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Continuing education in Bangladesh is a mass education program. Its primary aim is to develop participants’ skills to help them increase their income. The program targets neo-literate people; those who became literate by completing a basic literacy course. It is a lifelong process involving several components. Participants start by consolidating their literacy skills and social awareness. This is followed by skills training and backed up by support to apply training to real life. The program involved the help of non-governmental organisations in establishing over 7000 community centres to combine basic and non-formal education to facilitate the engagement of adults in income-generating projects and community building. This article describes the continuing education delivery method used in Bangladesh from the author’s experience of the implementation of the program. The outline of the concept and methodology of the program provide useful information for mass educators in other countries. Show less

The series looks critically at how emerging and published research can inform the development of teaching and learning strategies for adults. It is designed to support practitioners working in a variety of settings. Each guide in the series aims to update teachers on research and to encourage them to reflect on their practice. They are intended to inspire teachers to try ideas and approaches which research suggests are effective. Principles of good practice are illustrated by clear and relevant case studies from current research.

This guide shows how digital technologies can be used to enhance teaching and learning in Skills for Life provision. It provides readers with practical tips and ideas for using ICT in their teaching. These ideas can be transferred within different curriculum areas and teaching contexts. Chapters include: M-learning; Mind mapping; Using Tablet PCs; Using online games in family learning; Web Quests; Using social networking; and Voting technology.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This article reflects on young people and adult education from two perspectives: that of a human right and that of human development. The first perspective suggests that access to education is a basic human right. The author discusses this in the context of Brazil, where, it is suggested, the political process has impeded the concrete expression of this right. The article details the international position on this aspect of human rights, with adult education being affirmed by the international community as a fundamental human right. It points out that while the educational rights of young people and adults are assured by law in Latin American countries, people are still being excluded because of gender, race, poverty, special needs and rural or remote location. From the perspective of human development, in Latin America development is considered to be economic growth, anchored in technological development. This does not produce change in social or educational inequality. The author suggests new model for development, one that includes not only economic growth but also takes into account human development, in which equality and access to education play a key role. Show less

This guide will inspire and enthuse people who are committed to consulting adults and communities about learning provision in their area. The text states the importance of consultation with all adults and highlights issues and challenges of working with particular groups such as young adults, members of minority ethnic communities and people with learning difficulties. Policy blends with theory to give the reader a broad context for consultation and provide examples of good practice. The guide is easily accessible with a list of ‘talking points’ at the end of each section highlighting issues and challenges for consideration. Activities and exercises can be lifted for your use and there are a number of contact details of useful organisations and projects.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright holder. Show less

This collection of essays examines some of the issues arising from the NIACE Adult Learners’ Survey 2002. Drawing on the responses of 5000 adults aged 17 and over, the survey identifies key indicators of participation in learning in the UK. The survey data is reported in ‘Adult learning and social division: a persistent pattern: volume 1’ (indexed at TD/TNC 74.137). The essays are: Research agendas: present and future / Naomi Sargant; Participating in adult learning: comparing the sources and applying the results / Steve Leman; The benefits of learning / Tom Schuller; Social capital and lifelong learning: survey findings on the relationship between sociability and participation / John Field; Lifelong learning trajectories in Wales: results of the NIACE Adult Learners’ Survey 2002 / Stephen Gorard; Changing and persisting patterns: the public and lifelong learning in Scotland / Maria Slowey; Learning in adult life in Northern Ireland: the turning of the tide? / John Field; Match or mismatch: do the findings reflect the qualitative evidence? / Veronica McGivney. Show less

The ‘NIACE lifelines in adult learning’ series, funded by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and managed in partnership by NIACE and the Basic Skills Agency, aims to develop widening participation in adult learning. It provides background information and examples of best practice for practitioners involved in adult and community learning. Social exclusion and poverty are major problems in Britain. This guide focuses on community education and neighbourhood renewal. It explains the current government strategies for neighbourhood renewal, the impact they will have on community education, and what community education has to offer learners in deprived communities and neighbourhoods. It also includes a glossary and useful contacts and networks. Show less

This research examines local accountability through an in-depth case study with Kirklees Council's Adult Learning team and a sample of the local neighbourhood learning providers who are involved in community-based adult learning. The providers shared experiences of working with the council and of working together to ensure local accountability for learning and skills.

Excerpt from publication. Show less

The purpose of this report is to present to the Skills Funding Agency a snapshot picture of how providers are making use of the facility to offer the recognition of prior learning (RPL) within the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). The NIACE research team identified four key issues for providers and awarding organisations (AOs) in making an effective RPL offer: (1) a confusion about terminology related to RPL; (2) lack of awareness of funding rules related to RPL; (3) the costs of supporting RPL; and (4) guidance and support for the RPL process. Some positive messages about RPL within the QCF were that: there is a high degree of commitment from providers to making an RPL offer to learners, and a clear understanding of the benefits that such an offer has for many different kinds of learner; it seems that the initial intention of creating a regulatory obligation on awarding organisations (AOs) and centres to make an RPL offer is beginning to bear fruit in practice; a number of providers are making an RPL offer because they believe that Agency funding rules require them to do so; some AOs are making a concerted effort to promote RPL through their centres; where the funding rule is understood, RPL is seen as valuable by providers in establishing a fair and equitable offer for learners; and other providers noted the potential of RPL to meet employer needs and to respond quickly to changing skill needs in the workforce.

The conclusion is that, despite the problems identified through the report about the operation of Skills Funding Agency funding to support RPL, and the indication that it remains an under-utilised part of the QCF, relevant to a minority of learners, there is clearly sufficient commitment and enthusiasm from some providers about the RPL concept to justify continuing support from the Skills Funding Agency for providers to make an RPL offer. Indeed, if funding arrangements can be clarified, and a clear definition of RPL can take root in both providers and AOs, there is every opportunity to expand the RPL offer in the future. The report sets out clearly some of the barriers to that happening as well as providing some simple steps which the Skills Funding Agency might make to help spread the practice more widely.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

This issue includes the following articles: 'We need an all-age learning contract' by Tom Schuller (p. 7), the Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning is proposing a new model of the education lifecourse - it should help us get to grips with how investment in learning at each life stage helps those in other stages; 'Raising our sights' by Chris Humphries (p. 8-11), making serious headway on the skills and jobs agenda during the current recession will be exceedingly difficult. But unless we take immediate and concerted action we will fall further behind our international competitors; 'Changing the way we work' by Alan Felstead, Alison Fuller, Nick Jewson and Lorna Unwin (p. 12-15), learning should not be seen as something separate from work. By re-organising working practice to recognise that all work involves and generates learning we not only improve opportunities to learn, we prepare the ground for economic recovery; 'Investment in skills must be for the long term' by John Field (p. 16-17), in the recession of the 1980s, government schemes to improve people's skills often provoked hostility and resentment among those who took part in them. This time around can we avoid creating a generation of people condemned to a life of poverty and depression?; 'Power in a union' by Pam Johnson (p. 18-21), the work unions do in providing and supporting learning for their members rarely makes the news headlines, but it will be essential if we are to engage those workers who most need to acquire new and better skills to cope in the economic downturn; 'How should we fund adult learning?' by Stephen McNair (p. 22-24), a funding system that trusted individuals and employers to make decisions about their own learning needs would not only be fairer - it would ensure we get better value for the money we spend on learning; 'Taking learning to the community' by Paul Stanistreet (p. 25-27), these are tough times for adult and community learning, with many providers struggling to sustain a broad curriculum offer that includes a wide-ranging adult learning programme. South Devon College was determined to keep its flourishing adult offer alive but realised that, with funding increasingly scarce, it had to find innovative ways of ensuring that the wider benefits of learning are available for all; 'More than bricks and mortar' by Paul Stanistreet (p. 28-31), the 1875 Group was formed by volunteers in 2007 to restore and reinterpret a back-to-back house at Bradford Industrial Museum. The project has provided the museum with a wealth of new research material, objects for display and written and audio information for visitors, as well as inspiring a passionate interest among the volunteers. The author found out what motivates a remarkable group of learners; 'In their shoes' by Jane Mace (p. 32-34), at the end of March adult educator Jane Mace travelled to Palestine to take part in a church programme to monitor human rights abuses and support peace efforts in the region. Nearing the end of her three-month stay, she reflects on the role adult learning can play in increasing understanding and promoting justice; and 'Learning from the future' by Kate Watters (p. 35-37), even before the revelations about [Members' of Parliament] MPs' expenses there was widespread concern about a democratic deficit. Whatever the future holds for our society, adult education will have a key role in sustaining both self and citizenship. Show less

This issue includes the following articles: 'Learning - it's a family affair' by Carol Taylor (p. 7), NIACE is beginning to think about what a new model for family learning in the coming decades might look like - whatever the social policy challenges faced, it is vital that a core of values and well-understood impact of family learning is built; 'Imagining a different life' by Mary Stuart (p. 8-11), Britain is a less equal society now than it was in the 1960s - it is too early to assess the impact of current initiatives to improve social mobility by widening participation in education, but their long-term success depends on our changing the way we think about issues; 'Learning to fail' by Fran Abrams (p. 12-14), young people from working-class backgrounds are being let down at every stage of their lives, but mentoring - good support and guidance from an adult who does not judge them - can be the key to turning things around for them; 'The education gap is widening' by Sally Hunt (p. 15), despite well-funded attempts to widen university participation, where you live is still a major determinant of educational success, with constituencies with the lowest levels of participation doing progressively worse [the report 'Location, location, location' is indexed at TD/TNC 98.761]; 'Learning for life and work' by Richard Blakeley (p. 16-18), the publication of 'Learning through life' [indexed at TD/TNC 97.852], the main report of the Inquiry into the Future Lifelong Learning, poses a number of key policy challenges for the development of union learning and the forthcoming White Paper on skills should take note; 'Learning to cope with an ageing society' by Stephen McNair (p. 19), adult education has much to contribute to policy debate on the ageing of society but making the most of adult learning's potential contribution requires both joined-up government and real engagement at a local level; 'Mind to mind, heart to heart' by Paul Stanistreet (p. 20-25), over the past two decades there has been a huge growth of interest in the art of storytelling, with people in all sorts of different settings recognising its values as a tool for teaching and communication - the author travelled to Scotland, with its centuries-old tradition of oral storytelling, to find out why; 'Storytelling, it's the oldest art form' by Derek Reid (p. 24-25), storytelling has taken off over the past decade and nowhere more so than in adult education; 'Reading for life' by Miranda McKearney (p. 26-28), a focus on reader development is changing the way public libraries work, and transforming people's lives in the process - the Reading Agency has led many of these changes but they are only the start - with better, sustained funding, there is so much more that libraries could do; 'They just don't get it' by Nicola Aylward (p. 29), young adult carers experience significant disadvantage as a result of their caring responsibilities (not least in education) - while there is some creative and flexible provision out there, too often providers fail to take account of the specific needs and responsibilities of young carers [the report 'Including carers' is indexed at TD/TNC 98.760]; and 'It's about putting service-users first' by Tony McAleavy (p. 30-31), as the Government finalises plans for its universal Adult Advancement and Careers Service, the author considers what can be learned from services currently offering holistic support to disadvantaged groups. Show less