Zhiwei Chen Volgorde van de boeken

In traditional times, learning mainly referred to one-off or end-all school learning, neglected or rejected other learning forms, and had a partial economic center doctrine. However, along with the quick development of scientific technology and economy, as well as the advance of knowledge and the capital value of manpower, traditional school learning could not meet personal demand and needs of society’s continuous development. Lifelong learning began to play an important role in an upheaval of the social policy.

This research focuses on the lifelong biographical experiences of individuals in China and Germany, employing biographical methods to analyze interview content for specific themes. Over 20 interviewees from each country, representing diverse social and educational backgrounds, were selected. The interviews explored their life processes, particularly their learning experiences and emotions. Some narratives are more representative, reflecting various learning and thinking styles influenced by educational factors. From these interviews, six narratives from each country were chosen for comparative analysis. Each narrative exemplifies a distinct learning perspective associated with specific social groups. Utilizing grounded theory, the research also examines historical, cultural, legal, educational, political, and social contexts for each interview. The findings provide new insights into how schools influence learning motivations, behaviors, activities, and the lifelong learning journey.

The Report directed by James S. Coleman has mentioned that the effects of school resources on student achievement were weaker than those of students’ families (Coleman et al. 1988, S. 95-120). The report also mentioned suggested that the performances and achievement by students have direct relationships with the family social and economic situations and conditions (Coleman et al. 1988, S. 95-120). Moreover, after discussing the influences based on the levels of students and schools to the learning achievement and performances, the results have shown obviously that the social and economic situations in the students’ families have greater effects and influences, while the courses taught in the classroom and teachers’ teaching experiences have little influences. Elliott (1998, S. 223-245) has found from the research work in the USA that the family and individuals’ factors are much greater and more important than the school factors.

Education is one of the key factors and basic driving force for the sustainable development of a society. From human’s history, education and individual learning activities have been attached great importance and the research on education and learning has always continued generation by generation. With the rapid development of science, technology and social economy, as well as knowledge, skills, and improvement of the value of human capital, the status and role of education has been further improved and enhanced in the current era (Cheng 2009, S. 98). Education and learning has been entrusted with the new significances and meanings according to the rapid change and development of each aspect in the modern society. In the same time, the learning forms and styles have also changed and expanded to a much wider scope, not only limited to the traditional formal learning in schools or enclosed educational places or organizations, but also include different learning and educational forms, such as non-formal and even informal learning (Alheit 2009, S. 116).