Barriers and Enablers

Barriers and Enablers to Learning

There are a number of factors which affect whether or not people engage in learning. Barriers to learning are those things which prevent people from engaging in, or finishing some learning. Enablers are the factors which help encourage people to get involved in learning, or complete a course of learning.

Our research has highlighted a range of barriers and enablers to learning which have an effect on people's lives. Many of the issues which people raised can act as either a barrier or an enabler.

Finance is an important issue for people wanting to embark on learning. People need to be able to afford the fees for courses, but also all of the associated expenses such as travel, textbooks and course materials.

Time can be a barrier or enabler to people's learning. Many people only have a limited amount of time in their lives which they can commit to learning, so it can be a barrier in this way. The ways that courses are scheduled can act as an enabler, helping people to fit learning into their lives.

Information is essential as people need to know about the learning that is available if they're going to get involved. Having the right information in an accessible way means that individuals can find the right courses for them. If it is too difficult to find out about courses, people will be less inclined to engage in learning.

Experiences and Feelings can be a strong influence on people's decision to engage in learning (or otherwise). Individuals' feelings about their own abilities, stemming from their experiences of learning in the past, can form a barrier to participating in learning.

Family and Friends can also have an impact on a person's learning journey. By providing information and support, they can be an enabler to learning. However they can also be a barrier, in the sense of the learning culture they are part of (e.g. do they value learning? Are certain types of learning perceived to be more valuable than others?) and the responsibilities which come from having a family.

Location of learning is more of an issue for certain groups of people than for others, for example older or less mobile sections of society. The amount of travelling time can also be a factor for some people.

	In this section:
	Motivations: why do people want to learn?
	Age and stage in life
	School Experience
	Learning culture
	No simple answer!
	Learning and work

	See also:
	Learning as an adult (PDF)
	Learning to Listen: Listening to Learn (PDF)

	Internet links:
	LSC Guide to Overcoming Barriers to Adult Learning

» Themes/Influences on participation

Barriers and Enablers to Learning