Browsing: P36

Introduction. The purpose of lifelong learning is to develop the required competencies in order to be permanently adapted and fitted in a continuous changing world. If learners acquire new competencies, they will be able to live more productively and have a better understanding of their own needs and how to better adapt to changes. After attending the training and some barriers are overcome, some learners encounter some changes which refer to a shift in mind and attitude changes, which increase their quality of work and social relationships. Some practical evidence is presented from the report “Implementarea Programului Învățare pe Tot Parcursul Vieții în Anul 2012” from Romania with respect to how some barriers were identified and overcome. Descriptive statistics is presented in a table of data for Romania that refers to persons aged 25 to 64 for the years 2010-2015 who stated that they received education or training in the four weeks preceding the survey.

Aim of the study. The aim of this article is to explore some of the barriers which adult learners ecounter and how to overcome them in the approach of lifelong learning. The literature usually recognizes two types of barriers to adult learning: external or situational and internal or dispositional. When facing internal and external barriers, students are not able to continue their learning. This article explores some reasons which they encounter in reaching their target of learning.
Keywords: lifelong learning, adult learning, barriers to education, education, motivation.
JEL Classification: D83, I21, P36

Introduction. In the specialized literature the concept of self-directed learning is linked with personality traits, learning environment or learning process. In the literature we find that there is a correlation between self-directed learning and some personal traits from the “Big Five” model of personality, including extraversion, agreeableness, openness and conscientiousness. Self-directed learning is also influenced by the learning environment, which consists of teaching environment, learning environment, technology and administrative support. In a “traditional” learning environment, the teacher defines the learning goals, delivers the knowledge and evaluates the student’s ability to memorize the specific delivered knowledge. The student’s learning needs are rather seen homogeneous than heterogeneous. In a self-directed learning environment, the student takes the initiative, defines his own strategies of learning specific goals and evaluates his evolution in pursuing a certain learning goal. Seen as a process, the self-directed learning can be structured in certain steps like: defining the steps of learning from easy to difficult; establishing an own calendar of learning; evaluating his own learning progress etc.

Aim of the study. The aim of this article is to understand the concept of self-directed learning and to explore how to use self-directed learning in an educational environment, in order to find the appropriate qualitative and/or quantitative methodology to study the self-directed learning concept.
Keywords: self-directed learning, personality traits, communication skills, economic education, motivation.
JEL Classification: D83, I21, P36