NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF LEARNLONG INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION AND LEARNING RESEARCH
Introduction
LearnLong Institute for Education and Learning Research (NFP) (the “Institute”) is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes in accordance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. More specifically, the Institute is organized as an independent educational think-tank informing individuals and the public about relevant ideas and issues in adult, higher, and continuing education and learning across communities, cities, and societies throughout every stage of life. The following paragraphs provide a brief history of the development of the Institute, a description of the Institute’s current and future charitable services and plans.
History of LearnLong Institute for Education and Learning Research (NFP)
The Institute is the creation of emerging professionals in the field of adult, higher, and continuing education. In 2009, as doctoral students at Columbia University-Teachers College, the initial Institute’s founders, officers, and directors first met and shared an intellectual and moral journey of coming together as research scholars, colleagues, and friends. Conversations after earning their doctorates centered on the important pursuit of creating a “collective space” where adult educators and learners can learn from one another, advance research reports and findings, and locate a supportive environment to share their voices, insights, and reflections for constructing, challenging, and enhancing knowledge.
Each successive conversation and idea led into establishing an Institute in 2012 to transform the traditional perspectives of education and learning in society. These professionals came to realize that their learning environments, public and private, were not in opposition with one another, but were intricately connected and entwined. Their beliefs were that education should not end after receiving diplomas or degrees from educational institutions; likewise, learning should be endless, continuing a legacy of learning across generations. Thus, the Institute intends to explore ways in which education and learning can be reconstructed throughout life by balancing both the individuality and collectiveness of adult learners. Ultimately, these inspired professionals decided to create LearnLong Institute to respond to the inner call to transform the intellectual and practical concerns of today’s adult learners and educators.
Coming together as lifelong learners, the Institute aspires to examine and challenge traditional education and learning throughout multiple stages of life. This aspiration requires building an expansive learning network and community of learners, educators, scholar- practitioners, and anyone interested in expanding the role of education in society.
The Need
Many in society, unfortunately, do not recognize the adult and continuing education field or the thousands of educators and learners, who participate in, or benefit from, its theories and practices. Throughout American history in adult and continuing education, there have been organizations formed to serve the continual and lifelong needs of adults. However, the field has not been represented fully or accurately in the public discourse. While many adult education organizations have either merged or dissolved, the problems that face adults (which many of these organizations were formed to address) unfortunately still remain. Problems of economic support, unemployment, under-employment, technology, literacy, diversity, and equal access to education at work, school, or home are widely persistent.
The lessons learned from these organizations can inform the establishment of a new kind of enterprise of adult and continuing education, an educational think-tank in particular. The Institute is organized to better address the needs of adults and lifelong learners, not only in traditional schools and institutions, but also within cities, communities, workplaces, families, homes, and wherever lifelong education and learning continue to take place.
By bringing adult learning theories and practices to the forefront and to a larger public audience, the Institute envisions a way to expand the capacity of leaders, providing them with more purpose, impact, and effectiveness. The Institute intends to provide an intellectually-safe environment for scholars and practitioners in various fields, including education, learning, and leadership to critically reflect on their individual practice and share insights, questions, and visions for the future. Using adult learning principles, the Institute creates dialogues and discussions for sharing research, ideas, and perspectives around the most relevant issues and concerns that confront the education and learning (locally and globally) of this current century.
The Response
As explained above, the Institute is organized to “inform the public about relevant ideas and issues in adult, higher, and continuing education and learning” and it intends to do so “across communities, cities, and societies throughout every stage of life.” The Institute’s leaders, all of whom are well-respected, well-connected leaders in their institutional, demographic, and geographic communities, are committed to creating and cultivating an organization that will spring forth quality information about the field of adult, higher, and continuing education for generations to come. The specifics of the Institute’s charitable program activities are described below.
Charitable Services
Among other things, Institute plans to develop high quality, meaningful resources including publications and presentations to its members and the public at large. Such resourceful materials will address a broad range of issues. The Institute will develop programs targeting specific areas of interest related to adult learning. The Institute will also plan and execute regular conferences and meetings intended to bring together thought leaders in the field of adult, higher, and continuing education. Such programming will be beneficial for a myriad of reasons, including the education of interested individuals on topics not adequately addressed in other media and the opportunity to bring together a group of people whose interests are aligned despite their diverse professional and academic pursuits. In between research, conferences, and presentations, the Institute will serve as a resource through its programs for professionals, scholars, and practitioners to build strong connections and to interact within an extensive and diverse network of individuals and institutions. Finally, the Institute plans to make most, if not all, of its publications, lecture materials, and other useful information available via a centralized depository, such as the Institute’s website.
Future Plans
In the future, the Institute intends to increase its fundraising efforts and to use such funds to continuously develop and strengthen its charitable program activities. The Institute also intends to continue actively seeking new participants in its various membership classes while continuing to work closely with existing members to ensure the effective development and execution of the Institute’s diverse charitable program activities. Moreover, as the Institute grows and expands, it expects that its leaders and members will help to ensure that the Institute is always able to speak to the issues of the day in the field and to address such topical issues in a meaningful manner.
The Institute intends to become the premier educational think-tank in the field of adult, higher, and continuing education and learning. The Institute will strive to have a significant, sustained positive effect not only on its members, but also on every individual and organization that interacts with the Institute on an ongoing basis. In essence, the Institute aims to support humanity and increase the overall quality of life through developing informed communities of educators and learners. This vision will require a mutual collaborative effort between educational institutions and learning communities around the world. The Institute believes that these lifelong communities will foster collaboration, engagement, and participation in the “marketplace of ideas,” especially in the areas of education and learning.