Themes

Influences on participation in learning

Experiences of learning

Technology and learning

» Themes/Influences on Participation

No simple answer!

One theme emerging from the 'Learning to Listen' research was that decisions about learning are not taken in isolation and in regard to just learning.  They are holistic decisions, made in the context of everything else going on in the life of an individual. 

This means that there is no simple answer to widening participation amongst all groups of potential learners.  Whilst factors about a course can affect their decision, such as its timing, location and cost, there are other factors not related to that learning.  Family responsibilities, priorities for life, attitudes to learning generally and cultural issues can all affect a decision to engage in learning.  For many people, different factors will work together to influence decisions about learning.

However, whilst the issues affecting each individual and the way they interact is different, our research has suggested that the idea of 'triggers' into learning can be useful in finding those most likely to engage in learning.  A trigger into learning can be seen as an event, or even set of events, that prompt a person to engage in learning.

A trigger can be many things, for example a dissatisfaction with work leading an individual to enrol on a course to gain skills and find a better job.  Sometimes a trigger can be quite random, such as the example below,

"When I was on holiday I got talking to this couple as you do around the pool . Two days later she come to me and said 'me and my husband have been talking about you', she said, 'we have decided we have got to ask you- do you teach?'  And I laughed and I said, 'no I don't, but I can t believe you've just said that it's what I have always wanted to do!' So she said, 'well why don't you then?' These people, these total strangers come out of anywhere saying you must, you know, go and it really played on my mind and when I came back I thought 'right that's it- I'm moving forward..."

However, the research suggested triggers that potentially applied across the population, and were times a provider could appropriately target people with information about learning.  When people were made redundant, when they retired, and when their children started school  were all  events that triggered people into learning. Targeting these people could be a successful way of widening participation.  An example would be by working with schools to gain access to parents of pupils just starting, and offer them courses, if possible even on school grounds.

More research would also be useful to identify more trigger events which could be used by providers to target those who may want to engage in learning.