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Lifelong Learning

Lifelong Learning

Change, is said to be the only constant. The ones who are resistant to change must become obsolete. Humans adjust to change by learning through observation, experience and most importantly I say, through choice. When we proactively choose to change, the progression is natural, we gift ourselves an opportunity to Lifelong Learning and grow through this process.

Lifelong LearningHuman babies respond to sounds while still in mom’s womb. When they just enter the world, they recognise their mom’s voice from others. While they continue to grow, they learn by exploring their environment, putting all their senses to use. They learn actively through social interactions. This continues as they grow. Humans learn from different sources – people, interactions, environments, experiences and observation.

Learning is a very progressive process, for example, if you join a pottery class, the process through which you move from knowing nothing about pottery to creating awe inspiring works of art. This certainly doesn’t just take the initiative to start but by consciously choosing to attain mastery. It takes immense amount of persistence and deep want to improve self. When we look at this progress more deeply, we notice that this individual’s journey to mastery of a craft involves a lot of ongoing, voluntary and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge and skills. Lifelong learning thus, is a highly self-driven process. Unlike the industrial era which enabled students with certain skills that could help them perform certain functionalities to be able to sustain themselves, today’s “Information society” is creating a world without boundaries.

Lifelong LearningWhile pursuit of mastery can be the driving force for some, it may not be so for many. Let’s face it! How many of us really strive towards mastery of a craft and practice that magic attribute of persistence? Not everyone does, this may be due to more than one reason. However, today, adults irrespective of the field they work in are constantly confronted by new skills that are introduced every day in this rapidly evolving world. This causes many working adults to face the famous FOMO. Everyone loves to get that new job, grow in their career or learn things to stay relevant and continue to make sense of the world they are in. For some it’s just the thrill of experiencing and learning new things, like a kid trying to wave board! Who doesn’t love to learn something if it helps them to fit in. So learning is a very social process.

Today we live in a world where there is constant evolution in thought, scientific and technological innovations. It is a world that’s experiencing constant and rapid change. Only individuals

who are lifelong learners can quickly adapt and thrive. Learning thus, is never confined to childhood or to the classroom. We must be ready to embrace new learning at any stage of life and in any given setting.

Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning is soon evolving as an attribute or a competency for professional success as well. Today organisations encourage individuals who demonstrate learnability and motivate them to learn new things, improve themselves and attain new skills. Highly skilled workers are at the heart of today’s growing economies.

Clearly, lifelong learning is not a term limited to learning spaces like schools, but they are a great place to start. Educators can foster self-directed lifelong learning through conscious inclusion and practice of a skill – Metacognition. Educators must encourage students to learn on discovering how they learn and how they think. This will help learners to own their learning and practice lifelong learning skills.

In classrooms, this can be achieved by :

  • Creating learning environments and experiences that support open ended learning and foster autonomy.
  • Building a culture that motivates questioning and enables learners to plan and choose the best approach to discover answers.
  • Enabling transdisciplinary learning by integrating different disciplines, because no real world problem can be solved through the lens of a single discipline.
  • Adopting constructivist approach, so that learners can make connections between their current learning and their previous experiences and move on to much more complex ideas.
  • Engaging in guided reflection through reflective prompts that promote metacognition –
  • What aspects of my learning connect to or conflict with what I already know?
  • How successful was I with the task?
  • Would I approach this task differently the next time?
  • How did my thinking affect the task?
  • What new resources or strategies might I use if I approach a similar task?
  • Fostering agency through intrinsic motivation to attain mastery by laying out clear objectives and explaining the success criteria.
  • Encouraging collaboration and conversation to create relationships that help learners engage in metacognitive thinking.

Lifelong long learning can manifest in various forms, whether it is asking questions to carry out an inquiry, taking a pottery class, signing up for a course, learning a new language or may be picking up a new book to read, all these have proven to cause the development of new neural connections which helps us to stay nimble. It improves our confidence to face challenges. It drives us to be more social, develops our interpersonal skills. It also helps individuals to experience fulfilment in whatever they do. In the world of MOOCs which provide unlimited access to learning, lifelong learners are the ones who prioritise their personal learning and development. They develop and apply 21st century skills to catapult their learning through digital literacy, communication, collaboration, creativity and problem solving.

Rachana Kothapally

IB Educator

Former IB PYP Coordinator – Silver Oaks International School, Bangalore, India

Melissa

US
With a distinguished career in coaching and learning development spanning over two decades, Melissa brings a wealth of experience to nurture personal and professional growth. Specializing in creating inclusive and dynamic environments, Melissa provides tools and techniques for ultimate success, guiding teachers to leverage strengths and proactively address blind spots, fostering innovation, developing effective learning strategies and promoting continuous development for individuals and teams.

 
Melissa tailors impactful learning experiences that drive personal and professional growth, ensuring support for aspiring professionals. Devoted to inspiring individuals to embrace lifelong learning and become strategic leaders, she is on a mission to create thriving environments through education, development, and personal empowerment.

Life Skills Education (LSE) Professional Development
14 Hour - Advanced Course

Duration:

7 Modules – 120 minutes each

Tailored for:

Educators

What you can expect:

Method of Delivery:

Interactive Virtual Facilitator-Led

Virtual Lesson Dates:

Customized for schools and students

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Life Skills Education (LSE) Professional Development
5 Hours - On-Demand Course

Duration:

5 modules – 60 minutes each

Tailored for:

Educators

What you can expect:

Method of Delivery:

On-Demand

Virtual Lesson Dates:

Customized for schools and students

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Life Skills Education (LSE) Professional Development 10 Hour - Basic Course

Duration:

10 Modules – 60 minutes each

Tailored for:

Educators

What you can expect:

Method of Delivery:

Interactive Virtual Facilitator-Led

Virtual Lesson Dates:

Customized for schools and students

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Life Skills Education (LSE)

International Scholar Preparation
Masters Course

Duration:

7 lessons – 60 minutes each

Tailored for:

International Masters Students

What you can expect:

Method of Delivery:

On-Demand

Virtual Lesson Dates:

Customized for schools and students

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Life Skills Education (LSE)

International Scholar Preparation
Undergraduates Course

Duration:

7 lessons – 60 minutes each

Tailored for:

International Undergraduate Students

What you can expect:

Method of Delivery:

On-Demand

Virtual Lesson Dates:

Customized for schools and students

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Life Skills Education (LSE) Student Mastery (K-12)

Duration:

20 lessons – 60 minutes each

Tailored for:

Grades K-12

What you can expect:

Method of Delivery:

Virtual and On-Demand

Virtual Lesson Dates:

Flexible – Based on Class Schedules

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Life Skills Education (LSE) Student Assessments

Tailored for:

Grades 1-12

What you can expect:

Method of Delivery:

Virtual and On-Demand

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Alfoncina

Alfoncina

UK

Alfoncina is a recent graduate from the University of Kent. She received her bachelors in Spanish and Management, and she has been teaching online since 2018 alongside her studies.
She is passionate about languages and she speaks English, Shona, Spanish and Portuguese and wants to learn even more langauges. Alfoncina strives to ensure students are always engaged and supported in class. She creates a safe learning environment where students can explore their ideas, challenge themselves and most of all be their best self. She encourages her students to empower themselves and grow intellectually.

Why Shiminly? Alfoncina coaches and supports students to improve their English skills through effective communication. Shiminly is a space where students can participate in structured activities and discussions, thus leading them to become multifaceted individuals in a changing world. The support amongst colleagues truly makes working for such a unique organisation even more worthwile. Shiminly is a powerhouse!

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