ABSTRACT
On the positive side of the evaporating boundary is the recognition of the importance of and social support for lifelong learning. Adults are continuing their education in support of their personal interests and professional goals more than ever before. Technology is helping to make this possible through widely accessible online courses and personalized instruction. The ability to further one’s education while working may be regarded as a highly desirable social end in and of itself. Education is generally regarded as something good, and this remains true regardless of the age of the person involved. A 2006 Norwegian law encapsulates the concept of further education as a social good quite well. In that law, Norwegians who have worked for three years for any enterprise have the right to be on leave either part-time or full-time for a period up to three years. Other European countries systematically provide support for continuing education (see www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/).
