1. Ageing Societies, Learning, and Information and Communication Technologies
Kirsti Ala-Mutka & Yves Punie
EC JRC, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies Information Society Unit
The views expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the EC

2. Institute for Prospective Technological Studies
IPTS: Part of the JRC of the EC: 7 Research Institutes across Europe
Mission: “to provide customer-driven support to the EU policy-making process by researching science-based responses to policy challenges that have both a socio-economic as well as a scientific/technological dimension”

3. Outline Key challenges in the ageing context
Active ageing and Ageing well
Lifelong learning
Learning needs and barriers of ageing learners
Role of ICT
Challenges
Policy issues
Conclusions

4. Key challenges in the ageing context
Preventing of significant physical and cognitive impairments
Changing health visions: from cure to prevention and importance of mental health
Enhancing the perceived quality of life of older people
Inclusion: Independent living, social networking and participation/integration
Using the experience and knowledge of older people for society
Employment, competitiveness, voluntary work/care

5. Active Ageing and Ageing Well
Definition of active ageing (Based on WHO 2002)
“Active ageing refers to a continuous participation in social, economic, cultural, spiritual and civic affairs, not just the ability to be physically active or part of the labour force. Active ageing views older people as active participants in an age-integrated society.”
Ageing Well in the Information Society (EC COM(2007) 332 final):
Ageing well at work or ‘active ageing at work’: staying active and productive for longer
Ageing well in the community: staying socially active and creative, improving quality of life and reducing social isolation
Ageing well at home: enjoying a healthier and higher quality of daily life, maintaining independence, autonomy and dignity.

6. Lifelong learning (LLL)
“all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective” (EC COM(2001) 678 final)
Encompasses formal, non-formal and informal learning
life wide learning
Objectives include
active citizenship, personal fulfilment, social inclusion, as well as employment-related aspects
Effective implementation emphasises
centrality of the learner, equal opportunities, quality and relevance of learning opportunities
What does this mean in the ageing context?

7. From Purdie & Boulton-Lewis. (2003)
From Purdie & Boulton-Lewis. (2003). “The Learning needs of older adults”:
“I’ve got my limitations. But I’m not going to lie down and bloody die.”
(a statement from a 79-year-old interviewee given as an example of positive attitudes to learning and the willingness to overcome challenges)

8. Learning needs and barriers
Learning needs of older people
Learning to manage and improve everyday life
Health, safety, independence
Learning for keeping mind and life active, “life is learning”
Learning for activities, “new things”, to keep up-to-date
To understand changes
Society, politics, people, cultures, ageing
Learning as participation, being in contact and interacting with other people
Learning situations as giving back, showing and using skills, helping others to learn
Barriers for learning
Prior learning, learning skills, self-confidence
Health, mobility, cognitive abilities
Financing
Interest vs. non-interest
Main sources:
Purdie, Boulton-Lewis (2003). The Learning needs of older adults. Educational Gerontology, 29, pp
Boulton-Lewis et al (2006). Learning and active aging. Educational Gerontology, 32, pp

9. Learning and ICT Learning to benefit from the ICT tools (learning ICT)
Technology tools for everyday tasks at home and for work
Aids for compensating disabilities
New possibilities for communication, participation, entertainment
Learning with ICT
ICT as enablers for learning
Distance learning compensating mobility limitations
New information resources available, new ways to access
Specific learning tools
ICT for allowing more personalization in learning
Flexible learning approaches
ICT for interacting and sharing through ICT
Informal learning in communities
Also using ICT in collaboration in physical meeting places

10. ICT as a Regenerator of Local Economy: Kamikatsu – Japan
Swedish Learning centres

11. Challenges for Ageing, Learning and ICT
Challenges with ICT
Current generations of older people have very low ICT skills
Strong need for more user-friendly interfaces (e.g. speech vs keyboard)
Different technologies, e.g. digital television
Smart, unobtrusive ambient intelligence technologies in the future
Designing suitable learning opportunities
Accommodating differences in interests and learning barriers
Dilemmas
Inter-generational learning vs. peer-learning
Dedicated approaches vs. stigmatization
Inter-generational justice vs. inter-generational competition

12. Policy issues Increasing digital competencies and ICT access
Local learning centres, bringing ICT close to learners
Promoting benefits of ICT, developing relevant resources available
More holistic policy and financing approaches
Not only education & training budgets but e.g. sectoral financing
Support Lifelong learning for all
Prepare for LLL skills and attitudes already in obligatory education
Organized LLL at workplaces, mentoring schemes
Support R&D for intergenerational and integrating learning
User-friendly tools and interfaces
Pedagogies, learning approaches
Involving older people in R&D and as teachers

13. Conclusions
Learning can contribute to addressing the challenges of the ageing societies
ICT enable learning for older people in new ways
However, low digital literacy is a key challenge for realising the benefits
Ageing challenges affect several policy areas, and thus, holistic policy approaches are needed to support Lifelong learning for older people
To maximize the potential of learning in the later period of life, LLL needs to be promoted in all stages of life
More research is needed to develop accommodating tools and approaches for older learners

14. Thank you for your attention
References:
Ala-Mutka, K., Malanowski, N. Punie, Y. & Cabrera, M. (Forthcoming). Active Ageing and the potential of ICT in Learning. Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, European Commission, Joint Research Center.
Ala-Mutka, K. & Punie, Y. (2007). Ageing Societies, Learning and ICT. In: Boonen, A. & Van Petegem, W. (2007). European Networking and Learning for the Future. The EuroPACE approach.
Purdie, Boulton-Lewis (2003). The Learning needs of older adults. Educational Gerontology, 29, pp
Boulton-Lewis et al (2006). Learning and active aging. Educational Gerontology, 32, pp
Willis et al. (2006) Long-Term Effects of Cognitive Training on Everyday Functional Outcomes in Older adults. JAMA, 296, 23, pp