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Influences on participation in learning

Experiences of learning

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Experiences and Feelings as a barrier and enabler

An individual's past experiences and feelings about learning and their own ability to learn have a significant effect on their decision as to whether or not they will engage in formal learning as an adult.

Bad past experiences - Where people have had a bad learning experience in the past, this has a negative impact on their confidence, and can lead to a fear of learning. This often prevents people from engaging in learning, as they feel a lack of belief in their own abilities and fear that whatever problems they had in the past will reoccur in future learning.

For example, one man who has suffered from epilepsy since childhood and had negative experiences around his disability at school enjoys learning on a one-to-one basis but has a fear of learning in large groups:

"...if it's in big groups then that's where my fear is because I always think I'll do it wrong and be that last one who fails kinda thing, I'm never gonna get it right you know, I'm always gonna fail, I don't know what it is. It's like, say, some people have a fear of flying but to me, you know, I love it and I can't understand why they are frightened of that and I don't know why I'm scared of all these groups and learning."

First learning experience after a break - Those who have not done any learning since they were at school can find it difficult to get back into learning after a gap. They may not know what to expect, be unsure of their ability to do what is expected of them and worry that others will know more than them.

It is essential that people's first experience of learning after a break is a good one.

If people have a bad experience, it will reinforce the negative messages they have taken on board in the past about learning, and they are most likely to stop attending the course and/or be very reluctant to try any further learning.

When people have a positive experience of learning after a break, they are much more likely to come out of it the other end with increased levels of confidence in themselves and their ability to learn. Having good experiences of learning seems to eradicate the fear that people previously had, and means that they are much more likely to go on to further courses as they feel they're capable of achieving more.

"I've learnt I can do it, and that's the main thing. When I first went [on the course] I thought I'll never be able to read all these books...but I did it and I really enjoyed it. So I know I can do it again."  

Overall it is essential that people's first experience of learning after a break is a positive one because it will impact on the rest of their lifelong learning journey.

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