Participation In Lifelong Learning Research Articles

Research and evaluation of the position of the adult learner in the learning process. Motivations and barriers to participation in lifelong learning and education

This is paper is sought to both study and evaluate the adult learner in lifelong learning, as a whole. At the same time, it is noted the importance and necessity of learning, throughout a person"s life in order to improve himself in personal and professional level. We must not forget that the education is a daily process that does not end with the completion of the formal education. Through our research, individual characteristics of the trainees are identified. For example, what they expect, their motivations, the possibilities provided, if it could cover in a constructive and creative way their free time but also what could prevent them from the learning process. By using a questionnaire, the data were obtained and based on them the results were extracted. Finally, the paper concludes conclusions and suggestions for better lifelong learning for the adults.

평생학습에 참여하는 성인학습자의 성장과정에 대한 질적연구

The purpose of this study is to investigate the growth and changes of common adult learners after their participation in lifelong learning. For this purpose, the investigator conducted a focus group interview(FGI) with 9 adult learners that were active to participate in lifelong learning programs in the community. As a result, they were participated to lifelong learning with different opportunities, participated in a variety of lifelong learning programs with curiosity and expectations, and conducted their own inquiry little by little. In the process, they got to recognize the areas of learning that met their interests and needs and get immersed in certain areas of learning. Being persistent with their lifelong learning, they enhanced their own competencies and professionalism and grew into maturer learners by a notch. In other words, adult learners that used to students grew and became the subjects to plan or lead a lifelong learning program for others and the community. They also grew into self-directed lifelong learners based on the fusion of life and learning, identifying the learning topics needed in their lives sensitively, exploring learning information linked to them efficiently, making achievements through active participation, and changing their lives by practicing outcomes. Like this, adult learners were growing through their participation in lifelong learning from ‘Participate in lifelong learning’ through ‘exploring learners’ and ‘Growing learners(community-oriented or individual-oriented)’. Based on the growth and changing process of adult learners specifically examined in the study, the investigator proposed differentiating supportive measures at the levels of lifelong educators and lifelong learning.

Message from the Editor-in-Chief

Another year has passed quickly, and I’d like to take this moment to ask all of us to reflect upon the highlights of our professional and personal year. Too often we progress from deadline to deadline, significant dates and events, and once passed, we fail to remember and again enjoy these highlights that defined parts of our year. In our hometowns and on the broader global scale, some of us may remember events with mixed feelings and regret, whilst others rejoice with national pride. As such, our work as academics to disseminate important research findings and promote our cultural diversity and knowledges, is more important than ever. The IJHE continues to provide an important forum for the development of theory, the addressing of policy questions, and the dissemination of innovative practice in the field of tertiary education, specifically widening participation and lifelong learning. I am proud to be a part of the successful promotion of widening participation in tertiary education and lifelong learning.

Analysis of the Impact of Innovative Economic Conditions on the Flow of Workers in the Labour Markets of the European Union Countries

The main purpose of the work is to present the results of empirical research on the impact of innovation levels in the economy on the structure of labour market flows. The analysis of the directions and scale of these flows makes it possible to discover important characteristics of the labour market and thus makes it possible to better construct and target policies to reduce unemployment or activate economically inactive people. The study uses data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and experimental job‑to‑job statistics for the European Union (EU) countries, covering the 2011–2019 period. We conducted research separately for selected groups of economies classified by their level of innovation, i.e. Innovation Leaders, Strong Innovators, Moderate Innovators, and Emerging Innovators. The results demonstrate that the structure of flows in a labour market depends on the innovation level of the respective economy. The main contribution of the study is that it identifies employee flow patterns in the labour markets of individual EU countries from the perspective of the innovation levels of their respective economies. Panel error correction models (ECM) and panel causality tests were used. In countries that are Innovation Leaders, an increase in participation in lifelong learning leads to a parallel increase in employee flow (EE) and job‑to‑job employee turnover. In countries that are Emerging Innovators, increasing participation in lifelong learning increases turnover, mainly among young people (15–24 age group).

Labour-power production and the skills agenda in lifelong learning: A critical policy analysis of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022

This article considers how neoliberalism has created a reductionist view of lifelong learning in the UK focused on upskilling workers for the labour market. This critical policy analysis uses Marx’s theory of labour-power, as conceptualised by Glenn Rikowski, to examine the Skills and Post-16 Education Act, 2022 and to identify its ideological roots, its distribution of power, resources and knowledge, and the potential effect it will have on inequality. Findings indicate that while the Act aims to make it easier for adults to study more flexibly, not all adults will have the labour-power attributes and financial resources to access the higher-level qualifications prioritised for funding. This article argues that the Act represents a general deepening of neoliberalism in lifelong learning that will further stratify adult education and increase inequalities. This article concludes that policy has shifted from widening participation in lifelong learning linked to social enrichment and the development of democratic citizenship, to widening participation in higher levels of education and training aimed at enhancing labour-power for the capitalist labour market .

Exploring the Complexities of Social Engagement Among Young Adults

This study aims to enhance understanding of young adults’ social outcome. The existence of large multinational Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) data provides the opportunity to explore the relationship between young adults' propensity to volunteer and various background data in several countries. The focus of this study was on investigating the relationship between young adults volunteering and their educational attainment, social trust, gender, participation in lifelong learning, and cognitive skills in numeracy. The findings suggest that while significant characteristic differences exist among millennials who engage in volunteering activities, only a few of these characteristics such as their numeracy skills, participation in lifelong learning, and social trust influenced their propensity to engage in civic activities. These findings contribute to our understanding of the factors that influence millennials' participation in civic activities.

Information and Communication Technology in Lifelong Learning: Opportunities for People with Disabilities

People with disabilities are underrepresented in adult education programmes that integrate information and communication technology (ICT), posing a challenge in adopting the pace of change facilitated by technological advancement. The increased use of ICT in facilitating lifelong learning presents challenges for training and retraining people with disabilities in the sense that, they are denied access to ICT. This study employed constructivism and communities of practice theories to investigate innovation in how ICT can be used to create lifelong learning opportunities for people with visual and hearing disabilities. The study involved 30 people with disabilities enrolled in ICT skills training classes at the Open University of Tanzania. Data were collected through interviews. The findings suggest that people with disabilities can learn the use of ICT if involved in collaborative action research. It was also found that enhancing ICT skills training for people with disabilities faced physical, fiscal, and human resources challenges. The study recommends increased funding for ICT skills training for people with disabilities to enhance their participation in lifelong learning.

Factors that Lead to Leaving the Labor Market at the Age of 45 and up in Russia: Role of Job Characteristics, Labor Mobility and Life-Long Learning

. This paper is devoted to analyzing the impact of labor mobility and life-long learning on employment termination, as well as to revealing the work characteristics that keep individuals on the labor market. It contributes to the discussion about factors associated with a person leaving the labor market to become economically inactive in retirement. In foreign and domestic literature most of the research is devoted to studying how personal and familial characteristics, as well as human capital influence employment. The impact of employment characteristics, labor mobility and life-long learning on a person’s chances to maintain a job has not been sufficiently studied, and the studies that do exist often come to contradictory conclusions. The research is based on 10 annual waves of the “Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS–HSE)” conducted from 2010 to 2019. Using the Cox regression with time-varying covariates, we obtained the hazard ratios of leaving the labor market for people at the age of 45 and older, for men and women. The results show that participation in life-long learning increases the chances of continuing to be employed by 19,1%, with that being more important for women. Labor mobility increases the risk of unemployment by more than 3,5 times for the target group, especially for men. The most common characteristics of employment in Russia — formal employment, full-time work, working in medium-sized or large enterprises — contribute to maintaining employment by 42, 19, 28–36%, respectively. Types of work outside of enterprises or organizations, as well as in private companies, accelerate the transition to unemployment.

평생학습의 참여동기를 기반으로 한 ‘코치-되기’의 코칭프로그램 개발 연구

The purpose of this study is to develop a ‘becoming a coach’ coaching program to enhance individual competency and professionalism for coaches who have participated in lifelong learning. For this study, a survey was conducted on lifelong learning and motivation for participation based on previous studies on the motivation of coaches to participate in lifelong learning and coaching education. Based on this, the components of the motivation for participation in lifelong learning were the willingness to achieve short-term goals and the realization of long-term ego. This program is a restructuring of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) coaching core competency and the ACTIVE coaching dialogue model, and is divided into four stages: establishing a foundation, building a relationship, effective communication, and learning and growth. Based on this, we developed a ‘becoming a coach’ coaching program for professional coaching activities, which provides basic data that can be used in the field by enhancing individual competency and professionalism of the coach.

Exploring the drivers and barriers to lifelong learning in Singapore’s construction industry

ABSTRACT With the ongoing evolution in technology, there is an increasing need to address participation in lifelong learning in Singapore’s construction industry. It is necessary for employees and workers in the construction sector to acquire skillsets and knowledge to adapt to the ever-changing world. This study attempts to identify ways to increase participation in lifelong learning in the construction industry in Singapore by examining motivational theories for drivers and barriers. With the establishment of the conceptual framework, this study adopts a quantitative approach, using a questionnaire survey, the results of which are analysed using the SPSS and SmartPLS 3.0 software. The result of the analysis strongly supports the use of self-determination theory (SDT) and the fulfilment of three basic psychological needs – competence, autonomy, and relatedness of individuals – will produce a significant effect on the participation of lifelong learning within the construction industry. This means that the practical use of this theory in the construction industry will gradually increase individuals’ participation in lifelong learning. This study examined theories of amotivation and barriers, and both were demonstrated to be insignificant affecting participation rates. This study also identified institutional barriers as a key factor within the barrier domain, suggesting that changes in the institutional situation may help individuals to fulfil their lifelong learning dream.

A Service Model for Self-Directed Learning of NEET Youth at the Local Government Level

Given the increasing value of lifelong learning, self-directed learning (SDL) has become increasingly relevant over time. In rural areas with limited service resources, the main approach to NEET-youth depicts them more as young people in need, and less as people with the potential for self-development and participation in lifelong learning. The growing importance of people’s return to education, flexible learning paths, and the need for quick adaptation and re-training in a rapidly changing society emphasizes the need to design service models for NEET-youth. This is in order to support their SDL skills, and indicate the service providers’ role throughout the process. The empirical study in Estonia was grounded on the Double Diamond service design method using quantitative data on the respondents’ readiness for SDL, and also qualitative data from service providers about their roles and the affordances of their services in supporting SDL skills. The model was tested with rural NEET-youth.

A Case Study of Active Aging through Lifelong Learning: Psychosocial Interpretation of Older Adult Participation in Evening Schools in Korea.

Lifelong learning is a key element of the conceptual framework of active aging. To understand how older adults experience active aging through participation in lifelong learning, the authors conducted a qualitative case study. The research participants were older adult learners attending evening schools aiming to pass the equivalency examination. Data were collected primarily using semi-structured interviews with five older adult learners, and additional data were collected from relevant documents. Data analysis and thematic discussion provided insights into how older adults experience active aging by participating in lifelong learning. Data analysis identified themes of overcoming limited education, taking the equivalency examination, and evolving goals. Thematic discussion revealed that older adults began learning to meet deficiency needs; however, they developed their goals after attending evening schools and passing the equivalency examination. In addition, lifelong learning is an indispensable element of active aging not only because learning is good for older adults’ wellbeing, as reported in the literature, but also because older adults become more active in the systemic change of their environment and in the setting goals for their lives.

Motivation for Participation in Lifelong Learning according to the Characteristics of Adult Learners in Beauty Education

Motivation for Participation in Lifelong Learning according to the Characteristics of Adult Learners in Beauty Education

Telework and Lifelong Learning.

The increase of telework during the pandemic is predicted to impact working life, not only in terms of a larger number of employees working from home, but more importantly, it may transform the way we conceptualise work. This will in turn impact systems for and participation in lifelong learning. There is a risk for increased social inequalities, as neither telework nor lifelong learning is evenly distributed among workers. Statistics on telework in the EU show that there are differences between age groups, nations, sectors, and professions. If these trends will steer forward, there is a risk of widening gaps between countries, companies, and workers. To establish the current knowledge base, we have gathered literature reviews from several disciplines. One finding is that the previous literature on telework has not included lifelong learning in any form (formal, non-formal and informal). Based on a review of previous studies, we suggest a number of research questions for future research. This is relevant as research about telework and lifelong learning has the potential to contribute to a sustainable working life in terms of providing more flexible arrangements for employees and to support the lifelong learning that takes place in contexts such as the office, home, online meetings, and virtual reality.

A Structural Relationship Among Motivation for Participation in Lifelong learning, Self-Directed learning, Self-efficacy and Subjective well-being of Chinese Adult Learners

A Structural Relationship Among Motivation for Participation in Lifelong learning, Self-Directed learning, Self-efficacy and Subjective well-being of Chinese Adult Learners

Analysis of Structural Relations among Adult Learners’ Motivation of Participation in Lifelong Learning, Psychological Empowerment, Recognition of lifelong learning outcomes, and Self-Efficiency

Analysis of Structural Relations among Adult Learners’ Motivation of Participation in Lifelong Learning, Psychological Empowerment, Recognition of lifelong learning outcomes, and Self-Efficiency

Public Libraries in Increasing the Digital Inclusion of Socially Excluded Groups in Society

In today’s world, information and communication technologies (ICT) and the ability to use their potential effectively, provide access to the latest information, digital services, communication, prompt inclusion in the labour market, participation in lifelong learning, and are an integral part of the successful functioning of society (Ekbia, 2016; Fabre and Popova, 2017). At the same time, the growing importance of ICT creates new challenges in ensuring equal opportunities for all, without exception, to have access to technological equipment, the Internet, the development of digital competences and digital services, and to enable them to use ICT effectively. The need to increase digital inclusion is particularly important in this area. Digital inclusion is associated with enabling socially excluded groups in society to use digital technologies effectively: for effective communication, participation in various activities, involvement in society and community (Real et al. 2014; Newman et al. 2017). The goals of digital inclusion are inseparable from the goals of social inclusion (Farooq et al., 2015; Beyene, 2018), in which the inclusion of all persons without exception, especially those belonging to socially excluded groups, in society and community is important. Caruso (2014), Bertot (2016), Borg and Smith (2018), Beyene (2018), Strover et al. (2020) note that digital inclusion comprises three key principles: access to the latest technologies, ICT adoption and application. The principle of application is the most important principle. It comprises the effective use of ICT, digital information and digital competences for learning, employment, self-education, civic participation, health strengthening and other purposes.Public libraries are very important organizations in increasing digital inclusion. In order to increase digital inclusion, public libraries should carry out activities aimed at providing access to ICT and the Internet, improving the digital competences and offering digital services. In this area, it is particularly important for public libraries to exploit the potential of their wide network of institutions, the variety of free services and possibilities to cooperate with other organizations. These aspects exclude public libraries from other institutions, enabling them to involve more people in digital inclusion activities and reach the most vulnerable groups of society that often experience social exclusion (Yılmaz and Cevher, 2015; Casselden, Pickard and McLeod, 2015; Appleton et al. 2018; Wyatt, Mcquire and Butt, 2018). The need to foster digital inclusion highlights the necessity to assess the activities of public libraries in increasing digital inclusion empirically. The aim of this article is to investigate the activities of public libraries in increasing the digital inclusion and to identify possible directions for the improvement of digital inclusion. The case of Šiauliai region was chosen for the empirical research. The methods of scientific literature content analysis, structured E- mail interview, systematization and generalization of collected data and secondary data analysis were employed in this research.The empirical research has shown that the activities of Šiauliai region libraries in the field of increasing digital inclusion include the main ones discussed in the scientific literature (Caruso, 2014; Nemer, 2015; Bertot, 2016; Luterek 2017; Beyene, 2018; Gregg and McKendry, 2018; Strover et al. 2020); ensuring free access to ICT and the Internet, developing digital competences and providing digital services. Free access to ICT and the Internet offered by public libraries is important for people with disabilities and seniors, providing opportunities to take care of health, communicate with relatives and save money. Digital literacy training in libraries, individual consultations and some digital services (e.g. e-books, virtual events) are relevant to these target groups. However, the involvement of people with disabilities and seniors in these activities is insufficient, especially in the area of access to digital services. The empirical research showed that the involvement of these target groups in the digital inclusion activities offered by libraries is limited. This limitation is caused by such reasons as lack of personal motivation, lack of digital skills, not adapted libraries infrastructure and technological equipment and lack of information about these activities.Taking these aspects into account, it is recommended for public libraries to increase the diversity of access to digital services, intensify initiatives to publicize information about these services and develop cooperation with organizations, representing these target groups (care homes, associations of the disabled, organizations representing seniors, daycare centers, etc.). This cooperation could increase the involvement of people with disabilities and seniors in the activities offered by libraries and contribute to the increase of digital inclusion.

성인학습자의 평생학습 참여동기, 자아존중감, 심리적임파워먼트와 삶의 질 관계 연구

본 연구의 목적은 성인학습자의 평생학습 참여동기, 자아존중감, 심리적 임파워먼트, 삶의 질 요인간의 구조적 관계 및 자아존중감과 심리적 임파워먼트의 매개효과를 밝히는데 있다. 연구결과 성인학습자의 평생학습 참여동기, 자아존중감, 심리적 임파워먼트 및 삶의 질의 구조적 관계에서 요인간에 유의한 차이가 있었다. 그리고 평생학습 참여동기와 삶의 질 관계에서 자아존중감과 심리적 임파워먼트의 이중매개효과가 있었다. 본 연구 결과를 바탕으로 성인학습자의 삶의 질을 향상하기 위하여 평생학습에 영향을 주는 다양한 요인에 대한 연구의 필요성이 제기되었다.

중노년 전업주부의 인적자원개발 인식과 의향 - 평생학습참여 중심으로 -

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that affect middle-old aged housewives' participation in lifelong learning as a part of human resource development. Through purposive sampling, the study recruited 163 full-time housewives over age 40 years who live in C City. As a result, first, 87.1 percent of all respondents, or 142, said they were willing to participate in lifelong learning in the future. There was no statistically significant difference in the results of cross-checking by age, educational background and monthly household income variables. Additionally, we used cluster analysis to measure differences in participation intentions according to the perception of human resource development of middle-old aged full-time housewives. The perception variable of lifelong learning is: First, Cognitive degree, second, importance, third, activation awareness. Cluster 1(n=16) was divided into generally low- perception types, such as cognitive degree, importance, and life-long learning activation of the C city, while Cluster 2(n=61) was classified as a type of person who thinks that lifelong learning is important to life and Cluster 3(n=86) was generally classified as a type with a higher lifelong learning perception. and we found that there was no difference in the intention to participate in lifelong learning by all cluster Lastly, we found that participants who valued human resource development scored significantly higher on measures of cognition than those who did not value it. Based on these results, we advocates social change that encourages the cultivation of talent through lifelong learning programs that can positively affect one's unique identity, not just wife and mother, and provide opportunities for self-development.

Low-numerate adults, motivational factors in learning, and their employment, education and training status in Germany, the US, and South Korea

Drawing on the PIAAC data, in this paper I examine how motivational factors such as motivation to learn and grit are related to low-numerate adults’ employment status and their actual participation in lifelong learning in Germany, the United States and South Korea. In particular, the study uses PIAAC self-reported data on the degree to which the respondent “likes learning new things”, and “likes to get to the bottom of difficult things” as proxies of motivational factors in adult learning. Findings show that across three countries both motivation to learn and grit have independent relationships with adults’ employment status and actual participation in adult learning. Considering that low-skilled adults are the ones who need further learning the most, yet are repeatedly reported to have the lowest rate of participation in further learning, these findings highlight the motivational factors in adult learning. They also suggest that motivation to learn and grit may mitigate the disadvantages that ‘vulnerable’ adults experience due to low numeracy skills. Implications for mathematics educators and adult education research are discussed.