Norman Longworth
Norman Longworth (born 1936) is a British educational theorist who was a professor of lifelong learning at several universities. He is probably best known for the creation of the 'learning Ladder' a diagram describing the stages in human learning, and for his international reputation in the field of Lifelong Learning and, in particular, the development of Learning cities. In his writings 'Cities, Towns and Regions are where the development of human and social potential takes first priority' (Peter Finnegan, Foreword to Learning Cities, Learning Regions, Learning Communities – Lifelong Learning and Local Government Taylor and Francis, 2006). In the same book Longworth says ' A learning City, Town or Region goes beyond its statutory duty to provide education and training for those who require it, and instead creates a vibrant, participative, culturally aware and economically buoyant human environment through the provision, justification and active promotion of learning opportunities to enhance the potential of all its citizens (ibid Chapter 2 Page 23) Norman Longworth was born in a working class district of Bolton, Lancashire in March 1936. He was educated at the Bolton School but did not immediately go to university, largely because of family poverty. After a period of national