It is generally accepted that learning throughout our lives is important if we’re to adapt to the future of work. Rates of adult education vary considerably, however, and research from the University of Hamburg aims to help us understand why that is.
Between August 2022 and October 2022, a comprehensive study was conducted, encompassing interviews with 25 experts from various countries. Employing a Ground Theory approach, these interviews were meticulously analyzed, resulting in the emergence of a model that elucidates the intricate dynamics influencing adult learning and education (ALE) across different societal levels, namely mega, macro, meso, and micro.
Why rates differ
At the mega level, a comparative examination reveals that overarching factors, including war, conflict, historical and systemic discrimination, disease, extreme poverty, and political authoritarianism, play a dual role as both catalysts and impediments to ALE activities.
Analysis at the macro level demonstrates that, with a few exceptions, ALE is often treated as a neglected component or an inferior counterpart to the mainstream school education sector. Within the realm of ALE, formal programs that emphasize compensatory education or workforce development tend to garner greater attention and support in policy circles.
In contrast, non-credentialed, informal, and non-formal learning initiatives struggle to receive more than mere lip service. This precarious situation poses a significant challenge to the sustainability of ALE initiatives beyond credentialed programs.
Driver for change
The meso level emerges as a pivotal driver for ALE implementation within the policy arena. Advice from democratically structured associations, led by elected chairs, carries more weight compared to advice originating from less formally constituted groups.
However, the effectiveness of these associations can be hindered by factors such as limited resources, inadequate funding, and a dearth of professional expertise.
At the micro level, companies offer in-service training, while commercial providers, governmental organizations, and civil society organizations operate training centers, thereby facilitating informal and non-formal ALE activities. Micro-level activities exhibit a high degree of flexibility.
Grassroot efforts
Additionally, grassroots activists mobilize community members to address local issues and cater to specific needs. Micro-level ALE encompasses endeavors ranging from responding to the localized impact of severe weather events to enhancing the quality of life for the elderly and challenging the acceptance of sexual harassment as a norm.
The report showcases successful grassroots projects at the micro level from each country, many of which are executed by DVV International, the primary German organization dedicated to promoting adult learning and education globally, in collaboration with local partners.
The authors provide a number of recommendations aimed at strengthening ALE within the framework of lifelong learning:
- Foster the establishment and support of sustainable networks and associations.
- Foster coordination among stakeholders and within sectors engaged in ALE.
- Acknowledge and endorse grassroots efforts that bolster adult learning in ALE and other sectors.
- Advocate for and enhance the collection and utilization of high-quality quantitative and qualitative data on ALE at national and cross-country levels to support and fortify provisions at local, state, and national levels.
- Emphasize and reinforce the role of ALE in lifelong learning by highlighting the significance of a comprehensive lifelong and lifewide approach to learning that caters to the diverse needs and interests of adult learners.
- Capitalize on the inherent flexibility and adaptability of ALE to leverage its strengths.
- Ensure that ALE adequately addresses the wide array of educational, training, and civic needs expressed by learners, employers, and governments concerning adult education.
- Provide substantial support for ALE at the micro, meso, and macro levels.
