Digitalisation of lifelong learning programmes
Digitalisation brings about troublesome changes in evolution, ranging from access to services, interaction with others, obtaining and sharing information, to transform the nature and organisation of work, education both formal and informal is no exception.
Digitalisation of learning is the process by which education and training, or skills development, skills acquisition, and recognition are negatively impacted.
The industrial revolution has depleted the availability of jobs and financial markets are reduced to us, hence there is a lack of capacity to use digital technologies.
Digital technologies have already changed access to information and knowledge in everyday life. Online multimedia tutorials, E-commerce, and environmental sustainability are as well digitalised.
Nowadays, online implements and forums are the most effective means to have access and equitable services and products, all these have sidelined our traditional blended methods of doing things, and it’s therefore of most importance for all Namibians to explore digital technologies in all lifelong learning programmes offered in our country.
In the past, the technological and infrastructural angle of the phenomenon ruled deliberations on digital learning were less important and primarily only developed countries and part of the globe are orientated and have the capability to cope with technology.
More lately, it has become manifest that digital learning incorporates how digital technologies are assimilated in teaching and learning approaches both in formal and informal education within an organisational and official context, bearing in mind also user’s capability to make the best use of such technologies and embrace change.
Digital learning loosens the boundaries of formal and informal learning and creates a variety of learning opportunities.
It changes where and when one learns rejecting or at least reducing barriers to accessibility by creating computergenerated spaces and the likelihood to learn at any time.
It increases the potential players from and with whom one learns.
Digital learning changes knowledge production, assimilation, and ultimately how one learns. It can possibly increase mass production and link us to the global space as a nation.
Through enhanced connections, learners can tackle any topic in a much more multidisciplinary manner, more easily synthesising one discipline’s approach to that of another.
Connections facilitate continuous learning in interaction with peers and stimulate on demand and microlearning of specific skills, competencies and topics that adult learners and formal learners choose more easily and more independently.
Lastly, digital learning changes how to show what one learns. Formal and non-formal institutions can issue digital certificates to validate competencies that result from education and training, either online or in person.
Being digitally available, these certificates are more easily shareable and verifiable. Moreover, digital technologies offer a new means of validation for informal learning.
If approached correctly, digital learning can enhance learning in three main dimensions, which can be summarised by explaining how digitalisation can deliver more, cheaper, and better learning.
Digital learning offers the opportunity to learn old subjects with new methods and it paves the way to learn, through a structured and systematic method, new subjects and new skills, which are increasingly important for working and taking part in society.
A key example is coding, and more generally digital skills.
Opening up and constantly enhancing the possibility to learn remotely, digital technologies also make all sorts of learning opportunities available for people in all locations provided that they have access to digital therefore this should be part of all our lifelong learning.
Once an initial investment in technology is made by our government and all relevant stakeholders, digital learning becomes a highly efficient solution to lower the costs of education and training.
It can also provide opportunities to more people than was possible before, without significantly increasing costs.
This substantially decreases the cost of education and training, and allows producers to develop economies of scale and new business models.
This lowers entry barriers to education and training. Teaching methods can be enriched by technological supports to increase participation and interactivity in all long-life learning programmes, or in virtual learning environments.
Allowing people especially adults learners to learn on their demand, based on what they need and what they want, personalising their learning process.
By better tracking outcomes on a large scale, building big data collected through digital technologies employed in the learning process, we can identify what works best, and what is less successful, for both formal and informal education as well as training practices countrywide.
Digitalised based adults education and all lifelong learning programmes should be budgeted for and be centred in all long term plans of our workforce, education and government at large, this will assist Namibian citizens to be able to navigate in this emerging world of technology.
At a macro level, we have traced the prescient economic and societal pressures coming to bear on lifelong learning in Namibia, as the concerns of the knowledge economy and information society become ever more tangible.