1 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki EDEN 2005 Annual Conference on Lifelong E-Learning Helsinki June 2005 Sustainable Investment in Lifelong Learning: the Pivotal Role of ICT Gregory Wurzburg Senior Economist – Education Directorate OECD

2 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Lifelong learning is not yet “a reality for all”. Are e-learning and distance education in a position to fix it?

3 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Lifelong learning needs E- learning. And vice versa

4 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki What do we mean by sustainable investment? Social and political Bureaucratic and institutional Economic and financial

5 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Social and political sustainability: what are we up against? Large numbers of poorly qualified adults

6 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki More than a third of working age adults are poorly qualified

7 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Social sustainability: what are up against? Large numbers of poorly qualified adults Poorly qualified adults are less likely to participate in further training

8 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Training participation rates ratio of highly qualified/poorly qualified

9 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Social sustainability: what are up against? Large numbers of poorly qualified adults Poorly qualified adults are less likely to participate in further training For poorly qualified adults it appears that, over time, the combined effect of lifelong learning – as we know it today – is to worsen earnings inequality.

10 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki The earnings gaps gets larger ratio of earnings of high to low qualified Source: OECD Education statistics

11 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki What can poorly qualified adults do for e- learning and distance education? Grow the learning market Grow the e-learning and distance education ‘market share’

12 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Distance learning has ‘room to grow’ type of learning engaged in in previous 4 weeks – EU avg 2000 Source: EU Labour Force Survey

13 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki How can e-learning and distance education reach poorly qualified adults? Motivation – through individualised instruction Overcome the lack of time Provide ‘non-formal’ learning settings Content that has worked: –adult basic ed/literacy –ICT skills –corporate learning –higher ed

14 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Getting to know your market… Internet access in the home and household income, 2000 Source: Pont and Sweet (2003) Adult learnig and ICT: How to respond to the diversity of needs?

15 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Getting to know your market… PC Access in home with and without children

16 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Getting to know your market… Internet access for households with and without children

17 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki What do we mean by sustainable investment? Social and political Bureaucratic and institutional

18 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Second thoughts about strategies for implementing LLL Who loses and why? –Lifelong learning as a threat to education –Lifelong learning as a threat to individuals Implications for e-learning and distance learning

19 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki What do we mean by sustainable investment? Social and political Bureaucratic and institutional Economic and financial

20 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Economic sustainability depends on… Outcomes that generate predictable benefits –Visible –valid –valued Manageable costs –visible –realistic –competitive

21 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki What’s needed? A plan How does ICT enhance the sustainability of LLL Evidence Advocacy

22 EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki Thank you