Lifelong learning - identity, education and the future

The words we use to describe ourselves or others are significant in terms of identity "The identity register with the most evident impact on learning is the linguistic" (Bracher, 2006, p. 17). As I consider lifelong learning and how it relates to my sense of identity, I can't stop thinking about formal institutions and the context that it fosters in my identity development. (I am a student) I started valuing education in university. In my high school years I always knew I wanted to go to university but wasn't sure exactly what I would study. But one thing was clear, and that was 'I wanted a degree!' Obtaining a degree was part of my status identity. I felt I needed it to feel accomplished. Achieving higher education reinforces how I feel about myself, and how I want to appear in the world. Adult education has a clear connection with obtaining better employment, and I want a career! (I am a hard worker)
What can formal institutions do to our identities? Well for one thing grades create labels, which thus reflect students' identities. I can touch on this notion by using an example that I talked about in class a few weeks ago during a small group discussion. Discussion arose about schooling, what is being taught, and what learning is actually taking place. I mentioned a recent conversation I had with my 16 year old niece concerning her efforts in obtaining her first part time job. (I am an aunt) She expressed her frustration as she had put out numerous resumes to fast food and retail shops to gain after-school employment. I explained to her that sometimes it takes a little while to hear back from companies, and I was giving her pointers on things to say during an interview. For instance, I mentioned that she can say she's a fast learner. My niece replied by stating that she is not a fast learner as she struggles with school. I explained to her that she is a very quick learner for practical things that are applicable to the real world. I gave the example of her blackberry, and how she knew how to do everything on it within a few hours, and how I'm working on my third degree and don't know how to use her phone or do other things on computers that she can! (I am not good at technology) I explained to her that although I went to university to become an elementary teacher, doesn't mean I believe in everything that the system "claims" is education. (I am a teacher) Reiterating facts to pass a test that you will only forget in 2 weeks is not real learning to me. Real learning is about skills, experiences, and having a role in negotiating meaning - the things that stay with you. If I have an excellent memory and pass an exam, but then you ask me the same questions a month later and I don't have a clue, was that real learning? This conversation helped her confidence, whereas the public education system has done just the opposite and made her feel less smarter than others due to the identity that is associated with certain letter grades (C's or B's).
Is the Education vehicle changing its identity? I saw a segment on TV the other day about the end of the era for the written encyclopedia 'Britannica'. With online versions such as wikipedia, people are meeting their encyclopedia needs through this channel. What does this say about our value for printed text? What does this mean for the identity of such objects?? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that internet-based knowledge is not a positive gain. It just seems that people think having immediate access to knowledge right at the click of a button is becoming a mainstream identity marker. What happened to the novelty of searching for information via written text? People in society are in a rush for information. We are disassociating with human contact by avoiding social situations to interact with one another. We have replaced this with social media networks such as facebook and twitter in which notifications from these online gatherings are instantly accessible through cell phones. Although Britannica's knowledge production has been shifted from print to computerized text, some education is proving to be a positive extension from online access. For example, students are making progress in Mathematics through free online teaching sites such as Khan Academy http://www.khanacademy.org/. This website was created by Salman Khan, and is a non-profit company with over 3000 video tutorials. Khan first started making these online math sessions to help his 7th grade cousin with her Math. It has grown internationally and Bill Gates has remarked on how successful the teaching methods are as he uses Kahn's videos for his own children. Khan Academy wants to transform how classroom teaching tackles Mathematics. I believe this an excellent tool to assist students with concepts they may not be grasping from teachers or text books. But is this pushing us a step closer to the end of classroom teaching? In the future, will our schools meet the same fate as the Britannica encyclopedia? 

References:

Bracher, M. (2006). Radical pedagogy: Identity, generativity, and social transformation. New York:
      Palgrave Macmillan.