The Emergence of the Institute for Adult Learning: An Institutional Experiment of Advancing Continuing Education and Training in Singapore(PDF)
上海开放教育研究（英文版采编系统）[ISSN:1006-6977/CN:61-1281/TN]
- Issue:
- 2021年01期
- Page:
- 31-50
- Research Field:
- Publishing date:
Info
- Title:
- The Emergence of the Institute for Adult Learning: An Institutional Experiment of Advancing Continuing Education and Training in Singapore
- Author(s):
- Wing On Lee
- Institute for Adult Learning, Singapore
- Keywords:
- adult learning; continuing education and training; training and adult education sector; adult educators; learning enterprise alliance; skills utilisation; Innov series
- PACS:
- -
- DOI:
- -
- Abstract:
- The historical narrative of the establishment of the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL) in Singapore showcases the power and impact of the institutionalisation of lifelong learning. This article shows how IAL has delivered its missions over the past decade in developing training programmes for adult educators, with efforts to further professionalise the TAE Sector, and upgrade adult educators as professionals (AEP). In order to create a Community of Practice (CoP) for these adult educators, IAL set up an AE Network (AEN), and further established a Learning Enterprise Alliance (LEA) as the CoP for the enterprises. It is worth noting that as a Continuing Education and Training (CET) agency, IAL is only offering courses that will upskill the workforce, rather than university degree programmes, yet the demand for these upgrading courses has proved to be high. On the front of adult learning pedagogy, IAL has developed indigenous pedagogical approaches in order to meet the learning needs of its learners. The six principles of learning design is the best known pedagogy developed in IAL. On the front of learning for innovation, IAL provides a platform to invite adult educators, learning soluntionists and enterprises to collaborate, trigger and incubate innovation ideas, as represented by iN.LAB’s series, i.e. InnovPLUS, InnovBITE, InnovLOGUE, InnovJAM, and the newly developed InnoDEPTH (IAL, 2020). IAL has only a short history of just more than a decade, it shows the institutionalisation effects are impactful and significant, as demonstrated by its achievements in enhancing CET initiatives such as AEP, AEN, and LEA; developing indigenous pedagogy for adult learners; developing learning for innovation agenda such as the innov series; and developing IAL into a locally and internationally recognised CET research centre.
Last Update: 2021-02-08