Whether it’s healthcare professionals picking up local dialects to better care for their patients or corporate trainers mastering new techniques to effectively share operational knowledge with new hires, adult learning has always been a key driver of productivity and innovation in Singapore.

The Institute for Adult Learning (IAL) was established in 2008 to raise standards and promote research and innovation in Singapore’s adult education sector. In 2019, IAL was restructured as an autonomous institute under the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

Over the past five years, IAL has filled over 65,000 training places to equip individuals for various roles in adult education, including classroom delivery, curriculum design and workplace facilitation. In 2023, it set a record by filling 18,000 training places, up from 11,000 the previous year.

IAL’s curriculum now includes programmes ranging from foundational to advanced levels, such as Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) advanced certificates, diplomas, postgraduate courses and continuing professional development (CPD) programmes.

Speaking at IAL’s fifth anniversary celebrations on Aug 1 at the Lifelong Learning Institute, Mr Tan Kok Yam, chief executive of SkillsFuture Singapore and chairman of the IAL Council, said that adult educators are the last mile for workers on their reskilling or upskilling journey.

“The adult learning experience is defined by a learner’s engagement with educators and his engagement with the materials they design,” he said. “By delivering lifelong learning, adult educators equip individuals with the skills for their current jobs and the confidence to pursue future goals.”

INNOVATING FOR GREATER EXCELLENCE

In keeping with its ethos of lifelong learning, IAL continuously refreshes its curriculum to align with the latest research and innovations. For example, its signature WSQ Advanced Certificate in Learning and Performance has been revamped to be more succinct and focused, with a greater emphasis on innovative teaching techniques and effective learning beyond the classroom.

In addition, to address challenges such as technological advancements, economic shifts and the diverse needs of adult learners, IAL has invested in research and partnerships with like-minded organisations.

The institute collaborates with industries and unions to train trainers in specific domains and has partnered with SUSS to establish two joint programmes – the Master in Boundary-Crossing Learning and Leadership, and the Graduate Certificate in Workplace Learning.

To effectively equip adult educators, research is necessary to uncover the complexities of adult learning and understand their impact on learning outcomes. Through experimentation, innovation and the practical application of new learning theories, IAL aims to explore how different pedagogies, personal motivations, job design and technology can either enhance or hinder the learning experience.

One example is IAL’s 2022 study on productive failure, originating from Professor Manu Kapur, in adult learning. The productive failure theory suggests that failure can be a powerful catalyst for innovation and growth.

The study revealed that productive failure has benefits across various educational contexts. In coaching and leadership training, adult learners – who tend to be more risk-averse – were encouraged by educators to step out of their comfort zones, test strategies and learn from setbacks. This approach led to a more comprehensive development of skills.

In technical training areas such as emergency management and first aid, learners challenged to apply their knowledge in unguided scenarios demonstrated a better grasp of principles and techniques through subsequent knowledge consolidation.

The study also found that experiencing productive failure increased learners’ engagement in problem-solving, self-motivation and the development of essential soft skills such as communication, resilience and critical thinking.

COLLABORATING TO BUILD THE FUTURE OF ADULT LEARNING

The Adult Learning Collaboratory (ALC), a 3,500 sq ft area within the Lifelong Learning Institute, was inaugurated alongside IAL’s fifth anniversary as an autonomous institute of SUSS.

A joint venture between IAL and SkillsFuture Singapore, ALC serves as a sandbox for the adult education ecosystem, including enterprises, institutes of higher learning, training providers, technologists and adult educators. Here, they can test, experiment and iterate on solutions to address challenges faced by adult learners. More than 20 collaborators have joined ALC, including Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore Academy of Law and Fei Siong Group.

ALC is currently exploring three working tracks for learners, organisations and industries. The first track – future-oriented pedagogies – takes reference from the concept of hyper-personalisation enabled by advanced Industry 4.0 technologies. “If you can manufacture an insole to fit the exact curve of a person’s sole, for example, imagine applying a similar approach to adult learning,” explained Mr Tan. “Instead of fitting a diverse group of adults, each with different experiences, knowledge levels and learning motivations, into a single class, what if we can – in the words of Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing – manufacture a ‘pedagogy of one’ for each individual?”

The second track focuses on how AI can enhance learning and elevate standards. Giving the example of a match-up between top Go player Lee Sedol and AlphaGo, a computer Go programme by AI research lab DeepMind, Mr Tan highlighted an interesting outcome: By making game moves that no human would have done, AlphaGo challenged Lee to respond by playing at an even higher level.

“Together, they advanced the human understanding of a centuries-old game,” he noted. “Preparing for an AI-rich workplace is not about writing better prompts to get better results from ChatGPT or Gemini; it’s about training and practising to communicate more clearly and precisely, whether with a chatbot or with your co-workers.”

The third and final track is about new-age business transformation. Mr Tan explained that business transformation leads to job redesign, which requires worker upskilling. He referred to a study by IAL and several universities, called Digital Futures of Work, which found that workers who have more autonomy in their jobs are more likely to embrace digital tools – and thus engage in bottom-up, democratised innovation in the workplace.

He added that new-age business transformation also creates opportunities for IAL to collaborate with SkillsFuture Singapore’s sister agency Workforce Singapore and other partners on job redesign and workplace innovation.

“Beyond these working tracks and individual projects, the most critical role of ALC is to foster cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration among companies, institutions, researchers and government agencies,” said Mr Tan. He stressed that such partnerships are vital in today’s fast-changing labour market, where the average worker stays in a job for only five years.

To prepare workers and enterprises for Industry 4.0 and the disruption of emerging technologies, the adult learning movement requires more than financial support. It demands that individuals seize upskilling opportunities; training institutions and providers deliver tailored and relevant training; and companies be fully committed to developing their workforce.