Creating Channels of Employability Through Lifelong Learning: An impact Case Study of Arul Anandar College

Abstract

Life long learning (L3) is the only tool of elevating the declining rate of youth employability at global level . Introduction of L3 in higher education will certainly facilitate the learners to acquire the skills of employability. This extensive role of L3 in e mployability has intended Arul Anandar College (AAC) to collaborate with Commonwealth of Learning (COL) for offering a sponsored course entitled ‘Lifelong learning and open distance learning’, which aims in enhancing the learner capability of producing technology integrated learning material through the use of multimedia. This course will enable the learners to attain attitudinal change towards lifelong learning and develop the skills of self - empowerment through several e xposures and hands on t raining. The major outcomes of this course are k nowledge acquisition, generated awareness , networking o f information and facilitation through the usage of multimedia , skills of entrepreneurship, updating recent trends of technology, interpersonal and communication skills . This study predominantly aims in determining the impact of L3 in t he employability, subjected to the learners of AAC after the successful accomplishment of the L3F course. This research study encompasses the objectives; content an d delivery system of the course and the method s of focus group discussion used for data collection. The impa ct of L3 is studied through systematic and objective assessment in the dimensions of reaction, learning, behavior and results. This study also focuses on the changes made by L3 in the aspects of activities, careers, livelihoods, knowledge and skills pertinent to the learners. This study is limited to the impact created by L3 in the live s of the course participants. This inference of this impact study strongly recommends the institutionalization of the concept and other dimensions of Lifelong Learning into the regular academic programme for widening the opportunities of the present youth employability.// Paper ID 18