Doha, December 31 (QNA) -World Innovation Summit for Education - WISE, one of the Qatar Foundation for Education and Science and Community Development initiatives, has launched a new initiative to develop teaching methods and enhance research cooperation in teaching models based on written examinations around the world.

The initiative, which came under title "Learning Ecosystems Living Lab (LELL)" was launched via Visual Communication Technology. It aims at community building based on practical guidelines and the creation of educational ecosystems department, as it regularly brings together experts, policy makers and innovators to create a global community of thought leaders and specialists in learning ecosystems around the world.

Learning ecosystems are diverse groups of service providers / schools, companies and community organizations, as well as government agencies that offer new opportunities for learning and work to forge several pathways to success.

During the virtual panel organized by WISE entitled "Designing Vibrant and Purposeful Learning Communities", the experts discussed the challenges in creating learning ecosystems and discuss their development using examples from various regional contexts.

The panel also reviewed the different ways in which alliances can be formed to promote the development of learning and education in different parts of the world, to reduce the burden on institutions of formal education and better prepare for the multidimensional needs of learning in the rapidly changing world.

Minister of Education in Medelln, Colombia Alexandra Agudelo, gave a keynote address at the panel highlighting how her city used formal and non-formal education systems to become a "learning city."

"We want to create an ecosystem where the learning of people is embedded in the city, and everyone can have access to education, with inclusion throughout their life from early childhood onwards," said Agudelo, adding that the collaborative platforms like WISEs LELL initiative can play an instrumental role in filling the gaps in education systems.

"Through partnerships with different organizations, we can reimagine education and have more sustainable goals beyond 2030 or 2050. Educational development might be slow, but we need to keep going and support each other, especially in these kinds of difficult times brought on by COVID-19." she added.

In turn, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning David Atchoarena, said that these ecosystems do not need to be limited to just enhancing learning, but should also aim to serve other purposes like employment, welfare, social cohesion, and public health.

"We need a more holistic vision for education. Of course, the school system is key, but its not enough. If you want to promote lifelong learning, you cant just invest in schools. We need to move beyond the education system and go into private sectors such as digital learning and workplace learning." said Atchoarena.

For her part, Chief Research Officer and Chief Skills Office at SkillsFuture Singapore Agency Soon Joo Gog, highlighted Singapore as an example where Learning Ecosystems are being used to research how skills are changing with transformation of global and regional economies, and how new jobs and educational opportunities can cater for these new skills.

"A Learning Ecosystem is about key stakeholders coming together about why learning is important from a social and economic perspective, and how we can design an alignment to make the supply and demand of learning have a socio-economic outcome for citizens. It involves closing the skills gap and anticipating what type of learning is needed in what spaces," she explained.(QNA)