Adult learner in the world of digital transformation and new learning ecosystem

Abstract

The article shows transformation of the adults learning space, which occurs together with changes in work scene and abrupt technological progress. New technologies revolutionised the manner of learning and working by adapting competencies to new challenges. Along with  social and economical alternations, and individualisation processes, the responsibility for one’s career is being shifted on an individual, so as an adjustment of skills to the needs of labour market and employers demands. Assumptions regarding planning education paths and undertaking defined form of activity pertain to the opportunities created by context, dynamics of progress in robotics, data collecting (Big Data), digital virtual domains and multiplication of possibilities in realization of individual educational needs brought by digital economy. Analysing aforementioned processes, the authoress refers to the new learning ecosystem that forms a phenomenon of giving learners access to personalised teaching, new technologies and tools such as simulation, visualization, extended digital libraries or interactive museums. Second stream of the analyse presented in the article is, connected with depicted changes, work evolution and its consequences for rising number of adults who would have to face with career demanding consistent acquiring and demonstrating the new abilities called 21st century skills. Description of those skills serves among others to show that adult learner is not limited to learn in specific time and place, and that education does not have linear paths running through education system to labour market, while creating the new learning ecosystem requires cooperation of many entities.