Themes

Influences on participation in learning

Experiences of learning

Technology and learning

»Themes/Influences on participation in learning

What happened in the classroom? School experience as an influence on participation in learning

For most people, their first experiences of formal learning are at school. Whatever people's school experience, it has a huge impact on the rest of their lives. It affects their view of learning, the decisions they make about the direction of their lives and how they perceive themselves - their self-esteem and confidence.

This section deals with the different types of experiences that individuals have at school and how they influence their participation or non-participation in learning later in life. From loving maths to hating exams, from best friends to bullying, this section shares people's experiences of school and how they feel these have had an effect on their adult lives.

Hating School - the wide range of things that people did not like about school. This encompasses bad teachers, bullying, the pressure to perform well in exams and the education system as a whole.

Loving School - the positive aspects of school life that interviewees have told us about, and how an enjoyable experience of school has had an impact on their adult lives.