ABSTRACT
There is growing recognition by governments and industry that knowledge is the passport to prosperity and social stability and that, if countries are to survive and flourish as part of the ‘global village’, they have to become learning societies. The creation of a genuine learning society is dependent on all its members working together to create and use knowledge for the benefit of all. ‘Lifelong learning’ is an essential requirement for a learning society and, for economic, social and personal reasons (Candy et al., 1994) a growing number of adults expect to learn in formal or informal settings throughout their lives. The catch cry that learning must continue from the cradle to the grave or, more accurately, from womb to tomb, is now well accepted by educators, employers, professional bodies and the general public. And the focus of such lifelong learning is the development of the core skills needed for effective membership of a learning society.
