATIONAL LEARNING AS A MEANS OF INCREASING SOCIAL CAPITAL WITHIN THE LIFELONG LEARNING CONTEXT Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc. prof. Turiba University, Latvia Dr.oec. Janis Eriks Niedritis, assoc.prof

Turiba University 2  Founded in 1993  More than 5,800 students  11,432 alumni  4 major faculties: Business Administration, Law Studies, International Tourism, Public Relations

3 RIGA Founded: in administrative districts: Centra, Kurzeme, Ziemeļu, Latgale, Vidzeme, Zemgale Territory: sq.km Dwelling space 29.9%, industrial space 2.3%, green area 28.0%, water 15.7%. Population: 706,413 people Cultural capital of the EU in 2014

LATVIA Located on the East coast of the Baltic sea; The central country of the Baltic States; The official language is Latvian; Riga is the capital of Latvia; Latvia’s population is 2,041,763 people; The territory of Latvia covers 64,589 km 2; The official name of Latvia is the Republic of Latvia; The Republic of Latvia was founded on 18 November, 1918.

Context  New epoch of creativity and enterprise;  Social capital;  Intergenerational learning;  Ageing of the population. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.5

Context of Latvia Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.6  per 1,000 population of working age

The Study  The study was conducted at Turiba University, Latvia in 2012;  The purpose of the research – to study intergenerational learning opportunities at a university and find the ways how to promote intergenerational learning. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.7

Research Questions  What is the relationship between intergenerational learning and social capital in the university context?  How productive is the created multidimensional model of intergenerational learning for university studies? Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.8

Theoretical Framework  Theories of intergenerational learning (Boström, 2002, 2003; Hoff, 2007; McKechnie, 2007; Newman, Hatton-Yeo, 2008; Pinto, 2010, 2012; Thomas, 2009; Wermundsen, 2007);  Theories of social capital (Aspin, Chapman, 2001; Cropley, 1980; Dubkēvičs, 2011; Newman, Hatton-Yeo, 2008; Kristiani, Scheelen, 2002; Ulrich, Ulrich, 2010). Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.9

Intergenerational Learning  The oldest method of informal learning;  An all-encompassing concept for several kinds of human relationship across different generations;  An important part of lifelong learning;  Contribution of intergenerational learning;  Intergenerational learning and social capital paradigm. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.10

Social Capital  Social capital as institutes, relationship and norms;  Social capital and connection between people;  Social interaction, cooperation and knowledge dissemination;  Social capital and intellect development and competitiveness. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.11

Intergenerational Learning and Social Capital  Interrelatedness between the concepts of intergenerational learning and social capital;  Intergenerational learning, lifelong learning and social capital;  Intergenerational learning in the university context – formal education and informal learning;  The creation of the multidimensional model of intergenerational learning for university studies. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.12

Model of Intergenerational Learning Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.13  adapted from Boström (2002)

The Sample  An intentional sample of 65 students: 11 students aged 19 – 24, 52 students aged 20 – 24, 2 students aged 25 – 34.  An intentional sample of 5 professors: 1 professor of tourism related courses, 1professor of management related course, lecturers in IT, French and German language. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.14

The Methodology  Case study – the analysis of social roles and relationship;  Quantitative approach – applying a students’ questionnaire containing Likert scale and ranking questions;  Qualitative approach –a students’ survey and semi-structured interviews with professors;  Data triangulation. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.15

Findings of the Research Enable Estimating (I)  If students understand the role of social capital in contemporary entrepreneurship;  If social capital is developed in the studies;  The role of professors and training supervisors in the social capital development; Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.16

Findings of the Research Enable Estimating (II)  If the age of professors and training supervisors ensures an additional value in the social capital development;  If the development of social capital is connected with lifelong learning;  The significant traits of character in developing interpersonal culture nowadays. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.17

Students’ Opinion on Interpersonal Relationship in the Studies, Training and Industry (I)  People’s relationship with clients and business partners influences competitiveness and enterprise.  People’s mutual relationship influences competitiveness of the company.  During training students became aware that interpersonal relationship is significant in ensuring successful business. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.18

Students’ Opinion on Interpersonal Relationship in the Studies, Training and Industry (II)  Professors influence students’ culture of behaviour.  Students’ internship in the enterprise influenced students’ culture of behaviour.  Students recognize that their training supervisor was their educator in the specialization. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.19

Summary of Significant Differences Discovered in Students’ Answers (Likert scale) 20

Summary of Significant Differences Discovered in Students’ Answers (Ranking) 21

Students’ Survey (I)  Relationship between students and professors in formal learning was friendly, trustful and collegiate, informal relationship – pleasant, mutually agreeable.  Students have learnt: the code of behaviour and business etiquette, attitude towards work and thirst for knowledge, an ability to listen to others.  “I have learnt an ability to communicate well with the surrounding people, as well as a sense of responsibility towards the work to be done”. (S_22) Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.22

Students’ Survey (II)  “I think that nothing.” (S_6, S_49, S_51)  “I really don’t know.” (S_14)  “I think that I can only learn something, not the professor.” (S_22)  “Professors teach students. I don’t think they can learn anything from them.” (S_35) Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.23

Students’ Survey (III)  Those students who agreed that professors were learning in mutual relationship with the students, mostly pointed to: - an ability to listen to others; - a skill to communicate with younger generation; - positive attitude; - some technical skills; - patience; - look at the things from other viewpoint. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.24

Students’ Survey (IV)  Students had learnt from training supervisors: - insistence, accuracy, creativity; - experience; - communication skills; - collaboration skills, team working; - positive attitude to work; - the necessity to take responsibility and show initiative; - be open and friendly with colleagues and clients. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.25

Students’ Survey (V)  Training supervisors had learnt from students: - be more precise and accurate, do work on time; - positive thinking from the students; - creativity, enthusiasm, innovative thinking; - team working skills in contact with younger employees; - communication skills with Russian tourists; - have understood the role of human relationship at work related situations. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.26

Students’ Survey (VI)  As a result of intergenerational learning both students and training supervisors have made conclusions regarding people’s age and mutual relationship.  “Problems can be solved in very different ways and the age does not matter here. People’s knowledge and experience matter. People are so different. The one age category does not mean similar work abilities and attitude.” (S_49) Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.27

Professors’ Interviews (I)  People’s mutual relationship influences competitiveness of an enterprise.  Professors rather agree than disagree that the value of lectures is increasing with the age of professors.  Professors quite strongly agree that professors influence students’ culture of behaviour.  Most professors agreed that they had learnt from students something. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.28

Professors’ Interviews (II)  “I have learnt from foreign students to look at things from the perspective of other cultures”. (professor of tourism related courses)  “I have improved my communication skills and have adopted an ability to adapt to different situations”. (IT lecturer)  “Optimism.” (French lecturer)  “I have learnt to be very careful what and how I am saying.” (German lecturer) Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof. 29

Professors’ Interviews (III)  “It is difficult to define precisely. Some suggestions/questions have been received from the students on the issues, e.g. have you read this book? It is very useful. Then I either read this book or have a look at it. Youth’s approach to life and its perception is understandable to me. However, I do not learn directly, in a formal way.” (professor of management related course) Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.30

Findings of the Research  The findings of the research pointed to good mutual relationship between students and professors, students and training supervisors and collegiate relationship between professors and training supervisor.  This relationship may contribute to the personality development and intergenerational learning in the lifelong learning context. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.31

Conclusion (I)  According to the opinion of Florida and other scholars, 3 T will have the leading role in the future of humanity – talent that is exposed in creative activity; technology and tolerance, namely, human interpersonal relationship and cooperation.  Human creativity is unlimited and it is enhanced by social capital and human capital. Creativity as a driving force of innovation process should be enhanced, and it is favoured by partnership and openness. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.32

Conclusion (II)  The demographic load in Latvia increases year by year and it is essential to turn the aging process into the process that would promote creativity. This could be done by promoting solidarity of different generations and the use of accumulated wisdom.  It is necessary to enhance solidarity between different generations as well as mentoring so that a new business culture could be developed and the knowledge transfer in the society would be more rapid. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.33

Conclusion (III)  Mutual trust is not high in Latvia. However, cooperation stimulates the processes. Therefore the contribution of universities to creating comprehension on social capital and its development as an essential component of contemporary paradigm is vital.  In its essence social capital is connected with lifelong learning and to manage it universities may apply Boström’s multidimensional model of intergenerational learning. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.34

Conclusion (IV)  The findings of the research indicate that interaction between students, professors and training supervisors is successfully organized at the university. However, the findings obtained during students’ questionnaire and survey on the most important features for successful entrepreneurship indicate that it is necessary to improve the process of developing students’ value system using both formal education and informal learning. Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.35

Thank you for your attention! 36Dr.paed. Ineta Luka, assoc.prof.