– We want to show that learning is fun and that there are many ways to acquire new knowledge, says John Johansson at ý Business School.
John Johansson, lecturer in business administration, why is lifelong learning important?
– The new technological innovations and increased complexity that we’re seeing today will require us to learn and relearn. Artificial intelligence (AI) is one example of this, which will require learning over time. Lifelong learning is also a way to create a meaningful life – learning and being able to explore with new knowledge is perceived by many as meaningful and motivating.
What types of professions require lifelong learning?
– It could be knowledge-intensive professions and professions where innovation is a key component.
In what way do you hope your research will be useful?
– We’re hoping that this is a contribution to more courses being adapted to active professionals. Being able to “fill up” on new knowledge from a university while still professionally active benefits both the individual, organisations and, by extension, society at large.
The paper Design Principles for a Higher Education Course Focusing on Lifelong Learning is written by Karin Brodén, John Johansson and Linda Bergkvist, all from ý Business School, along with Niklas Humble, Uppsala University, and Peter Mozelius, Mid Sweden University, and addresses five design principles that teachers and other stakeholders in higher education can use in designing and developing courses for professional development and lifelong learning. The design principles can be used separately or in combination to promote learning among professionals.
John Johansson tells us more about the five design principles.
Professional pathway
– The course content is linked to a practical context and the professional role, or to a current issue in the professional’s daily work. We focus on this link during interactive seminars.
Knowledge evolution
– Knowledge is presented in small sections that gradually increase. This allows us to process, discuss and apply the new knowledge and increase learning. We want to offer something new and useful during each seminar session.
Preparedness protocol
– There is material to read or watch before each seminar, and all seminars are held at the same time and place every week. Information and materials are easily accessible and the course structure is easy to navigate. We aim for a course structure that makes it easy to combine studies and work.
Collaborative connections
– The participants share their experiences and perspectives during exercises and discussions. We focus on high interactivity during the sessions and provide room for group discussions and questions.
Learning fusion
– We use a mix of seminars, videos, literature and research papers, and will also introduce podcasts. We want to show that learning is fun and that there are many ways to acquire new knowledge. Many participants appreciate the university’s access to new research and papers on the subject. We provide a variety of materials with easy access.
Combining work and studies can be a challenge. How are you adapting to this target group of working professionals?
– The direct link to the professional role is an important starting point. We try to make it as easy and predictable as possible through things like having the same set time for our seminars. In addition, the course is held online and at less than 100% pace. We know that our target group consists of working professionals and we make efforts to adapt the course accordingly.
The study was conducted within the programme Expertkompetens funded by the Knowledge Foundation.
