This publication contains materials from a workshop organized to help its participants understand and apply the concept of learning centers. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 consists of two presentations: "Literacy and Continuing Education for Improvement of Quality of Life in Asia and the Pacific" and an explanation of the World Terakoya Movement. Chapter 3 presents conclusions from four groups representing 11 countries that shared experiences with emphasis on roles of government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in learning centers and learning centers in their respective countries. Chapter 4 summarizes a session to identify roles and functions of learning centers. Chapter 5 contains reports from field visits to learning centers. Chapter 6 provides a presentation on setting up and running an effective learning centers under different socio-economic contexts and provides details of learning center programs developed by four workshop groups. Chapter 7 contains reports of the groups in which they formulate strategies to initiate and strengthen a learning center. Chapter 8 contains the physical setting for the different learning centers developed by the groups. Chapter 9 lists titles of follow-up plans for 13 countries. Chapter 10 presents results of participant evaluations of the workshop. Appendixes include keynote and welcoming addresses, participant list, and field trip groups. (YLB)