EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY FOR LIFELONG LEARNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

The paper discussed the concepts educational technology, lifelong learning and sustainable development in detail. The paper also described how instructional media and technologies can be employed to facilitate lifelong learning, and by implication, sustainable development. Some challenges facing the use of educational technology for lifelong learning and sustainable development have been pointed out. The paper concludes with recommendations such as: the fiscal provision for instructional facilities in educational institutions should be increased so that the technology needs of the institutions can be adequately met, and government should organize technology awareness seminars and workshops for educators on how to overcome techno-phobia.

As noted by Rao (2000), an assessment of the relative roles of the various salient features that affect the current and future prosperity of a society is useful for any civilisation looking to develop appropriate perspectives. To underscore what Rao observed, the developing world cannot afford to lag behind in providing the necessary political, social and economic knowledge through lifelong learning of heutagogical nature, if it has to fully participate in endeavours that are directed at promoting sustainable development which is defined by Tickell (1996) as, “durable change for the better in the human condition while protecting the earth we inherit and the earth we bequeath”. Heutagogy, which a study of self-determined learning can best facilitate learning for the benefit of sustainable development. As noted by Blaschke (2012) heutagogy capacitates learners to take appropriate and effective actions that help in the formulation and promotion of problem solving capacity in both familiar and unfamiliar changing settings.

A knowledgeable nation is important in the 21st century because if nations are to be responsive to contemporary challenges that are political, economic, social and environmental, they should appreciate continuous knowledge acquisition and its utilisation. This translates into the use of approaches that uphold the conviction that is strongly promulgated by the aforementioned author, who stated that human beings are the centre of concerns for sustainable development and should be entitled to a healthy and productive life which is in harmony with nature. It has to be noted that acquisition of knowledge should be from “womb to tomb”, if its recipients are to benefit on a continuous bases from it. This means sustainable development should be taught by societies through any form of heutagogical training from the time an individual reaches a stage of trainability. The strength of heutagogical approaches is that they promote self-efficacy in knowing how to learn and promotes continuous reflection on the learning process, which is apt for sustainable development. It is important to note that if sustainable development is to be achieved the communities within the developing countries should take responsibilities for the utilisation of their own resources.

1.2 Statement of the problem

Lifelong learning of heutagogical nature is important in getting people to appreciate that learning is a continuous process that should be supported if any form of development is to be realised. As averred by DVV (2007), lifelong learning is of distinct and growing importance since it constantly opens up new occupational and social opportunities (p.124). This means lifelong learning is transformative and cannot be ignored if sustainable development is to have some positive impact in the lives of the people in the developing world. As noted by Commission of The European Communities (2000) lifelong learning has also to be activated today as the key organising principle for education and training systems, and for the building of “knowledge society” of the 21st century. As observed by Tight (1998), Lifelong learning should be presented as a means for enabling individuals, organisations and nations to meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive world. Lifelong learning is according to (Preston, 1999; Walters, 1999 and Belenger, 1994), the process of allowing ourselves to be exposed to pre-packaged assortments of knowledge, throughout everyday life, either in home, through social movement, through work or through local community activities. It includes formal, non-formal and informal education.

This study will generate a discussion which its focus is to demonstrate that the relationship between educational technology lifelong learning and sustainable development is very important for the developing world. This is because both concepts are important for the amelioration of the lives of ordinary people in the developing world, which is endowed with resources and yet is characterised by poverty and ignorance. In order for the ordinary people to partake in the parsimonious utilisation of finite resources within their respective communities, they should receive the necessary training on the importance of such resources through both traditional and modern environmental conservation programmes that should be heutagogical. It is important because according to Alaboster and Blair (1996) education enables all individuals to make informed decisions about their responsibility towards their environment and community. However, it should be noted that the training of people on environmental issues should not necessarily be through formal education, because as noted by Walters (1999) Lifelong learning is both horizontal (between home, community, the media and work) and vertical (between different life stages). The heutagogical training is even more apt because according to Hase and Kenyon (2000) it promotes creativity, particularly in applying competencies to new and unfamiliar situations and by being adaptable and flexible. It is for knowledge sharing than for knowledge hoarding and imposition of knowledge by the powerful on the disempowered.

1.3 Objectives of the study

1. Examine the relationship between educational technology, lifelong learning and sustainable development.

2. Investigate how instructional media and technologies can be employed to facilitate lifelong learning, and by implication, sustainable development.

3. Examine the challenges facing the use of educational technology for lifelong learning and sustainable development.

1.4 Hypothesis

H01: There is no relationship between educational technology, lifelong learning and sustainable development.

H02: There is relationship between the use of instructional media and technologies and the facilitation of lifelong learning, and sustainable development.

1.5 Significance of the study

This study that will be focusing on the relationship that exists between instructional media and technologies can be employed to facilitate lifelong learning, and by implication, sustainable development. It will highlight some of the challenges facing the use of educational technology for lifelong learning and sustainable development . The will conclude with recommendations such as: the fiscal provision for instructional facilities in educational institutions should be increased so that the technology needs of the institutions can be adequately met, and government should organize technology awareness seminars and workshops for educators on how to overcome techno-phobia.

1.6 Scope and Limitation of the study

The study will be focused on the relationship between instructional media and technologies can be employed to facilitate lifelong learning, and by implication, sustainable development. This data set was collected from the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja. The researcher with the assistance of two assistants administered the questionnaire. Lastly the non-numeric response cases are excluded from the analysis due to computation reasons; however it is my view that their small proportion would not significantly alter the results.

1.7 Limitation of the study

The area of this research work is limited to how Educational technology influence longlife learning and sustainable development by extension. Respondents for this study is limited to the staff of federal ministry of education in Abuja office.

The researcher in carrying out this study encountered numerous problems, which includes:

i) Fund.

ii) Time.

iii) Lack of research materials

iv) Responds of the respondents

i) FUND – This included lack of enough fund to move around and visit the various areas in the state, and also lack of money to buy enough research material which constitutes on impediment of to researchers high cost of transportation in the city due to long distance also imposed its own limitation on the researcher.