Thematic Groups will be able to range widely within these areas, and will draw on
academics and users from both inside and outside the Programme, as well as
welcoming open inputs via web-based discussion facilities. It has been the business
of this conference to help to focus and define the nature of these Thematic Groups
and, with the benefit of your advice, we will now be moving them forward and making
specific proposals.
Of course, projects will always remain the primary ‘engine rooms’ of the Programme.
However, thematic Groups are essential devices for taking stock of cross-
Programme achievements, relating ideas and making connections, drawing on other
expertise, broadening debate, and building meta-analyses. At this point, we cannot
quite predict how such themes will develop, but they do have the potential to be very
significant.
Can we influence future thinking? Theoretical goals
As indicated above, the substantive focus of each project is specific and, through
Thematic Groups, we will have provision to search across projects. Theoretical
development is a very likely outcome in relation to each project, and also as a
product of thematic development. We will strongly support such work.
Additionally however, the design of the Programme presents a unique opportunity to
attempt to construct a meta-analysis of teaching and learning through the life-course
- a challenge which is of particular interest to me. This arises because of the spread
of projects which are expected, in due course, to cover most sectors and contexts of
formal education and adult learning. In addition to pedagogic issues generally, there
are also some recurring foci in terms of the content of learning, with literacy,
numeracy and various representations of learning disposition being particularly
prominent. The issues of inclusion, exclusion and opportunities to learn are also well
represented, and we have some interesting projects on transitions between
educational sectors.
It thus becomes possible, conceptually at least, to begin to map the project portfolio
as a whole (see the Figure 1 below). All projects, at their heart, are concerned with
interaction between some form of teacher and learner. This occurs in particular
contexts and has particular outcomes. A variety of factors influence such teachers,
learners and contexts.
At this level of simplicity, this model can be applied at successive stages of the life-
course, from infancy to childhood, adolescence, youth, adulthood, middle age,
retirement and old age. Learning is necessary and takes place, to a greater or lesser
extent, at all stages of life. The Programme thus provides a significant opportunity to
look developmentally at the ways in which learners adjust to successive contexts.