Ensuring learning continuity everywhere: Seamless learning in the Netherlands

Learning not only occurs in formal settings, such as schools, but in all environments in which people are intentionally and actively engaged. Framed by their direct experiences in and reflection on experiences in environments they are interacting with, learners create new mental models, learn new skills and explore their own personal talents, behaviour and emotions. They thus actively construct meaning, either individually or collaboratively. Currently, learning environments learners move through are still separated in many ways. Gaps can not only be found across learning environments, but also within learning environments. For example, in formal education we see gaps, as different topic domains are often learned separately and without learners knowing how acquired knowledge can be integrated, applied and become useful in the real world. To summarize, opportunities to facilitate continuity in learning (and support) processes and cross-boundary learning (Bronkhorst & Akkerman, 2016) are currently left unexploited. In this paper we describe how we, through ‘Seamless learning design’, in the Netherlands strive to bridge gaps and phase out boundaries between various daily learning environments a learner moves through, by facilitating the construction of connections between them through designed (pedagogical and mobile technological) affordances and (individual and collaborative) learning scenarios. By looking at Dutch seamless learning scenario’s in various educational sectors (from primary until higher education) we identify rationale(s), key components, processes and mechanisms of the Seamless learning design paradigm. Furthermore, we reflect upon the current state of adoption and implementation and outline strategies to enhance further and future uptake in the Netherlands.