Learning to learn - a toolkit for lifelong learning
How does curiosity emerge and what attracts people to continue learning throughout their lives? RISE, in cooperation with Luleå Technical University, has launched a research project ‘Learning to learn - a toolkit for lifelong learning’ aimed at promoting lifelong learning by identifying and mapping individuals’ attitudes and motivation for continuous knowledge development.
About the project
Learning new things is an important part of life. In today’s digitalised world, it has become crucial to develop digital skills and knowledge in order to make the most of daily life, both in privately and professionally. To explore the mechanisms of lifelong learning and ultimately motivate people to learn, the project aims to develop a toolkit which maps attitudes towards learning throughout life.
The Research Group is chaired by the Luleå Technical University. The project cooperates with the state research institute RISE, the welfare organisation conversion fund, the investment company Sprout Park, the global technology company ABB and the consultancy broker in IT and management Nox Consulting. All representatives participated in one of the eight nationally established working groups mandated by the government to work on lifelong learning.
Research and Development: Learning of the future
The discussions in the nationally established working groups culminated in the creation of the research project ‘Learning to learn – a toolkit’. The aim of this is to map people’s attitudes towards their own learning and to create tools to help and motivate people to learn throughout their lives. Through research, literature review, and surveys, the project aims to gain a deeper understanding of what motivates individuals to engage in continuous learning and knowledge acquisition. The Research Group will then experiment with different methods to stimulate the willingness to learn through a digital toolkit developed by Sprout park.
The objectives of the project are two-fold:
- Research whether people’s attitudes and willingness to learn can change
- Develop a digital toolkit that helps people learn new things through life
Digital Toolkit: Innovative learning support
A key element of the project is the development of a digital toolkit. This toolkit is designed to be a support and resource for everyone wishing to develop their knowledge and skills. The toolkit will include a range of pedagogical resources and tools that promote engaging and effective learning.
Through a combination of literature studies, surveys and practical tests, the project aims to explore and develop methods that can stimulate and motivate lifelong learning. The objective is to identify strategies and tools that can help improve individuals’ attitudes and engagement in their continuous learning.
The digital toolkit will be created using effective pedagogical approaches that the group finds relevant. The target groups of the testing will be healthcare professionals, teachers and students at the Luleå Technical University. In addition, the research will compare results between two groups of students: one group that uses the toolkit, and another group that does not use the toolkit. Ultimately, the toolkit will be used by healthcare professionals and teachers to explore the difference in attitudes towards learning before and after use.
Why is this a good practice?
Education is a fundamental human right and learning is a cornerstone of a well-functioning working and social life. Building new knowledge makes it possible to contribute to a sustainable society. The project contributes to SDG 4, Good Education for All, which aims to ensure that everyone has equal access to lifelong learning. Learning takes place not only during school, but throughout life. The research project helps to provide knowledge of people’s drivers of learning through all periods of life, and can develop tools which support continuous learning.