On November 18th, AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation, hosted the AONTAS Lifelong Learning Summit in Croke Park, Dublin. Marking 50 years since the founding of AONTAS, the summit brought together delegates from national and international adult education providers, policy makers, speakers and adult learners to deliver an agenda full of discussion, insight and celebration.
The morning began with registration for attendees in the Davin Suite of Croke Park which was lined with exhibition stands from various adult education-related organisations and institutes. The conference itself opened with a panel of speakers discussing the topic ‘What Adult Learning Means to Me’.
Chaired by Una Buckley, the Adult Learning Representative from the National FET Learner Forum, the panel members each discussed their experiences as adult learners. The stories of two of the speakers in particular, Kevin Hanly and Joy-Tendai Kangere, were captivating and inspirational.
Kevin Hanly, an autistic adult learner from Limerick College of Further Education and Training, struggled with the mainstream education system, depression and dyslexia. Secondary school pressures exacerbated his conditions, and he left school in his 5th year. He has successfully attained QQI awards in TV & Film Production as an adult learner.
Joy-Tendai Kangere, an immigrant from Zimbabwe, “started (her) journey from a sink-or-swim position” as she puts it. She entered UCD though an access programme and studied law while raising two children. She spoke of how adult learning services empowered her, of how her lifelong dream of becoming a lawyer was “re-ignited” by accessing adult education, and attributed her success in part to the inclusion she experienced in her learning. She is now a UCD law graduate, and recipient of the prestigious Denham Fellowship. Kangere is also an AONTAS Board Member.
This panel was followed by the keynote address given by Danish author Lene Rachel Andersen. Her address ‘The Nordic Secret – How the Nordic Countries Invented a New Kind of Education’ was based on her book (titled ‘The Nordic Secret’). The thought-provoking address demonstrated how the German concept of ‘Bildung’, representing self-improvement, was adapted by Nordic schools in the late 19th century. This concept shaped the foundation of the Nordic school system, which aspires to foster self-fulfilment in students, as opposed to the traditional, academia-focused education systems in other countries. The tenets of the concept of Bildung are also rooted in the improvement of education of the individual so that they can more actively participate in citizenship. Andersen expressed the opinion that Bildung could seriously improve education in Ireland.
This address was followed by a poetry reading by Noeleen Watson, an adult learning advocate, and a panel on the subject “The Future of Lifelong Learning in Ireland”. The discussion centered largely on the necessity of education in dealing with the problems of the modern world, such as climate change and workers’ rights. AONTAS CEO Niamh O’ Reilly also spoke about the importance of soft skills such as critical thinking and their value in a functioning and participatory democracy.
The afternoon session began with four parallel sessions on the themes: ‘Learner Voice for Action’, ‘Community Education: A Vision for the Future’, ‘Lifelong Learning: Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals’ and ‘Bridges, Borders and Boundaries: Learning with our Neighbours.’
The INOU attended the ‘Community Education: A Vision for the Future’ session which featured AONTAS Chairperson Tara Farrell, Lene Rachel Andersen and Nora Fahy, Project Manager for the Roscommon Women’s Network (RWN). Of particular note in this session was Nora Fahy’s presentation on efforts the RWM have made to push for funding for community education, and on the popularity of the classes they have hosted, which focus primarily on useful skills such as cookery, horticulture, clothes upcycling/repair and much more. Lene Rachel Andersen then spoke about the Danish school system and how it has a large focus on life skills and hobbies in order to equip students with useful skills and crafts, as well as traditional academic subjects.
The final part of the agenda was a panel launching the Network for Adult Learning Across Borders (NALAB), a network of educational interest groups from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England, which will advocate for educational equality for adults. Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General for the Department of Education and Skills, spoke about how one of the goals of community education should be “the enhancement and improvement of the individual.” Niamh O’ Reilly, AONTAS CEO, then spoke about NALAB and its aim to support solidarity and share resources and best practice before the conference came to a close.
If you would like to read more about the work AONTAS does, see https://www.aontas.com/. You can follow AONTAS on Twitter @aontas.