Lifelong Learning Redefined: From Sustainability to Generational Learning

The following paper is intended to give a brief account of the trends in lifelong learning as they appear in the official documents of UNESCO and OECD. It identifies the driving forces behind humanistic and utilitarian considerations in the opposing approaches of UNESCO and OECD, while it also addresses the role of political influencers in confusing the issues. The author uses document analysis of studies and findings of international surveys to shed light on the ambivalent stances in educational documents towards the importance of lifelong learning. The author will argue that a shift in rhetoric from lifelong learning to generational learning is needed in order to eliminate “doublespeak” and meet the needs of today's generations brought up often with utilitarian values and high economic expectations.