The purpose of this study is to verify causality and influence between learning ecosystem and the competencies of adult learners. Since human learning, society and the environment are closely linked to each other in a personal and societal way, it is a constantly required phenomenon in lifelong learning society to examine the interrelationships and influences among the elements that make up the learning society. The learning ecosystem, which emphasizes the interrelationship between lifelong learning societies and the comprehensive approach between systems, has emerged as a learning model and paradigm. On the other hand, the competency of adult learners as a factor determining learning participation is very relevant with learning ecosystem and has characteristics of interaction with environment, organic connectivity and sustainability. In particular, competency has been attracting attention due to rapid changes in the social environment, such as aging and the emergence of various forms of employment. The concept of competence, including the lifelong learning system in Europe, has been transformed into competence in education. Thus, the development, strengthening and sustainability of competencies are emphasized in the lifelong learning society, and the development of adult learner-competence is at an important point.
It is important to examine the relationship between variables by applying three systems which are community participation and characteristics of educational institutions as an external system, teacher-learner interaction, learner-learner interaction as an intermediate system, and learning strategy as an internal system. Therefore the purpose of this study is to suggest a way that improves social lifelong learning ecosystem and the competencies of adult learners through the test of causal relationship and influence between learning ecosystem an adult learner’s competence.
This study is about learning ecosystem and the competencies of adult learners. As a result, the adult learners in non - formal education institutions are set as the population.
As of 2016, there are a total of 4,153 lifelong educational institutions in 17 cities and provinces nationwide, and 11,336,565 learners. Adult learners were selected based on the ratio of lifelong education institutions by region through proportional layer sampling method. The questionnaires were distributed to 1,710 adult learners of 61 lifelong educational institutions across the nation, and 1,350 (78.9%) questionnaires had been collected through preliminary surveys and the main survey for 3 months. Finally, 1,302 data were used for analysis, which are Cronbach `s ? coefficient reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation model analysis were performed using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 24.0 statistical package program.
The results of the study were as follows: First, there were no significant differences by gender according to the demographic characteristics of the adult learners, in community participation, educational institution characteristics, interaction, learning strategies, and the competence of adult learner. There were differences in age, career of education, scale of region, monthly income, health, institutional type, participation program, participation period, participation in learning club, awareness of lifelong education policy, year of establishment of institution, and lifelong learning city.
Second, the characteristics of educational institutions as an external system have a significant effect on the competences of adult learner (β=.335, C.R.=7.648) and community participation has no statistically significant effect on adult learners'' competences(β=-.013, C.R.=.428).
Third, community participation as an external ecosystem has a statistically significant effect on interaction (β=.290, CR= 9.173) and learning strategy (β=.296, R=8.410). In addition, the characteristics of educational institutions have a significant effect on interaction (β=.408, C.R.= 12.357) and learning strategy (β=.319, C.R.= 8.396) at p<.001.
Fourth, interaction as an intermediate ecosystem (β=.240, C.R.= 6.622) and learning strategy (β=.694, C.R.= 12.747) have a significant effect on the competences of adult learner.
Fifth, interaction as an intermediate ecosystem has a statistically significant effect on learning strategy as an internal ecosystem (β=.308, C.R.= 9.171) at p<.001 of significance level.
Sixth, interactions (.089) and learning strategies (.245) mediate community participation and the characteristics of educational institutions completely, but interactions (.089) and learning strategies (.245) mediate the characteristics of educational institutions and competences of adult learner partially.
Seventh, the external - intermediate - internal structure of learning ecosystem affects not only separately, but also in a comprehensive way, the competencies of adult learner. As a result, it can be concluded that interrelationships between systems and interrelated factors of adult learner’s competencies are the interaction system of spatial, relational and internal factors.
The results showed that the learning ecosystem in the lifelong learning society has a close relationship with the external system and structure of the local community and the educational institution, and has a comprehensive structure that affects the competencies of adult learner.
Based on the results of the study, I have suggested a practical measures for building a self-generated learning ecosystem, the spread of community learning and the development of adult learners'' competencies. It is meaningful that this study expanded the scope of research by attempting systematic approach to the learning ecosystem factors through input-process-output stage and explained the structural causal relationship comprehensively and empirically. In addition, this study provides implications for the building of learning network that is based on the community and extended community learning, and the sustainability of the development of adult learners'' competence in connection with life.
These results can help to build a system of local governments and lifelong learning institutions that are responsible for the creation of social lifelong learning ecosystems and the development of adult learners'' competencies
However, because it is an empirical analysis based on the general system, there are limitations in reflecting the basic assumptions of the learning ecosystem, and the objective factors through quantitative indices can not be tested.
Also, since the concept of learning ecosystem is presented from the viewpoint of adult learners in lifelong learning society, there is a limitation in generalizing to all of the learners and learning environments. In the future, I will suggest various follow-up studies such as development of measurement tools that can complement these limitations and deriving meanings for learning ecosystem theory and establishing a system.