Learning to Learn

Success in the knowledge society depends on the ability to learn. In the context of the knowledge economy, the competence of learning to learn is a basic skill and a quintessential tool for lifelong learning and thus education and training needs to provide the learning environment for the development of this competence for all citizens including persons with fewer opportunities (those with special needs, school dropouts and adult learners) and through different learning environments (formal, non-formal and informal). The EUROPEAN UNION working group on “Key competencies” identified ‘Learning to learn’ as the ability to pursue and persist in learning. They argued that: “Individuals should be able to organise their own learning, including through effective management of time and information, both individually and in groups. Competence includes awareness of one’s learning process and needs, identifying available opportunities, and the ability to handle obstacles in order to learn successfully. It means gaining, processing and assimilating new knowledge and skills as well as seeking and making use of guidance. Learning to learn engages learners to build on prior learning and life experiences in order to use and apply knowledge and skills in a variety of contexts – at home, at work, in education and training”. For all the reasons given above, and for many others, the focus of education is shifting from “teaching” to “learning” today. Teacher’s roles are changing from lecturing to “designers of learning methods and environments” (Barr and Tagg 1995, cited in Fink 2003). This paper discusses various steps, challenges, tools & strategies and barriers in learning to learn.