Autonomy, professionalism, research, innovation and a new citizens’ curriculum?

1. Looking at the future: colleges at the heart of a new culture of lifelong learning Autonomy, professionalism, research, innovation and a new citizens’ curriculum? Ursula Howard LSRN SW Annual Conference July 2009

2. The Independent Inquiry into the future of adult and lifelong learning (IFLL) • Began 2007 reports September 2009 • Funding and participation in decline, need increasing in ageing society and global economy • Sponsored by NIACE • Chair Sir David Watson, Director Tom Schuller • 10 themes • Sector reports (local authority, schools, FE and work-based training) • Public value, poverty, wider issues

3. FE in the IFLL: questions • Things must be better than now…. • How could FE colleges best contribute to a renewed settlement for adult and lifelong learning 15-20 years from now? • What strengths and issues do colleges bring to the future? • How might FE have a higher profile and reputation? • How can FE’s near and distant past inform its future?

4. The propositions • Colleges as the ‘institutional backbone’ of the lifelong learning system, with a renewed remit for adult learning • Colleges’ values and mission should be inclusive and pluralistic, offering a ‘comprehensive’ flexible curriculum: • Attendance or persistence? Time for learning rather than timetables for teaching • Colleges should be the leading local organisations in a clear networked system:with a single entry point for learners

5. The propositions • College leaders and teachers should lead the rethinking, development and modelling of adult pedagogies fully utilising new technologies to suit adult learners’ lives, work and commitments • Colleges to offer a core ‘citizens’ curriculum • Vocational and work-based education at all levels should remain central to colleges’ mission

6. How can this be realised? • A much greater degree of autonomy with direct lines of accountability to users in a ‘stakeholder’ or mutual model • Greater say at local level • The lion’s share of funding (up to 80%) should be flexible with local decision making • Compliance requirements should be reduced, with fewer brokerage systems and intermediary agencies • More powers to design and award qualifications and to implement a unit and credit based curriculum

7. How can this be realised? • Professionalism, capability of FE teachers/staff recognised, rewarded, trusted, accountable • Local curriculum and qualifications design and development by teachers • Practitioner-led research, development, innovation • A fully-qualified, up-to-date professional/vocational capability: pedagogy and subject knowledge • Confident, self-critical improvement culture: CPD entitlements and practice: voluntary/licence-to-practice?

8. How can this be realised? • Going to college: or ‘an affordable college education for all’ • Colleges and universities access and progression partners in local and regional ‘learning federations’ • Adult learners in FE and other learning organisations – full and part time, have access to the same fee regimes and financial support as learners in universities • Entitlements: learning accounts, vouchers, ‘learning budgets’ • Universal network of adult learning advisers/coaches/mentors • Learners benefiting from continuing professional learning

9. Learning from the past • Colleges linked to social movements at local/global level • Colleges at centre of local autonomous networks • Diversity of institutions and within institutions • Strengthen employer/college links • Applied research for industry/commerce • Research and development in education

10. Learning from the past • Nationalisation vs local autonomy: the FEFC and LSC eras? • Cooperation or competitiveness? • Breadth or specialisation? 1944 Act • ‘A thorough acquaintance with literature, poetry and drama’? (1956 report) • Liberal, generation education revisited: a citizens’ curriculum? • Accountability: at what level, to whom?

11. The FE citizen’s curriculum • 1956 revisited • A flexible, social, knowledge-based, curriculum to engage learners as citizens in a participatory democracy • Helping people manage the age of uncertainty, increasing inequality, social injustice and climate change • Integral not bolted-on: choice for learners • To include: democracy and citizenship; society and community; climate change, sustainability and local action; better health in an ageing society; equality and diversity; economic well-being, financial literacy • Project management and organisational skills underpinned by relevant literacy and numeracy

12. Policy • Attitude change: letting go with new systems of accountability • Learner and user-led strategies • Unitization and credit • Lifelong learning entitlements • Funding decisions devolved to colleges • More funding direct to learners • Flexible models of learning, including with IT – to suit learners’ lives and support persistence

13. Policy • Funding for applied research, curriculum and product development and innovation – in partnership e.g. with employers • Learner proofing of all government proposals at early stage of development • Drastic reduction of state support for intermediaries/brokers • A mid-life learning MOT as proposed by NIACE

14. Policy • Put back the bottom rungs of the ladder: pre-entry and entry levels as enduring priorities • Adequately fund embedded literacy, numeracy and ESOL: joint planning and training essential • Reduce quangos, intermediaries, brokerage systems • Recognise, develop and trust the professionalism of teachers and trainers – on the evidence that they make the biggest difference to learning progress and achievement

15. Thank you • And continue the debate!

16. Contact NRDC at www.nrdc.org.uk IFLL at: www.lifelonglearninginquiry.org.uk NIACE at: www.niace.org.uk