Creating conditions for learning in Asia and the Pacific

There is general agreement that learning is the key ingredient for creating both productive and socially just societies. Learning can take place anywhere, anytime. Yet schools have a special role in supporting young people to become active learners who can better understand the world in which they live, develop strategies for improving it and make a difference in their lives and those of people around them. Yet there is no single prescription for ensuring learning is successful and accessible to all. Western learning theories have often been developed as though culture and context do not matter–what works in one place will work everywhere. Yet we have seen research from Asia that suggests learning takes place in unique ways depending on the learners, their teachers, the contexts in which they learn and the values they bring to the learning task. This presentation will argue that the way ahead is to focus on the influence different contexts have on learning and to understand how these contexts can be shaped to support the development of active learners. The agenda is global–enhancing learning. The action is local–understanding local contexts. Research will play an important as we seek to understand learning and the contexts that create it.