Adult Education & Lifelong Learning Sector - Findings / Findings & Recommendations / Home - EMPATIC - Empowering Autonomous Learning Through Information Competencies

Findings - Adult Education & Lifelong Learning Sector

Through EMPATIC’s validation process, the important issues for information literacy (IL) in the adult education/lifelong learning sector have been identified to include:

  • IL is essential for the development, prosperity and freedom of society;
  • IL contributes to the personal, social, occupational and educational level of society and individuals;
  • IL is related to the concepts of ongoing education, self-education, vocational training;
  • IL facilitates the adaptation of changes and development at work;
  • IL effects productivity and work efficiency,  and contributes to the improvement of the quality;
  • IL is essential for people and organisations to survive and develop themselves;
  • IL supports economic growth;
  • IL is, therefore, a basic human right that promotes social inclusion in all nations (IFAP mid-term strategy 2008-2013http://portal.unesco.org/.../12114609343ifap.../ifap_draf_strategic_plan.pdf ).

It has been perceived that:

  • there is a low level of awareness of Information Literacy at the level of Society: society is not yet persuaded of its importance;
  • IL channels face difficulties in spreading knowledge of the role and the necessity of Information Literacy in politics as well as in real life (school, higher education, jobs, employees etc.);
  • politicians and decision makers should pay attention to the potential of IL in social coherence. National governments have a specific responsibility as they determine the form and content of educational systems in which pupils are prepared for their future lives as responsible and participative citizens. If IL could be linked through to employment, decision makers will be persuaded to accept it;
  • there is poor visibility of IL courses in both formal and informal educational sectors. IL starts in schools and continues through to higher education but the IL process is problematic outside formal education;
  • there is the lack of coordination and cooperation amongst different IL stakeholders; and, 
  • there is a lack of recognition for libraries’ innovative role in the IL development and the central role librarians can and do play.

Examples of Best Practice

EMPATIC has identified a number of good practice examples in this sector, including:

Download Summary Findings - Adult Education & Lifelong Learning Sector

Translations of the summary findings are also available in Polish by clicking the language option at the top pf this page.