This is the ARCHIVE SITElive site is here: |
||||||||||||||||||||
  |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
 |
| Path: Home > Information Services > Briefing Sheets > Who Learns? |
Who learns - key facts
Whilst the United Kingdom may aspire to transform itself into a learning society in which all participate, the experience on the ground is that the learning divide is as marked today as it ever has been. Age, class, previous educational experience and where you live all affect access to learning, and the confidence to join in.
The learning divide: a study of particpation in adult learning in the United Kingdom, NIACE, 1997
Sources of information
This sheet provides a summary of key facts on adult learning from three recent surveys which varied in relation to definitions of learning, age groups consulted, countries included and methodology used.
 | The learning divide: a study of participation in adult learning in the United Kingdom, 1997 |
This NIACE survey identified in omnibus market research interviews what people remembered about their learning and how far they saw themselves as learners.
| National Adult Learning Survey (NALS) 1997, DfEE, 1998 |
The NALS survey resulted in a higher proportion of people recognising themselves as learners as it was home based and consisted of more extensive questions which highlighted their learning activities.
These surveys currently show a 30% difference in participation figures reflecting the difference, we believe, between an exhaustive exploration of all the education and training undertaken and those learning events which give learners the confidence to see themselves as learners.
| Attitudes to learning ’98: MORI state of the nation survey: summary report, Campaign for Learning, 1998 |
This home based survey aimed to measure changing attitudes since an earlier survey in 1996.
The following table highlights other key differences in the three surveys.
| The Learning Divide: a study of participation in adult learning in the United Kingdom | National Adult Learning Survey 1997 | Attitudes to Learning ’98: MORI state of the Nation survey | |
| Date carried out | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 |
| Age group covered | 16+ | 16-69 | 16+ |
| Survey type | Gallup Omnibus survey (Northern Ireland booster survey by Ulster Marketing Surveys) | Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR) survey | MORI State of the Nation survey |
| Geographical area covered | England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland | England, Wales | England, Wales, Scotland |
| Methodology | Face to face interviews with 4,755 adults. Stratified by region and town size. 528 additional adults in Northern Ireland. Tables weighted by sex and class within region. | Computer assisted interviews with 5,653 adults (taken from 7,144 postal addresses). Data has been weighted to take account of different household selection possibilities, different selection probabilities of individuals within differently sized households, and for non response. | Face to face interviews with 1043 adults. Stratified by district and social class. Tables weighted by sex, age and work status. |
| Definitions of learning | ‘Learning can mean practising, studying, or reading about something. It can also mean being taught, instructed or coached. This is so you can develop skills, knowledge, abilities or understanding of something. Learning can also be called education or training. You can do it regularly (each day or month) or you can do it for a short period of time. It can be full or par time, done at home, at work, or in another place like college. Learning does not have to lead to a qualification. We are interested in any learning you have done, whether or not it was finished’ | ‘Taught learning which could be: any courses that were meant to lead to qualifications; any taught courses designed to help you develop skills that you might use in a job; any courses, instruction or tuition in driving, in playing a musical instrument, in an art or craft, in a sport or in any practical skill; evening classes; learning which has involved working on your own from a package of materials; any other taught course, instruction or tuition Non-taught learning which might be: studying for qualifications without taking part in a taught course; supervised training while you were actually doing a job; time spent keeping up to date with developments in the type of work you do without taking part in a taught course; deliberately trying to improve your knowledge about anything or teach yourself a skill without taking part in a taught course’ |
National Adult Learning Survey definition used |
Participation facts
| The Learning Divide: a study of participation in adult learning in the United Kingdom, 1996 data (for 16+ age range) | National Adult Learning Survey 1997(for 16-69 age range in England and Wales) | Attitudes to Learning ’98: MORI state of the Nation survey (for 16+ age range in England, Scotland and Wales) | |
| General participation | 23% currently learning 17% engaged in learning activity during last three years 40% had undertaken learning during last three years |
76% had undertaken learning during last three years | 47% had participated in taught
learning during last 12 months 56% had participated in non-taught learning during the last 12 months |
| By gender | 25% of men and 21% of women
currently learning 25% of men and 21% of women have engaged in past learning over three years ago 50% of men and 42% of women had undertaken learning during the last three years 31% of men and 41% of women have done no learning since completing full time education |
78% of men and 70% of women had undertaken learning during the last three years (excludes those still in full time education) | |
| By age | Percentage of age groups participating in
current or recent learning: 86% of 17-19s 65% of 20-24s 48% of 25-34s 43% of 35-44s 36% of 45-54s 25% of 55-64s 19% of 65-74s Only 15% of 75+s |
Percentage of age groups participating in
current or recent learning: 82% of 16-19s 85% of 20-29s 82% of 30-39s 78% of 40-49s 67% of 50-59s 47% of 60-69s |
Older people are less likely to participate in
learning 92% of young people think learning is something they do every day of their life Older age groups are less likely to think that learning is personally important |
| By terminal education age | Percentage participating in current or recent
study: 20% of those leaving school at 16 or earlier 39% of those leaving at 16 or 17 59% of those leaving at 18+ |
Percentage participating in current or recent
study: 64% of those leaving full time education at 16 or earlier 84% of those leaving at 17 or 18 86% of those leaving at 19 or 20 93% of those leaving at 21+ |
‘Adults educated to A Level or Degree are more likely to participate in taught learning. They are also more likely to want to take part in learning in the next year.’ |
| By employment status | Percentage of those participating in current or
recent learning: 49% of full-time workers 42% of part-time workers 40% of unemployed people 23% of those not working 20% of retired people |
Percentage of those participating in current or
recent learning: 85% of those in paid work 72% of unemployed people 47% of those looking after home and family 43% of retired people 41% of those with long term sickness |
‘Unemployed people are most likely to cite the influence of parents and relatives as the people who influence them to start learning.’ |
| By social class and/or occupation | Percentage of those participating in current or
recent learning: 53% of upper and middle class (AB) 52% of lower middle class (C1) 33% of skilled working class(C2) 26% of unskilled working class and those on limited incomes (DE) |
Percentage of those participating in current or
recent learning: 90% of professional/managerial workers 86% of other non-manual workers 70% of skilled manual workers 69% of semi-skilled manual workers 50% of unskilled manual workers |
‘Those from social class DE households are less likely to feel that learning is important and are also less likely to regard learning as enjoyable.’ |
| By qualification on leaving full time education | Percentage of those participating in current or
recent learning: 84% of those with an academic or vocational qualification 53% of those with no academic or vocational qualification |
‘Adults with no qualifications are less
likely to feel that learning is personally important and are also less likely to regard
learning as enjoyable.’ ‘Friends are most likely to influence people without qualifications to start learning.’ 37% of adults say that the stress laid on qualifications has put them off learning’. |
|
| Attitudes to learning | 93% think that learning is something people do
throughout their lives 74% were confident about learning new skills |
92% agreed that learning is interesting and that
learning about new things is enjoyable 50% of non learners said that nothing would encourage them to learn |
90% of people think learning is personally
important 49% think they will take part in taught learning and 60% think they will take part in non-taught learning in the next 12 months |
| Future learning | Likelihood of future learning 20% very likely 18% fairly likely 9% fairly unlikely 46% very unlikely 7% don’t know |
Likelihood of future job related learning 33% very likely 21% fairly likely 19% not very likely 26% not at all likely 1% unclear Likelihood of future non-job-related training 15% very likely 23% fairly likely 33% not very likely 28% not at all likely 1% unclear |
Likelihood of future taught leaning 24% very likely 25% fairly likely 26% not very likely 23 not at all likely 2% don’t know Likelihood of future non-taught learning 27% very likely 33% fairly likely 21% not very likely 17% not at all likely 3% don’t know |
Statistics and Surveys
Across the learning divide - adults learning in the arts and crafts. Shiela Carlton and Naomi Sargant. NIACE, 1998. ISBN 1 86201 061 7. £6.00.
Adults learning in pre-schools. Veronica McGivney, NIACE/Pre-School Learning Alliance, 1998. ISBN 1 86201 040 4. £6.00
Attitudes to learning ’98: MORI State of the Nation Survey: summary report. Campaign for Learning, 1998. ISBN 0 901 469 32 7. £8.00
Basic skills provision for adults: statistics 1996/97. Basic Skills Agency, 1997. ISBN 1 85990 074 7.
Beyond the boundaries - exploring the potential of widening participation in higher education. Julia Preece (ed), with Cal Weatherald and Maggie Woodrow. NIACE, 1998. ISBN 1 86201 047 1. £12.95
DfEE statistical bulletins. The Stationery Office, 1978-. £ 5.95 per issue
Education statistics 1996-97 actuals. Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, 1998. ISSN 0309 5614. £80.00. CiPFA, 3 Robert Street, London WC2N 6BH. Tel: 020 7543 5600
Education statistics 1997-98 estimates. Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, 1997. ISSN 0307 0514. £80.00. CiPFA, 3 Robert Street, London WC2N 6BH. Tel: 020 7543 5600
Education Statistics for the United Kingdom. The Stationery Office, 1996. ISBN 0 11 270992 3. £15.00
Education at a glance: OECD indicators 1997 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 1997. ISBN 92 64 15622 4. FF 260. Data available on OECD web site. Web Site: http://www.oecd.org/els/stats/els_stat.htm
EUROSTAT: Statistical Office of the European Communities. Statistical Office of the European Communities. Tel: 00 352 4301 34567. email: info.desk@eurostat.cec.be. Web Site: http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/eurostat/serven/home.htm
Education policy analysis 1997. Companion volume to ‘Education at a glance: OECD indicators 1997. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 1997. ISBN 92 64 15682 8. FF 50
Fees survey 1996/1997. Carolyn Winkless. NIACE, 1997. ISBN 86201 036 6. £14.00
Further Education Funding Council student statistics 1994-95. Further Education Funding Council, 1998.
Higher education statistics for the United Kingdom 1996/97. Higher Education Statistics Agency, 1998. ISBN 1 899840 42 7. £30.00. 3.5 disk version available. ISBN 1 899840 43 5. £35 +VAT. Web site: http://www.hesa.ac.uk
Labour market and skill trends 1997/98. DfEE, 1998. ISSN 1365 7399. (ref: SEN 287). Tel: 0114 259 3412. email: sen@abc-net.demon.co.uk
Labour market quarterly report. DfEE. ISSN 0952-2506. (ref: SEN 317). Tel: 0114 259 3412. email: sen@abc-net.demon.co.uk
Labour market trends. Monthly journal. ISSN 1361 4819. £ 70.00. Office for National Statistics, Tel: 020 7533 6126. Fax: 020 7533 6186. email: david.bradbury@ons.gov.uk
The learning divide - a study of participation in adult learning in the UK. Naomi Sargant with John Field, Hywel Francis, Tom Schuller and Alan Tuckett. NIACE, 1997. ISBN 1 86201 016 1. £20.00
National Adult Learning Survey 1997. Research report 49. DfEE, 1998. ISBN 0 85522 720 6 (ref: NALS97). Summary also available (ref: NALS97S)
Regional trends 33. Includes a section on education and training. The Stationery Office, 1998. ISBN 011 621021 4. ISSN 0261 1783. £39.50 Also available 30 years of Regional trends on CD-ROM, 1996.
Skill Needs in Britain 1997. Survey of skill needs and training behaviour carried out amongst employers in Great Britain. DfEE, 1998. ISBN 0951 6802 77 £50. Tel: 020 7837 6363
Social trends 28. Includes a section on education and training. The Stationery Office, 1998. ISBN 0 11 620987 9. ISSN 0306 7742. £39.50 Also available 25 years of Social Trends on CD-ROM, 1996.
Statistics of education: student support in England and Wales. The Stationery Office, 1996. ISBN 0 11 271016 6. £12.00
Statistical focus on Wales 1996. Includes a section on education and training. Welsh Office, 1996. ISBN 0 7504 1681 5. ISSN 1362 3575. £10.00
_________________________________________
