5.2.2.c Lifelong Learning Discussion

1. C.1 Educational Opportunities Types
1. 1.1. Locations

Education is a primary factor to attaining to a higher quality of life by residents. The city of Surprise provides communities with the tools needed to impart lifelong learning. This can be done through private and public education facilities, support of museums, historic landmarks, and static educational displays such as wildlife and botanical displays.

C.1 Educational Opportunities Types

The city of Surprise currently has two facilities for lifelong learning; the West Valley Art Museum, and the Heard Museum West. The city promotes these and any future facilities that will arrive through awareness, education, and working for future expansion of facilities, exhibits, and other opportunities.

The city supports future opportunities as they present themselves. Typical lifelong learning facilities include botanical gardens, zoos, and other static educational displays in public locations.

As society becomes more technologically dependant the city should research methods to provide instant information through kiosks, subscription services, and other technical options. An example of this is taking what normally is a plaque declaring historical information about the city, a hero, or plant and creating an interactive computer display that could provide more history, background, or answer frequent questions about the subject.

Educational opportunities should also provide residents with knowledge about events and how to become more involved with their neighborhood, the city, or other organizations. Currently Surprise provides the “Surprise University” that offers the residents an understanding of city government and operations as well as training to become effective community leaders.

Locations

Lifelong learning is something that occurs in all areas of the city. It can be something as formal such as a class setting to a plaque to identify the drought tolerant plants used at a building. As future public facilities are built or expanded, the city will research the placement of displays or special exhibits providing education wherever people are.

Other larger displays such as a botanical trail system or garden that provides information about the desert habitat can be planned in various areas that will accentuate potential village plans.