How to move further towards a sustainable learning community? In this collaboration, a learning approach needs to be a central focus. The challenge for regions is how to empower the learning community with supporting learning tools that can be used by the different stakeholders to develop an ecosystem for a learning economy for active & healthy ageing solutions. In the Word Resources Report (WRR), the movement from a knowledge economy to a learning economy is explained. The table shows the differences between the two types of economy and the directions to be taken for the development of a learning economy. Knowledge economy Learning economy Generating new knowledge Circulation of knowledge and skills: which types of knowledge may develop, how knowledge is shared, how learning takes place in a broader sense Small group of outstanding individuals Everyone, no matter what their station in life, must be able to adopt new ideas and handle changing circumstances. Monologues of society and science, and scientists asking their own questions Dialogue between science and society, science needs to help with solving problems Institutions in silos Responsive institutions: promoting good networks, supportive regulations and helpful institutions, developing strategic agendas as sign posts, an intelligence system with short and long term parameters for performance, forms for a managed globalization and pragmatic policy on Europe Table 3. Differences between the knowledge and learning economy During the open session of ENGAGED about learning communities at the World Health & Design Forum in October 2014 the following output and insights were gained: A Learning approach differs from a good practice approach that is focused on the sharing and promotion of end results and knowledge that has been generated. It is often very hard to transfer the knowledge from a good practice or scientific research to a different context in society as well as to take up the good practice on a larger scale. A learning approach is much more focused on the circulation of knowledge and skills during the process of acting together to face the relevant challenges. A learning approach is about: • Asking questions and reflecting on a practical case • Xxxxxxx experiences, insights and ideas • Clarifying the approach of reasoning and acting • Continuing the exploration and deployment of new skills and working forms Asking questions is the key for learning: • Learning from and with each other • Bringing in a practical challenge to l...
