The paper is an empirical study based on questionnaires of 450 postgraduates’ students, and 30 teachers enrolled in different courses in Tirana University. It aimed to identify the problems and to find out some solutions to the problem focused on the wide availability of information and communication, which makes learning take place wherever and whenever it suits the student. The study highlights the way how education can be organized to ensure quality and lifelong learning. The study, based on the analysis of questionnaires, pointed out that it is considered as not efficient if lifelong learning is focused only on short-term requirements. The teacher educators had quite a number of concepts on lifelong learning, and their perceptions were concentrated on: 1) developing a range of skills; 2) being able to identify problems; 3) ways of tackling, finding and using information effectively; 4) understanding and extending ways of learning to gain and apply new knowledge.
The paper is divided into two parts. Part one outlines the key issues related to the importance of lifelong education and part two analyzes lifelong learning approaches, conclusions and recommendations.
The notion of learning society needs some theoretical and analytical potential which requires realization of a considerable work. There is a need for greater clarity in defining the meaning of the learning society, and for establishing criteria for interpretation. Learning continually throughout life is vital if we are to make informed choices about our lives and the societies in which we live. The strength of the idea of a learning society is a concept that needs to link learning process with the idea of a future society. It is necessary to link the theory of relationship between education and economic life and to draw upon understandings of human beings as active, and cooperative in the learning society. The different and differentiated personal development would contribute to better understanding and improved implementation of lifelong learning policies. Formal education needs to become more meaningful and relevant in its on-line application.