Dr. Stefanie Chye Yen Leng
Language of the lecture: English
The field of education today is grappling with a complex mixture of internal and external demands including technological disruptions, shifting work landscapes, and evolving societal needs. In the face of these pressures, educational institutions are expected to align with industry needs, increase institutional relevance, and demonstrate public value. This necessitates the rethinking of current teaching and learning ecosystems so as to align with the evolving demands.
In a contemporary society as this, lifelong learning has become an imperative. The ability and motivation to learn for life enables individuals to adapt to new technologies, enhance their skills, and stay relevant in the job market thus ensuring that individuals remain adaptable and employable.
To avoid technocratising education, it is vital that educational institutions go beyond merely equipping individuals to function and contribute effectively to society. They must also be intentionally designed with the aim of supporting holistic, human-centred learning through the cultivation of human flourishing and well-being. This brings about engagement, purpose and meaning to learning and to life.
This presentation explores aspects of what a humanistic learning experience might look like by grounding itself in the pillars of psychology, pedagogy and technology. It argues that to truly support lifelong learning and flourishing, we must situate the whole person in the centre of the ecology. We must humanise our educational ecosystems by designing them based on psychological insights, grounding them based on pedagogical models, and enriching them based on the ethical and appropriate harnessing of technology. Furthermore, it argues for the importance of a coherent, connected educational ecosystem that spans different contexts, including formal, continuing and workplace learning and how they may collectively play a part in building a ‘life-span approach to education’ (Chan, 2022).
Using examples from Singapore and global contexts, the presentation integrates a vision of how we can build educational ecosystems that support learning for life and well-being at every life stage. The presentation will close by reflecting on the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead and identify key areas for further inquiry.
Dr. Stefanie Chye Yen Leng
Singapore University of Social Sciences