ABSTRACT
This chapter compares the claims made for the benefits of lifelong learning by its many proponents with the documented evidence of success. It considers obstacles to the achievement of lifelong learning goals and discusses what steps would have to be taken for these barriers to be overcome. Pucheu concluded that lifelong learning was a ‘rubber’ concept that could be stretched to take on any desired shape. A second and closely related issue is that discussions of lifelong learning often have a hidden agenda with political or ideological undertones. The modern literature on lifelong learning has been dominated by philosophical, sociological and political discussions. A second major weakness in the scientific basis for lifelong education and lifelong learning is that empirical evidence is very scarce. An appropriate programme of research on lifelong learning would need to provide empirical evidence of higher motivation or improved learning resulting from the implementation of teaching and learning methods based on the principles of lifelong learning.
