Search Results

Participation in lifelong learning is determined by the relationship between conditions and characteristics at three levels: the individual, learning providers and countries. One of the difficulties with understanding the individual characteristics of (potential) adult learners in relation to the levels of providers and provisions is the lack of detailed information about the specific types of education and training in the leading international surveys. This report, undertaken under the auspices of work package 2 of the ENLIVEN (Encouraging Lifelong Learning for an Inclusive and Vibrant Europe) project, focuses on learning providers and the provision available for adult learners, in particular those who are disadvantaged, in a country-level context.

Undertaking extra education and/or training might help people to climb the social and economic ladder, compensating for earlier incidences of drop-out, lack of qualifications or change in subject interests. However, evidence shows that participation in lifelong learning activities is dominated by highly educated adults and that those with lower educational attainment, the unemployed or those employed in elementary and semi-skilled blue colour jobs have significantly fewer chances to participate. Understanding what can be done to increase participation among the most disadvantaged in society is therefore one of the core aims of this report, paying specific attention to the role of education and training providers and provisions available to them.

This report is organised in three parts. Part 1 will start by outlining the benefits lifelong learning can generate and will discuss the determinants of lifelong learning (Chapter 1). Where possible, statements are backed up by recent available lifelong learning data. Having explored the general thinking behind why adults do or do not participate in lifelong learning activities, in Chapter 2, we will shift our attention to further exploring the role of learning provisions. The central focus of this chapter will be on a documentary review we have undertaken to develop a typology of adult learning provisions available for vulnerable adults, offering them education and training routes which are an alternative to going into higher general education. The seven types we will be discussing in Chapter 3 are (1) basic skills and basic education, (2) second chance and upper secondary education, (3) post-secondary VET, (4) apprenticeships, (5) training that forms part of Active Labour Market Policies, (6) workplace and job-related learning and (7) personal or social learning. In order to further understand the landscape of specific adult education and training providers across Europe, and Australia, Part 2 of this report will consist of separate country chapters, each of them highlighting how specific providers in a single country offer learning activities within each of these seven types. Part 3 will report on a comparative overview on the state-of-art of provision and providers in order to stimulate a learning process among countries.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

In this chapter, the authors explore the extent to which participants who engage in recognition of prior learning (RPL) undertake four levels of redefinition: (1) what learning is or can be; (2) what a learner is; (3) the learners' own learning experience; and (4) of themselves as a learner. The principles of symbolic interactionism, social identity and situated learning are summarised and applied to RPL, and the extent to which the proposed theories contribute to an understanding of the capacity of RPL to have a transformative effect on at least some of the participants in the process are explored.

The monograph from which this chapter is taken is indexed at TD/TNC 86.365; selected chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 86.366 to TD/TNC 86.373. Show less

This literature review focuses on summarising research findings in order to help inform the understanding of why students within the UK cross internal borders for the purpose of higher education study. This summary includes findings from studies carried out since the mid-1990s which used secondary data analysis, research surveys, and qualitative research to explore the characteristics, motivations and destinations of students who cross borders to study within the UK.

Excerpts from publication. Show less

This report describes the development and structure of Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) in Scotland. This research was commissioned by the Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department to inform the development of policy and practice for MAs. The research addressed the following questions: What are the factors that create barriers to completion? What benefits are lost to employees and employers from non-completion? How can the numbers of employees not completing a MA be minimised? What improvements could the Enterprise Network make to the quality of MA delivery, working with training providers? How can other stakeholders help improve completion rates, for example through more relevant MA frameworks (Sector Skills Councils) and more relevant qualifications (SQA). The research applies only to those aged 16-24 at the time of registering for the MA, and who were registered for a MA through a Local Enterprise Company. The research reveals that while the MA program has grown quickly in Scotland, a significant proportion (52%) of apprentices leave without completing their MA, and there are considerable variations between frameworks in terms of completion rates. Although the factors associated with non-completion and completion are complex, a supportive workplace context emerged as a key factor in completion from all of the interview datasets. The report sets out a number of recommendations for change in relation to the roles of employers and training providers, recruitment and induction, the nature and extent of training within MAs, improvements in frameworks, quality assurance and contract management, data collection and monitoring, and review of targets for the MA program. Show less