Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) serve as a foundational framework for the holistic growth and lifelong learning of young children. In the Philippines, its implementation is mandated by Republic Act No. 10410 and strengthened by Republic Act No. 12199, which emphasize quality early childhood education delivered by competent Child Development Workers (CDWs) and supported by strong institutional systems; however, implementation continues to face challenges related to limited resources, professional development gaps, administrative constraints, and varying levels of community and parental involvement. This study examined the level of readiness and the challenges encountered by CDWs in implementing the ECCD Curriculum in Barangay Child Development Centers in the Municipality of Mabinay, Negros Oriental. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was employed, using a validated researcher-made Likert-scale questionnaire administered to ten (10) purposively selected CDWs during School Year 2025–2026. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and Pearson product-moment correlation at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that the respondents were highly ready in their understanding of the ECCD curriculum (WM = 4.28) and in pedagogical skills and instructional practices (WM = 4.28), but only moderately ready in terms of resources and materials (WM = 3.80) and support, supervision, and professional development (WM = 3.84). Challenges were generally moderate, with insufficient toys and learning materials, varied learning needs of children, and heavy workload and administrative tasks emerging as the most notable concerns. ECCD-related training showed a strong, significant positive relationship with readiness (r = 0.795, p = 0.006), whereas age, educational attainment, and years of experience were not significantly related to readiness, no profile variable was significantly related to the challenges encountered, and readiness was not significantly related to challenges (r = 0.081, p = 0.824). The study concludes that while CDWs are generally prepared to implement the ECCD Curriculum, their effectiveness is constrained by largely systemic and environmental challenges. These findings imply the need for continuous professional development combined with improved resource allocation, reduced administrative workload, strengthened institutional support, and stronger collaboration among local government units, parents, and community stakeholders.
Islamic civilization is one of the major civilizations that has significantly contributed to the development of science and education worldwide. During its golden age, it established educational institutions, fostered scholarly traditions, and produced influential scholars whose ideas continue to shape modern knowledge in the digital era. This article examines the relevance of Islamic civilizational values to the development of modern education through qualitative library research using thematic content analysis. The findings show that Islamic education was distinguished by four interrelated values, namely a strong culture of literacy, the integration of religious and general knowledge, an emphasis on moral formation (akhlak), and openness to knowledge from other civilizations, which together enabled scholars to advance science while upholding ethical and social responsibility. These values are highly relevant to addressing contemporary educational challenges, including declining critical literacy, uncritical dependence on digital technology and artificial intelligence, and the ongoing crisis of learners’ character. These values can inform the development of a modern educational system that integrates critical thinking, digital literacy, character education, and lifelong learning while maintaining moral and social responsibility.
Abstract Lifelong learning is important for everyone, individually and collectively within institutions and communities. In today’s “learning society”, learning is not just a process driven by the learning system or the social system; it can also be a process in which the learners play an active role. This article focuses on the Erasmus+ project “Empowerment for migrants, from camps to integration” (CAMPLUS) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Between 2021 and 2022, personal resources management (PRM) training was implemented in three refugee camps in Erbil. The central question driving the project was whether, and how, PRM can transform refugee learners’ ability to define and pursue their developmental goals. This inquiry is rooted in Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, which promotes dialogical learning as a means of empowering marginalised learners as agents of their own education. PRM integrates the validation of prior learning (VPL) with personalised pathways, based on the belief that competencies, gained formally, informally or experientially, should be recognised as the foundation for further learning. This approach aligns with Freire’s ideal of critical consciousness, which posits learning as a process of naming, reclaiming and transforming one’s reality. Using a qualitative analysis involving 15 refugees and three trainers, the authors explore how learner agency and institutional affordance combine to create meaningful learning outcomes. The study addresses a key gap in research: how reflective, personalised education can function in settings marked by displacement and limited opportunities.
With the continuous advancement of the construction of a national lifelong learning system and the deepening reform of the modern vocational education system, exploring the internal and external driving factors underlying the high-quality development of higher vocational colleges in border regions can effectively address several prominent challenges faced by northern higher vocational institutions, including insufficient connotative development in relation to construction requirements, inadequate motivation for autonomous learning among teachers and students, and difficulties in adapting lifelong education services to the needs of regional industries. Therefore, this research has significant practical implications.Drawing on self-efficacy theory and lifelong education theory, this study clarifies the transmission mechanisms among variables and constructs a theoretical model centered on lifelong education driving factors, teachers’ and students’ self-efficacy, and the high-quality development of higher vocational colleges. The study conducted a survey among 14 public higher vocational colleges in Heilongjiang Province, collecting 628 valid teacher questionnaires and 864 valid student questionnaires. Empirical analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro, including reliability and validity tests, correlation analysis, and Bootstrap tests of mediating effects.The empirical results reveal several key findings. First, four driving factors associated with lifelong education—digital learning resource provision, the implementation of industry–education integration, the cultivation of a lifelong learning-oriented campus environment, and modern institutional governance—can all positively promote the high-quality development of higher vocational colleges. Second, these four types of factors significantly enhance the self-efficacy levels of both teachers and students. Finally, teachers’ and students’ self-efficacy plays a mediating role in this process: various lifelong education-related factors not only directly improve the quality of institutional development but also indirectly facilitate the connotative development of colleges by strengthening teachers’ and students’ confidence in learning and career development.Based on the practical context of higher vocational education in Heilongjiang Province, this study enriches the theoretical framework concerning institutional development from the perspective of lifelong education and provides two practical implications for higher vocational colleges in northern border regions. Higher vocational institutions should not only align their educational practices with local industrial characteristics but also focus on stimulating the subjective initiative of teachers and students, thereby establishing a sustainable and stable model of high-quality development.
This study assessed the socio-demographic profile and level of Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) functional literacy among senior high school students as a basis for developing a work readiness intervention program. Specifically, it examined the respondents’ profiles in terms of age, sex, general academic performance, and availability of TLE-related tools at home, as well as their level of functional literacy in technology and engineering design, food and nutrition, financial literacy, entrepreneurial competence, and agricultural literacy and agri-tech awareness. A descriptive research design was employed involving 406 senior high school students. Data were gathered using a validated researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using frequency, percentage, and mean. Findings showed that the majority of respondents were 17–18 years old, with male students slightly outnumbering female students. Most respondents demonstrated favorable academic performance, with the largest proportion obtaining grades of 90 and above. In terms of available TLE-related resources at home, students had greater access to common cooking and household tools than to sewing and agricultural equipment. The findings further revealed varying levels of TLE functional literacy across the identified domains. Technology and engineering design literacy, food and nutrition literacy, and financial literacy were assessed as Needs Improvement, indicating areas requiring strengthened practical knowledge and skills. Agricultural literacy and agri-tech awareness reflected a relatively higher level of performance, while entrepreneurial competence was assessed as Very Satisfactory, indicating a notable strength among the respondents. Based on these findings, a work readiness intervention program entitled “Ready for Work: A Work Readiness Intervention Program for Enhancing TLE Functional Literacy among Senior High School Students” was proposed to address identified areas for improvement through hands-on, skill-based, and experiential learning activities. The study concludes that although students demonstrate strengths in entrepreneurial competence and academic performance, targeted instructional support and practical learning opportunities are needed to strengthen TLE functional literacy relevant to employment, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning. It is recommended that schools provide structured work readiness interventions, expand opportunities for experiential and hands-on learning, and integrate practical financial, technological, and livelihood skills into TLE instruction to better prepare students for future work environments.
The purpose of this study is to give an overview of the evolution of digital learning paradigms, its implementation in Indian institutions and the challenges and opportunities which it provides. The review also seeks to identify gaps in the current research that can be used to direct future empirical and theoretical research. The study adopts a systematic literature review methodology to explore the academic literature on the topic of online education and digital learning paradigm in India. Secondary data sources such as peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, government reports, policy documents and institutional publications were referred for the exhaustive review of literature. The search strings and keywords used were in various combinations such as online education, digital learning, distance education, e-learning, MOOCs, SWAYAM, OER and ICT in education and e-learning in Indian higher education. Only English-language publications that had an Indian focus were considered. To ensure comprehensive coverage, conceptual, empirical and review studies were included. The literature was broken down into themes and the following main categories were identified: distance learning, online education models, digital learning technologies, OER initiatives and national educational platforms. This systematic synthesis enables the structured understanding of the developments, trends and research gaps in the field. It is evident in the literature that low completion rates, lack of multilingual content, digital divide issues as well as a lack of learner engagement and mentoring, are still issues. However, the platforms are crucial for lifelong learning and skill development.
This study assessed the employability skill readiness of Alternative Learning System (ALS) graduates in Liloan District, Cebu, during School Year 2025–2026 as a basis for developing a skill enhancement plan. Anchored on Human Capital Theory, Career Construction Theory, and Social Cognitive Career Theory, the study employed a quantitative correlational research design involving 70 ALS graduates. Data were collected using an adapted and modified questionnaire and analyzed through percentages, weighted means, standard deviations, Pearson product-moment correlation, and chi-square tests. Findings revealed high employability skill readiness in communication (M = 4.08), teamwork (M = 3.82), problem-solving (M = 3.81), self-management (M = 3.48), and technical or job-specific skills (M = 3.52). Employability readiness was significantly associated with age, parents’ educational attainment, parents’ occupation, and combined monthly family income, while gender showed no significant relationship. Furthermore, challenges encountered exhibited a significant negative relationship with employability readiness (r = −0.46), indicating that greater challenges were associated with lower readiness. Prominent challenges included limited access to training and upskilling opportunities, insufficient career preparation, inadequate hands-on experience, and limited confidence in applying acquired skills. The study recommends implementing the proposed Skill Enhancement Plan through accessible training, career guidance, workplace exposure, and strengthened stakeholder partnerships. The research aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by promoting inclusive skills development and employment readiness. Its potential contribution to educational, socioeconomic, and community sustainability lies in supporting lifelong learning, equitable employment preparation, and improved workforce participation among ALS graduates.
Background As global aging accelerates, age-related psychophysiological conditions have emerged as major public health concerns. Promoting and sustaining vitality, an inherent human capacity, is essential for healthy aging and long-term well-being. The Mindfulness-based Vitality Promotion (MVP) program is a mindfulness-based behavioral intervention designed to enhance physical and psychological vitality and support sustainable well-being. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of the MVP program and explored preliminary pre–post changes in health-related outcomes among community-dwelling individuals in a lifelong learning setting. Methods This study employed a single-arm mixed-methods design. A total of 35 participants were recruited for this study. The MVP program was delivered over 8 weeks, with each session lasting 90 min. Quantitative data were collected through self-report questionnaires, and qualitative data were obtained via semi-structured interviews. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed based on program retention, session attendance, and participant satisfaction. Results Quantitative analysis revealed significant pre–post increases in integrative vitality and well-being, along with significant reductions in depression, fatigue, and anxiety. No statistically significant changes were observed in pain, sleep disturbance, digestive symptoms, anger, or mindfulness. Of the 35 enrolled participants, 31 completed the program (88.6%), with a mean attendance of 6.37 of eight sessions. Among the 30 satisfaction survey respondents, 28 (93.3%) indicated willingness to participate again and 30 (100%) indicated willingness to recommend the program to others. The qualitative analysis identified four major themes: (i) diverse life challenges and self-care needs, (ii) learning through experience, connection, and application, (iii) regaining balance and agency in life, and (iv) sustaining practice requires continued support. Conclusion Mixed-methods findings provide preliminary information regarding the feasibility and acceptability of the MVP program and indicate favorable pre–post changes in several self-reported health-related outcomes. The MVP program may represent a practical lifelong learning intervention with potential relevance for public health promotion. Further controlled studies are warranted to establish its efficacy. Trial registration The trial was first submitted to the Clinical Research Information Service, Republic of Korea (KCT0009961, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?seq=28524&search_page=L ), on October 8, 2024, before participant enrollment began, and registration was finalized on November 28, 2024.
Background: The digital era presents unprecedented opportunities and challenges for establishing learning societies that support lifelong learning, digital literacy, and sustainable human capital development. Educational and community leaders play pivotal roles in this transformation, yet their integrated contributions remain underexplored in emerging regional contexts. Objective: This study aims to develop an integrated understanding of how educational and community leaders contribute to the creation of a learning society in the digital era, with specific focus on lifelong learning mechanisms, digital literacy initiatives, and human capital development pathways. Method: A qualitative descriptive multi-stakeholder inquiry was conducted with 28 participants including school principals, university leaders, community organization leaders, government representatives, and NGO officials from Banten Province, Indonesia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews (n=18), focus group discussions (n=3), document analysis, and observation protocols. Thematic analysis with source, method, and theory triangulation was employed. Findings: Educational and community leaders jointly establish learning societies through five interconnected mechanisms: institutional learning infrastructure development, digital literacy ecosystems, collaborative knowledge-sharing platforms, civic engagement frameworks, and capability development initiatives. Leaders emphasized the necessity of integrating formal and informal learning, bridging digital divides, and fostering social capital through community engagement. An Integrated Learning Society Development Framework emerged, highlighting the synergistic relationship between educational institutions, community organizations, and government agencies in facilitating sustainable human capital growth. Novelty: This research uniquely positions learning society development as an educational-community collaborative endeavor within the digital era context of emerging regional economies, departing from institution-centric approaches that dominate current literature. Implications: Findings provide strategic guidance for policymakers and institutional leaders in designing integrated learning society frameworks that harness digital technologies while maintaining social cohesion and equitable access to learning opportunities.
زمینه: عصر دیجیتال فرصتها و چالشهای بیسابقهای را برای ایجاد جوامع یادگیرنده که از یادگیری مادامالعمر، سواد دیجیتال و توسعه پایدار سرمایه انسانی حمایت میکنند، فراهم آورده است. رهبران آموزشی و اجتماعی نقشهای محوری در این تحول ایفا میکنند، اما مشارکتهای یکپارچه آنها در زمینههای منطقهای نوظهور کمتر مورد بررسی قرار گرفته است. هدف: این مطالعه با هدف توسعه درک یکپارچهای از نحوه مشارکت رهبران آموزشی و اجتماعی در ایجاد جامعه یادگیرنده در عصر دیجیتال، با تمرکز ویژه بر سازوکارهای یادگیری مادامالعمر، ابتکارات سواد دیجیتال و مسیرهای توسعه سرمایه انسانی انجام شده است. روش: یک پژوهش کیفی توصیفی با رویکرد چند ذینفعی با مشارکت ۲۸ نفر شامل مدیران مدارس، رهبران دانشگاهی، رهبران سازمانهای اجتماعی، نمایندگان دولت و مسئولان سازمانهای غیردولتی از استان بانتن اندونزی انجام شد. دادهها از طریق مصاحبههای نیمهساختاریافته (n=18)، بحثهای گروهی متمرکز (n=3)، تحلیل اسناد و پروتکلهای مشاهده گردآوری شد. تحلیل تماتیک با مثلثسازی منبع، روش و نظریه به کار گرفته شد. یافتهها: رهبران آموزشی و اجتماعی به طور مشترک از طریق پنج سازوکار به هم پیوسته شامل توسعه زیرساختهای یادگیری نهادی، اکوسیستمهای سواد دیجیتال، بسترهای اشتراک دانش مشارکتی، چارچوبهای مشارکت مدنی و ابتکارات توسعه قابلیتها، جوامع یادگیرنده را ایجاد میکنند. رهبران بر ضرورت ادغام یادگیری رسمی و غیررسمی، پر کردن شکاف دیجیتال و تقویت سرمایه اجتماعی از طریق مشارکت اجتماعی تأکید کردند. چارچوب یکپارچه توسعه جامعه یادگیرنده استخراج شد که بر رابطه همافزا میان نهادهای آموزشی، سازمانهای اجتماعی و نهادهای دولتی در تسهیل رشد پایدار سرمایه انسانی تأکید دارد. نوآوری: این پژوهش توسعه جامعه یادگیرنده را به عنوان یک تلاش مشترک آموزشی-اجتماعی در زمینه عصر دیجیتال اقتصادهای منطقهای نوظهور مطرح میکند و از رویکردهای نهاد-محور غالب در ادبیات فعلی فاصله میگیرد. پیامدها: یافتهها راهنمایی راهبردی برای سیاستگذاران و رهبران نهادی در طراحی چارچوبهای یکپارچه جامعه یادگیرنده که از فناوریهای دیجیتال بهره میگیرند و در عین حال انسجام اجتماعی و دسترسی عادلانه به فرصتهای یادگیری را حفظ میکنند، ارائه میدهد.
Higher education institutions are being urged to offer supplementary courses that enhance regular academic programs due to the increasing emphasis on employability and skill development.These courses are designed to give students professional certifications, industry-relevant competences, and useful skills that improve their preparedness for the workforce.The goal of this study is to determine whether there is a substantial correlation between students' motivations and the kind of add-on course they choose.It also looks at the factors that influence students' enrollment in these courses.Using primary data gathered from 106 University of Mumbai undergraduate students via a structured questionnaire, a descriptive and analytical study approach was used.Convenience sampling was used, and the Pearson Chi-Square test and cross-tabulation were used for data analysis.The results showed that the main reasons for taking additional courses were certification, academic interest, job promotion, and skill development.Nevertheless, the Chi-Square analysis revealed no statistically significant correlation between the type of add-on course chosen and the students' motivations (χ² = 6.737, df = 12, p = 0.874).Among various incentive groups, professional and certification-based courses were found to be the most popular category.The study comes to the conclusion that although students have a variety of reasons for taking extra courses, these reasons have little bearing on the type of course they choose.Higher education institutions, curriculum designers, and legislators can use the findings to create adaptable, learner-centered, industry-focused add-on programs that enhance graduate employability and promote lifelong learning.
مؤسسات آموزش عالی به دلیل تأکید فزاینده بر اشتغالپذیری و توسعه مهارتها، تحت فشار قرار گرفتهاند تا دورههای تکمیلیای ارائه دهند که برنامههای آموزشی معمول را تقویت کنند. این دورهها با هدف اعطای گواهینامههای حرفهای، شایستگیهای مرتبط با صنعت و مهارتهای کاربردی به دانشجویان طراحی شدهاند تا آمادگی آنها را برای ورود به بازار کار افزایش دهند. هدف این پژوهش تعیین این است که آیا بین انگیزههای دانشجویان و نوع دوره تکمیلی انتخابی آنها همبستگی معناداری وجود دارد یا خیر. همچنین عوامل مؤثر بر ثبتنام دانشجویان در این دورهها را بررسی میکند. با استفاده از دادههای اولیه گردآوریشده از ۱۰۶ دانشجوی کارشناسی دانشگاه بمبئی از طریق پرسشنامه ساختاریافته، رویکرد پژوهش توصیفی و تحلیلی به کار گرفته شد. نمونهگیری به روش در دسترس انجام شد و برای تحلیل دادهها از آزمون کایدو پیرسون و جداول توافقی استفاده گردید. نتایج نشان داد که دلایل اصلی شرکت در دورههای تکمیلی شامل دریافت گواهینامه، علاقه تحصیلی، ارتقای شغلی و توسعه مهارت است. با این حال، تحلیل کایدو نشان داد که بین نوع دوره تکمیلی انتخابشده و انگیزههای دانشجویان همبستگی آماری معناداری وجود ندارد (χ² = 6.737، df = 12، p = 0.874). در میان گروههای انگیزشی مختلف، دورههای حرفهای و مبتنی بر گواهینامه محبوبترین دسته بودند. پژوهش به این نتیجه میرسد که اگرچه دانشجویان دلایل متنوعی برای شرکت در دورههای تکمیلی دارند، این دلایل تأثیر چندانی بر نوع دوره انتخابی آنها ندارد. مؤسسات آموزش عالی، طراحان برنامه درسی و سیاستگذاران میتوانند از یافتههای این پژوهش برای طراحی برنامههای تکمیلی سازگار، یادگیرندهمحور و صنعتمحور بهره گیرند که اشتغالپذیری فارغالتحصیلان را افزایش داده و یادگیری مادامالعمر را ترویج میکند.
For midlife first-generation Chinese immigrant women, adult learning is rarely only skill acquisition or a step towards integration. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork carried out between 2023 and 2026 with 20 women in the Greater Boston area, this article argues that adult learning could become a socially recognisable and morally legitimate way for women to reclaim time and attention and sustain a sense of personhood within continuing family obligations. Migration had re-sequenced these women’s life courses: study deferred in earlier adulthood became newly urgent once family care had to be conducted in English and through unfamiliar institutions. No participant reported explicit family opposition. Yet participants’ accounts distinguished reported family endorsement from recognition of study’s practical costs and from practical support through redistributed time, childcare, labor, or money. The article contributes to adult education and lifelong learning scholarship by treating learners’ time as a relational condition rather than an individual barrier, and by showing that institutionally organised and self-directed learning made claims on time differently legible without determining whether study could be sustained.
برای زنان مهاجر چینی نسل اول در میانسالی، یادگیری بزرگسالان به ندرت صرفاً به معنای کسب مهارت یا گامی به سوی ادغام است. این مقاله با تکیه بر کار میدانی قومنگارانه انجامشده بین سالهای ۲۰۲۳ تا ۲۰۲۶ با ۲۰ زن در منطقه بوستون بزرگ، استدلال میکند که یادگیری بزرگسالان میتواند به شیوهای اجتماعی قابل شناسایی و از نظر اخلاقی مشروع برای زنان تبدیل شود تا زمان و توجه خود را بازپس گیرند و حس هویت فردی خود را در چارچوب تعهدات خانوادگی مستمر حفظ کنند. مهاجرت، مسیر زندگی این زنان را بازتنظیم کرده بود: تحصیل که در اوایل بزرگسالی به تعویق افتاده بود، زمانی فوریت یافت که مراقبت از خانواده باید به زبان انگلیسی و از طریق نهادهای ناآشنا انجام میشد. هیچ یک از شرکتکنندگان مخالفت صریح خانواده را گزارش نکردند. با این حال، روایتهای شرکتکنندگان، تأیید خانواده را از شناسایی هزینههای عملی تحصیل و از حمایت عملی از طریق بازتوزیع زمان، مراقبت از کودک، کار یا پول متمایز میکرد. این مقاله با تلقی زمان یادگیرندگان به عنوان یک وضعیت رابطهای و نه مانعی فردی، و با نشان دادن اینکه یادگیری سازمانیافته نهادی و خودگردان به شیوههایی متفاوت بر زمان ادعا میکند بدون آنکه تعیین کند آیا تحصیل میتواند تداوم یابد یا نه، به حوزه آموزش بزرگسالان و پژوهشهای یادگیری مادامالعمر کمک میکند.
