Transcript Libraries and Learning

Libraries and Learning
UK policy and practice
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Aims of the EQUAL programme
EQUALis designed to test & promote new ways of
combating all forms of discrimination and
inequalities faced by those groups most
disadvantaged in the labour market, both those
in work and those seeking work, through
transnational cooperation. These groups include
women, ethnic minorities, people with
disabilities, older workers, refugees, exoffenders, drugs and alcohol misusers. EQUAL
will also include action to help the social and
vocational integration of asylum seekers.
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Leading principles of EQUAL
• Partnership
• Thematic approach: Theme E – Promoting
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lifelong learning and inclusive work practices for
those suffering discrimination and inequality
Transnationality
Empowerment/participation
Innovation
Dissemination and Mainstreaming
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We are at the intersection of three
policy strands
Lifelong Learning
Employment
Social inclusion
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EU policy
• Full employment has always been a central
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preoccupation of EU policy
Lifelong learning has been on the agenda for 1520 years
1995 was European Year of Lifelong Learning
The Lisbon Summit of 2000 restated the need
for lifelong learning & pointed out weaknesses in
basic skills
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eEurope Action Plan
• A cheaper, faster and secure Internet
• Investing in people and skills
– European youth into the digital age
– Working in the knowledge based economy
– Participation for all in the knowledge based
economy
– Stimulate the use of the Internet
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E-learning Action Plan
• Encouragement of infrastructure
development
• European area of lifelong learning
• Create local Learning Centres (in
universities and libraries)
• Special efforts for disadvantaged people
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European Programmes
All these activities to be carried out in
IST
FP6 (and 5)
Socrates
Leonardo da Vinci
PETRA
FORCE
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The UK: lifelong learning
• Learning for the 21st Century
• The Learning Age (1998)
– Learning in the community
– Making the most of libraries
– Quality Standards
• Learning to Succeed
More coherent planning & funding, set up Learning &
Skills Council
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Basic Skills
• A Fresh Start (Moser, 1998)
– Found that 7m people in UK had poor literacy and
numeracy skills
Led to Skills for Life,the national strategy
Which aims to improve basic skills of 750 000 people by
2004
These include unemployed, benefit claimants, low
skilled people in employment, homeless people,
refugees, asylum seekers, lone parents,
disadvantaged communities
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Basic Skills (2)
• Skills for Life strategy sets up national
standards, national tests
• Funding through LSCs and Regional
Development Agencies
• ABSSU to guide, train and support
• This year, new Skills Strategy White Paper
to give free learning to adults, adds ICT as
the third essential ‘skill for life’
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Social Inclusion
• In 1998, Government set up a Social
Exclusion Unit
• It identified main reasons as poverty and
lack of opportunity
• Stimulated Government towards
‘Neighbourhood renewal’ policies
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Libraries and learning infrastructure
• Following the ‘Building he New Library Network
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the People’s Network project was launched, to
put computer internet connections into every UK
public library.
2901 libraries are connected, i.e. 70%
In our region 277 of 296 libraries are on, but
only 85 libraries (27%) have broadband
The Broadband Education Report calls for all
libraries to have broadband.
Wi-fi ‘hotspots’ experiments
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e-Learning
• UK Online – 6000 established centres
• Learndirect – wider range of provision,
supported environment.
• Many centres in libraries
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Library structures and roles
• In UK, public libraries run by Local Authorities
• Most are associated with Education Departments
• Mainstream Education policies, especially
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towards schools, Adult & Community education
(but not FE or HE)
Government Department responsible for libraries
is DCMS, Advised by Resource, the Council for
Museums, Archives and Libraries
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Other policy trends
• Empowering the Learning Community
• Libraries for All – social inclusion
• Inspiring Learning for All is currently
developing Resource programme
– Learning Outcomes Toolkit
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Framework for the Future
• Framework is essentially a ‘vision piece’ by
DCMS
• It focuses on libraries’ role in developing
reading and learning, digital skills and
services, community cohesion and civic
values.
Appears to offer no new funding
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Other learning Agencies
• Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit
• NIACE (National Intitute for Adult &
Community Education)
• NGfL (National Grid for Learning)
• University for Industry
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Funding for Learning
• Learning & Skills Councils – funding &
planning education and training for over
16 year olds. £8bn funding (2003-4).
Includes Adult & Community Learning.
• EEDA (East of England Dvelopment
Agency) works on skills with LSCs.
Produces an Action Plan (FRESA)
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Local networks
• Information, Advice and Guidance
networks – often involve libraries
• Local Learning Partnerships
• Neighbourhood Learning Partnerships
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Issues for Librarians
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Are libraries happy with their role in learning?
Do they want to move into accredited learning?
National Skills curriculum/National Tests?
Should they train staff as tutors?
Funding becomes more complicated – ‘core
funding’, national & regional project funding,
Euro funding
LearnEast is trying to deal with at least some of
these issues in its mainstreaming activity.
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