Three dimensions of lifelong education: vertical integration, horizontal integration, and learning to learn¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The paper organizes lifelong education along three dimensions. Vertical integration holds that learning is continuous from birth to death and that the strongest educational influences come from outside formal schooling; horizontal integration links education with life-wide social components; and learning to learn equips people to identify needs, locate resources, and evaluate outcomes. The paper states that "Cropley and Dave (1978) suggest that lifelong education has two dimensions: vertical integration and horizontal integration" and that Galbraith (1992a) adds learning to learn as a third dimension.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Learners must acquire the skill to learn how to learn, which the paper calls a prerequisite to any educated community or society

Constraints¶

• The learning-to-learn dimension is the author's addition to the two dimensions proposed by Cropley and Dave

Target Learners¶

• learners of all ages across the life span

Target Learning Objectives¶

• learning to learn
• critical reflectivity
• integration of school and life learning

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

• Framework connecting lifelong education and community through formal, nonformal, and informal providers
• Typology of community-based education as formal, nonformal, and informal processes

Examples¶

• Nine principles of community-based education grounded in democratic participation
• Advance community-based lifelong learning through mentoring relationships connecting local expertise with desired learners
• Investigate technology's role in community-based lifelong learning delivery as a research priority

Key Sources¶

• Galbraith, M. W. (1995). Community-Based Organizations and the Delivery of Lifelong Learning Opportunities. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED385253