EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

gregory.wurzburg@oecd.org 1

EDEN 2005 Annual Conference on Lifelong E-Learning

Helsinki 20-23 June 2005

Sustainable Investment in Lifelong Learning: the Pivotal Role of ICT 

Gregory WurzburgSenior Economist – Education Directorate

OECD

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

gregory.wurzburg@oecd.org 2

Lifelong learning is not yet “a reality for all”.

Are e-learning and distance education in a position to fix it?

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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Lifelong learning needs E- learning. And vice versa

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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What do we mean by sustainable investment?

Social and political

Bureaucratic and institutional

Economic and financial

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Social and political sustainability: what are we up against?

Large numbers of poorly qualified adults

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More than a third of working age adults are poorly qualified

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Totalpopulation

25-34 35-44 55-64

Low ed

Secondary

Tertiary

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Social sustainability: what are up against?

Large numbers of poorly qualified adults Poorly qualified adults are less likely

to participate in further training

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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Training participation rates ratio of highly qualified/poorly qualified

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Canad

a

Sweden

Nether

lands

Denm

ark

Unite

d Sta

tes

Finla

nd

Norway

Germ

any

Unite

d Kin

gdom

Avera

ge

Korea

Mex

ico

Switzer

land

Austri

a

Spain

Portu

gal

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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Social sustainability: what are up against?

Large numbers of poorly qualified adults Poorly qualified adults are less likely to

participate in further training For poorly qualified adults it appears

that, over time, the combined effect of lifelong learning – as we know it today – is to worsen earnings inequality.

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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The earnings gaps gets largerratio of earnings of high to low qualified

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Age 25-29 Age 30-44 Age 45-64

Average

Portugal

U.S.

U.K.

Finland

Denmark

Source: OECD Education statistics

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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What can poorly qualified adults do for e- learning and distance

education?

Grow the learning market

Grow the e-learning and distance

education ‘market share’

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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Distance learning has ‘room to grow’type of learning engaged in in previous 4 weeks – EU avg 2000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Classroom

Work

environment

Combination

Distance

Self learn

ing

Conferences

Source: EU Labour Force Survey

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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How can e-learning and distance education reach poorly qualified

adults? Motivation – through individualised

instruction Overcome the lack of time Provide ‘non-formal’ learning settings Content that has worked:

– adult basic ed/literacy– ICT skills– corporate learning– higher ed

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Denmark Canada United States Finland Australia UnitedKingdom

Turkey

Pe

r c

en

t

Households with internet access

Access in lowest income households as a per cent of access in highest incomehouseholds

Getting to know your market… Internet access in the home and household income, 2000

Source: Pont and Sweet (2003) Adult learnig and ICT: How to

respond to the diversity of needs?

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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Getting to know your market… PC Access in home with and without children

0102030405060708090

Australia France Netherlands US

with children without children

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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Getting to know your market… Internet access for households with and without

children

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Australia

Canada

Denmark

France

Nether

landsU.K

.U.S

.

with children

without children

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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What do we mean by sustainable investment?

Social and political

Bureaucratic and institutional

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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Second thoughts about strategies for implementing LLL

Who loses and why?

– Lifelong learning as a threat to education

– Lifelong learning as a threat to individuals

Implications for e-learning and distance learning

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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What do we mean by sustainable investment?

Social and political

Bureaucratic and institutional

Economic and financial

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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Economic sustainability depends on…

Outcomes that generate predictable benefits– Visible– valid – valued

Manageable costs– visible– realistic– competitive

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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What’s needed?

A plan How does ICT enhance the

sustainability of LLL Evidence Advocacy

EDEN 20 June 2005 Helsinki

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Thank you