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The purpose of this policy discussion paper is to identify barriers to equal access to learning opportunities for older people aged 50 years and over in the United Kingdom. The paper includes a background description of demographic factors, outlines National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) survey research into older learners' participation in formal and informal learning, and discusses why the barriers to older people's access to learning should be urgently addressed. A range of examples of good practice and settings and sectors of education provision, including local authorities, further education, higher education and the voluntary sector, are described. Distance learning is ideal for older people and making provision for learning through information technology and broadcast media is discussed. A series of new government initiatives, including the Better Government for Older People program, are outlined. A number of major issues which influence the access to and participation in learning programs of older people, including discrimination, disability, curriculum relevance, the learning environment, and funding of learning, are discussed and recommendations are made as to how these factors might be changed for the better. Show less

This article examines the obstacles facing older employees working in the metal industry in Brazil, and is the result of a study on the image of elderly workers in the metal industry. The article gives background information on the Brazilian economy, the general situation of elderly workers and the roles that such workers are likely to fill within the metal industry. The second part of the article focuses on the design and characteristics of a computer course that was developed specifically for elderly workers in the metal industry, and the positive outcomes of a pilot exercise that was undertaken using the designed course. Show less

This report presents the findings of the 2001 National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) survey on adult participation in learning. It shows, that for the first time in 20 years, there has been a marked increase in participation. The survey provides information on participation, trends in participation and future intentions to learn by gender, social class, age, employment and region as well as access to the Internet. Show less

This issue includes the following articles: 'It's about employment and social cohesion' the Government's rhetorical shift away from a utilitarian vision of skills is an invitation to think again about the role of literacy, language and numeracy in developing social inclusion as well as employability, writes Carol Taylor (p.7); 'The very big numbers game' the Government has been making encouraging noises about funding for adult learning and skills, but the numbers tell a different story, says Alastair Thomson (pp.8-9); 'Second-chance learners lose out once again' under Government funding plans students embarking on a second degree will face almost certainly prohibitive fees - whatever happened to the Government's commitment to widening participation and lifelong learning, asks Sally Hunt (pp.10-11); 'Forward into the past' there is a role for the past in the future of adult and community learning services, writes Sarah Housden (pp.12-13); 'We're giving businesses a choice' as it enters its second year, Train to Gain, the Government's flagship training programme, is succeeding in meeting the needs of businesses across the country, says LSC Skills Director David Way (pp.18-19); 'My stammer doesn't have to stop me' for the first time ever, an adult education college has been awarded the prestigious Queen's Anniversary prize - Rachel Everard explains why City Lit's work with adults who stammer has won recognition and why the adult education setting is ideally suited for the work (pp.20-22); 'Gateway to improvement' quality is not being improved throughout the adult learning sector in the way it needs to be - that's why the Quality Improvement Agency has decided to make its thousands of case studies and good practice guides accessible in one online service, writes Andrew Thomson (p.23); 'Storybook soldiers' Paul Stanistreet reports on a project that uses storytelling to maintain and stengthen links between British soldiers away on operations and their families (pp.24-26); 'Building family capital' Penny Lamb opens up the debate over could the concept of family capital offer a way of expressing outcomes of family learning not captured by qualifications? (p.27); 'The independent learner' realising the potential for learning of information and communication technology depends on individuals becoming independent learners, argues Alan Clarke (pp.28-29); and 'There's some good news...' adult learning and skills provision is showing signs of continuing improvement according to Ofsted's Annual Report for 2006-7 - but there is still some way to go, writes Kate Watters (pp.30-31). Show less

The need to look into the management of behaviour within skills provision for unemployed adults was highlighted by a finding within the NIACE survey of providers delivering skills provision for unemployed adults (NIACE, 2011), which revealed that eight in 10 of the providers surveyed found it challenging to support learners exhibiting challenging behaviour. In response to this finding, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) commissioned NIACE to undertake research into the support and management of learners exhibiting challenging behaviour within skills provision for adults. This guide is the result of this research undertaken by NIACE between October 2011 and February 2012. The guide begins by describing the range of people participating in skills provision for unemployed adults and their skills needs. It then describes the nature of challenging behaviour exhibited by unemployed adults and reveals some of the underlying causes of this behaviour. The guide then describes approaches that can be taken prior to delivery to lower the risk of challenging behaviour. This is followed by a section on managing challenging behaviour during delivery. The guide finishes with a consideration of the potential of motivational approaches to avert challenging behaviour.

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[This] report presents barriers and successful strategies identified from the evidence review, questionnaire data, case studies and data gathered from the consultation events. These are illustrated with case studies. The evidence review, questionnaire data and a detailed description of the methods are to be found in the Appendices. Awareness of many of the barriers to entering training and employment that women encounter, and of the strategies to address them set out in this report, has developed over many years. In more recent times, participation has widened further to include more women facing multiple challenges in their lives, but the barriers they face and successful strategies to address them are not as well documented. This report identifies effective strategies for supporting these women to access and succeed in learning.

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This article begins by looking at the adult education situation in Finland. Adult education is available for both mature students and young people at over a thousand institutions, including universities, polytechnics, public and private vocational institutions, adult education centres and summer universities, adult upper secondary schools, study centres, sports institutes, music institutes and residential folk high schools. As well, a significant part of adult education takes place outside institutions, being provided by employers as work based learning or in service training, including labour market training. The adult education sector is comprised of general adult education (formal adult education) and liberal adult education (non formal adult education). The author concludes that the challenge ahead for adult educators in Finland is to make sure that the existing high levels of quality and quantity are maintained over the short and long term future. Show less

Higher education will clearly be a major contributor to the development of a skilled Australian workforce but must address the rights of all citizens to share in its benefits. This review was established to address the question of whether this critical sector of education is structured, organised and financed to position Australia to compete effectively in the new globalised economy. The panel has concluded that, while the system has great strengths, it faces significant, emerging threats which require decisive action. To address these, major reforms are recommended to the financing and regulatory frameworks for higher education. Key reforms are to increase the number of university graduates by more than one-third and to determine university funding according to student demand using a voucher system. Recommendations affecting the vocational education and training (VET) sector include that: (1) VET and higher education providers should continue to enhance pathways for students through the development and implementation of common terminology and graded assessment in the upper levels of VET; (2) the Australian government negotiate with the states and territories to expand the national regulatory and quality assurance agency to cover the entire tertiary sector (including VET and higher education) and that the government assume full responsibility for the regulation of tertiary education and training in Australia by 2010; (3) the Australian government negotiate with the states and territories to introduce a tertiary entitlement funding model across higher education and VET commencing with the upper levels of VET (diplomas and advanced diplomas) and progressing to the other levels as soon as practicable; (4) the government negotiate with the states and territories to extend income contingent loans to students enrolled in VET diplomas and advanced diplomas; and (5) the Australian government and the governments of the states and territories agree to: establish a single ministerial council with responsibility for all tertiary education and training; improve the scope and coordination of labour market intelligence so that it covers the whole tertiary sector and supports a more responsive and dynamic role for both VET and higher education; and expand the purpose and role of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) so that it covers the whole tertiary sector. Show less

Providers of adult and community learning (ACL) range from large multi-purpose agencies to small community organisations, all striving to provide a high-quality service. Quality improvement systems appropriate for some providers are not, however, fit for all. Recent approaches to self-assessment and development planning have placed the responsibility on ACL providers themselves to devise systems suitable for their own organisations. This booklet gives smaller ACL providers and their partners a practical insight into how to adapt current approaches to quality improvement for their own institutions. The first sections set out how they can: plan the process; collect, collate and analyse data; make value judgements and act upon them; and organise processes for continual monitoring and review. The section ‘Local education authorities [LEAs] contracting with smaller providers’ outlines how LEAs can work with their ACL partners on self-assessment.

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This lifeline focuses on the issues affecting support for people with dyslexia engaged in workplace learning, such as confidentiality and flexibility, as well as suggesting support strategies, resources and assessment tools that may be of use to learners with dyslexia. It is particularly useful for workplace learning practitioners with little experience of dyslexia, or for dyslexia specialists with little experience of workplace learning.

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