More Than 300 Learning Activities For All Ages At Month-long Lifelong Learning Festival

26/10/2017

More Than 300 Learning Activities For All Ages At Month-long Lifelong Learning Festival

A bigger and more exciting Lifelong Learning Festival 2017 (LLF 2017) awaits Singaporeans of all ages this year. Aimed at building a culture of lifelong learning in support of the SkillsFuture movement, members of the public can participate in more than 300 learning activities island-wide, conducted over a month from 28 Oct to 28 Nov. With 145 community partners participating in this year’s Festival, LLF 2017 aims to reach out to 30,000 visitors.

The LLF 2017 focuses on four key themes: Learning for the Digital Future, Learning as a Community, Tinkering with Crafts and Technology, and Empowering Yourself through Lifelong Learning. 

Each of the themes will be helmed by an anchor event co-organised with key partners –  i) Singapore Computer Society (SCS), ii) Yayasan Mendaki, iii) Science Centre Singapore, and iv) Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) respectively. There will also be a wide range of community-led activities for all ages, held at various locations across the island.
 
Mr Tan Kay Yong, Chairman of the Lifelong Learning Council (LLC) said, “The Lifelong Learning Festival aims to encourage everyone to embrace lifelong learning as a way of life. I am heartened to see that more community partners are stepping forward to work with the LLC to cultivate this positive mindset.” 

Learning for the Digital Future

LLF 2017 will kick off with the first anchor event – SCS 50 Drone Experience – on 28 October at the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability.  Co-organised by SkillsFuture Singapore, SCS, Info-communications Media Development Authority and Employment and Employability Institute, the event will be graced by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) as the Guest-of-Honour.  It also marks the end of a year-long celebration of SCS’ 50th Anniversary, commemorating 50 years of driving change and progress in Singapore’s Infocomm Technology sector. 

One of the highlights at this event is the Drone Try-Out Arenas where visitors can fly drones through obstacles, learn how to steer hovercraft drones on a racing track, and try out their skills in using micro drones to complete specific tasks. Visitors can also learn the basics of electronics and coding, and apply this knowledge to free themselves from an escape room.
 
Mr Howie Lau, President, SCS, said, “SCS is at the centre of rapid transformation as we navigate the vibrant infocomm and digital media industry. It is fitting that the SCS 50 Drone Experience is the anchor event for this year’s Lifelong Learning Festival. As we commemorate our 50th anniversary, we want to keep abreast of the latest happenings, and continue to learn, unlearn and relearn.” 

Learning as a Community 
The second anchor event, with the theme “Learning as a Community” will be held at Our Tampines Hub on 4 November, with Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs as the Guest-of-Honour. This event is co-organised by Yayasan Mendaki together with other Self-Help Groups (SHGs), such as Chinese Development Assistance Council, Singapore Indian Development Association, and Eurasian Association. This is also a pioneer effort which involves all the SHGs coming together to offer learning activities for the community.

One of the key highlights at this event is that visitors can try their hand at coding using simple tools such as Micro:bit and Arduino. They will also get to see and experience robotics in action through various games and exhibits. 

Tinkering with Crafts and Technology
The third anchor event, with the theme “Tinkering with Crafts and Technology” will be held at The Marquee @ Science Centre Singapore from 11 to 12 November. This event is co-organised by the Science Centre Singapore. 

Visitors at this event will be able to learn new and interesting skills as a family through activities such as “Glass Crafting”, “Leather Crafting” and “Yarn Bombing”. There is also a hat-making session by SkillsFuture Fellowship recipient, Ms Chee Sau Fen. 

Empowering Yourself through Lifelong Learning

The fourth anchor event, with the theme “Empowering Yourself through Lifelong Learning” will be held at the SUSS on 11 November.  Co-organised by SUSS, the event provides a wide range of workplace learning opportunities from SkillsFuture, our polytechnics and universities, and the National Silver Academy’s roadshow for active agers. Members of the public can also check out SkillsFuture Credit-eligible online courses offered by Harvard Business School.

One of the key highlights is the inaugural Lifelong Learning Conference held in conjunction with the World Speakers Series.  This provides a platform for the germination and propagation of ideas on lifelong learning among academics and practitioners. The conference will feature five speakers in the area of lifelong learning, including Professor Alan Tuckett OBE from the University of Wolverhampton and Dr Raúl Valdés-Cotera from the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning.

Other Island-wide Learning Activities
Beyond the four key events, the public can also participate in numerous community-led activities held at various locations across the island. 

Individuals who are looking to build their work and development skills can sign up for workshops such as “A.M.A.S.E – Getting serious about Success” to discover one’s ideal career choice to achieve success and happiness, and “Embracing Data Analytics with Workplace Learning Methods” to make better decisions using data analytics. Families with children can visit the “Learning Fest @ SAFRA Punggol” where parents and children can learn and bond together through hands-on activities such as Tinker for Young Designers.  There is also a Serious Games Conference where individuals can learn how to engage their target audience through serious games. 

LearnSG Seed Fund

This year’s Festival will be further boosted by the increased number of LearnSG Seed Fund recipients who will showcase their innovative ideas and projects. The $3 million LearnSG Seed Fund was established by the LLC, with the support of then Singapore Workforce Development Agency, to foster the spirit of lifelong learning within the community.  One such community-led learning project supported by the LearnSG Seed Fund is the Deaf Cafe, which encourages inclusivity by getting participants to communicate through writing with the deaf over a meal.

Annex A - SCS 50 Drone Experience for LLF 2017 

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