Adult learning has a positive impact on individuals and communities, as well as on the nation, offering Canadians the opportunity, capacity, and motivation to learn new skills appropriate for new circumstances, and to redress learning gaps that exist within sectors of the population, as a result of social and economic inequity and other barriers to learning. Canada’s population is increasingly diverse with diverse learning needs. All of these factors have combined to create an explosion of demand for adult learning opportunities.Adult Learning Knowledge Centre
2006-07 Business Plan
The Adult Learning Knowledge Centre (ALKC) was launched in September 2005 and is based at the College of Extended Learning, University of New Brunswick. Its purpose is to serve as a national centre of expertise and action in the arena of adult learning, facilitating an exchange of ideas, best practices, and common challenges. ALKC works with the four other knowledge centres located across Canada: Aboriginal Learning, Early Childhood Learning, Health and Learning and Work and Learning. Together, they assist the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) in developing a pan-Canadian roadmap of educational models and practices, designed to result in improved learning outcomes for all Canadians.
ALKC relies on a consortium of researchers and practitioners as was evident at its first national symposium held in Fredericton, New Brunswick in June of 2006. Sincere appreciation goes to the many individuals and organizations who worked diligently to produce the State of the Field Reviews for the symposium, the respondents for the reviews, the presenters of the Action Research projects, and the workshop and session facilitators and recorders.
Special thanks to Jim Sharpe for his leadership role in spearheading the State of the Field Reviews, to Judith Potter, Kathleen Flanagan, and Danielle Charron for their efforts in organizing a stimulating event; to Rick Williams who helped to facilitate the two-day process and to Cathy Wright for her assistance in capturing the essence of the forum in this report.
Last, but not least, thank you to all the participants whose interest, commitment, and passion made this a dynamic opportunity to further adult learning in Canada.
August 22, 2006