Learning Cities for All: Directions to a New Adult Education and Learning Movement

Abstract

Previous chapters of this volume describe some necessary aspects for experiencing genuine learning cities. These aspects include developing communities, transforming organizations, and changing systems that redefine our public libraries, leisure, health, and well-being. As such, learning cities must have a goal of renewing their populations for serving education and learning for all. In learning cities, the adult learner population is of great importance in becoming the existing leaders for improving our quality of life.This chapter places these aspects into a conceptual framework that points to a new direction for the adult and continuing education field. Although this volume discusses learning cities from an American perspective, its fundamental ideas may serve other countries and societies. Moreover, this chapter provides an additional description of learning cities along with thoughts about the philosophy, profession, and practice of adult learning. Finally, the more ambitious aim is to push forward a new movement: a movement changing outdated education and learning across every sector of society.

Exploring lifelong learning in the everyday city

“…Since the 1970s we saw the development of the learning city idea that has gained prominence in the field of lifelong learning and international policy discourses (Elfert 2015, Hamilton and Jordan 2011, Han and Makino 2013, Scott 2015, Osborne, Kearns, and Yang 2013, Osbourne 2014, Watson and Wu 2015. Learning cities are generally understood as mobilizing resources for personal growth, social cohesion, prosperity and the growth of human potential (Longworth 1999, Juceviciene).…”

“…This conceptualisation, however, does not account for learning that happens in the city anyway, in the background of these strategies. After all, the city, as Colin Ward observed, can be understood as "in itself an environmental education, and can be used to provide one, whether we are thinking of learning through the city, learning about the city, learning to use the city, to control the city or to change the city" (Ward 1990:152) Similarly, Scott (2015) has recently argued that much of the learning city literature overlooks everyday practices and actions of its residents (2015: 89). Drawing on these perspectives, this research note will explore one of the possible avenues in conducting lifelong learning research with the everyday learning city.…”

Towards a research agenda for the ‘actually existing’ Learning City

“…These Faure, Delors, and OECD reports, as well as wider conferences and debates on adult education, laid the groundwork for the development of the ambiguous contemporary concept of the 'Learning City' that we know today (Hamilton & Jordan, 2011;Kearns, 2012;Longworth, 2006;Osborne, Kearns, & Yang, 2013;Scott, 2015;Watson & Wu, 2015).…”

“…Given this ambivalence, it is unsurprising that critics of the contemporary framing of the 'Learning City' see it as simply the 'ideological froth' of neoliberal transformations of the knowledge economy (Plumb, Leverman, & McGray, 2007). Others, meanwhile, within the network and working alongside it argue the case for a richer more complex normative vision for a Learning City as engaging not only with preparation of citizens for economic competition, but with political and experiential education (Scott, 2015); with environmental awareness and sustainability (Kearns, 2012;Pavlova, 2018); and with the more emancipatory goals of critical adult education traditions (Duke, 2011 quoted in Kearns, 2012).…”