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This article was downloaded by: [York University Libraries] On: 15 November 2014, At: 01:29 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Journal of Further and Higher Education Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cjfh20 Lifelong Learning: A model for increasing the participation of non- traditional adult John Parnham Published online: 03 Aug 2010. To cite this article: John Parnham (2001) Lifelong Learning: A model for increasing the participation of non-traditional adult, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 25:1, 57-65, DOI: 10.1080/03098770020030506 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03098770020030506 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.

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Page 1: Lifelong Learning: A model for increasing the participation of non-traditional adult

This article was downloaded by: [York University Libraries]On: 15 November 2014, At: 01:29Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Journal of Further and HigherEducationPublication details, including instructions for authors andsubscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cjfh20

Lifelong Learning: A model forincreasing the participation of non-traditional adultJohn ParnhamPublished online: 03 Aug 2010.

To cite this article: John Parnham (2001) Lifelong Learning: A model for increasing theparticipation of non-traditional adult, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 25:1, 57-65,DOI: 10.1080/03098770020030506

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03098770020030506

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information(the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor& Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warrantieswhatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of theContent. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions andviews of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. Theaccuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independentlyverified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liablefor any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages,and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly inconnection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Anysubstantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.

Page 2: Lifelong Learning: A model for increasing the participation of non-traditional adult

Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

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Page 3: Lifelong Learning: A model for increasing the participation of non-traditional adult

Journal of Further and Higher Education, Vol. 25, No. 1, 2001

Lifelong Learning: a model for increasingthe participation of non-traditional adultlearnersJOHN PARNHAMThe Isle of Wight College, Medina Way, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 5TA

ABSTRACT This article examines the attempt of one college (Orpington College in Kent)to increase the participation in further education of adult students who would not normallyhave bene� ted from post-school education and/or training; effectively non-traditionallearners. The college targeted a speci� c and de� ned community, the residents of which had,prior to this initiative, limited access to continuing education. This example is by no meansa unique one, but it is unusual and re� ects what is best termed a community-basedapproach to widening participation, harnessing the support of a wide range of community,statutory and voluntary groups to ensure its success.

Introduction

Edwards et al. (1993) consider there are three types of institution with whom adultstudents formally engage in order to be participate in education and training;educational institutions predominantly for adults, such as LEA supported adulteducation institutes and some specialist adult-only colleges; educational institutionspredominantly for younger people, such as further education, tertiary and sixth-formcolleges, and non-educational institutions, such as centres for the unemployed andself-help groups. A fourth category of non-institutionalised learning can takeplace using the services of friends, bookshops and local libraries. However, locallibraries often have a more formal role to play in adult learning, acting as infor-mation and advice centres pointing potential adult students in the direction ofinstitutionalised learning. McGivney (1991), citing research conducted by the Fur-ther Education Unit, classi� ed education and training provision for adults into thefollowing categories; work-centred, geared largely to the needs of a single employer;work-focused, designed to give entry to a particular occupation; work-enabling,helping people to re-enter the labour market; work-related, aimed at enhancing theposition of minorities in the labour market; academically qualifying, providing aprogression route into higher education; community-related, not speci� cally jobrelated by leading to capacity-building in a particular community, and leisure-related, often known as non-vocational adult education.

ISSN 0309-877X print; ISSN 1469-9486 online/01/010057-09 Ó NATFHEDOI: 10.1080/03098770020030506

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58 J. Parnham

Lifelong Learning

Although, according to Tight (1996), the term ‘lifelong learning’ was adopted as a‘master concept’ by UNESCO in 1970, it is only since the publication of TheLearning Age (HMSO, 1998) that signi� cant government resources are beingdirected towards achieving a ‘learning society’ and to embed the concept of lifelonglearning into society at large. Three terms need some de� nition: education, trainingand learning. Tight (1996) suggests that education has a breadth and depth whichtraining, which is of increased speci� city, does not, and that learning is a lessorganised form of education, where students require less commitment if they aremerely learning than if they are to participate in a formal programme of education.The Learning Age clearly sees that widening adult participation in education andtraining is a crucial part of achieving a ‘learning society’. The report states (p. 18)that a key aim for those who provide learning must be to make it easier for peopleto learn. Issues that must be addressed include raising people’s aspirations; provid-ing learning at a time and in a place to suit the individual or the � rm; ensuring highstandards of education and training; providing comprehensive information andadvice about education and training that is available; making learning welcoming;giving people the support they need to study successfully; providing quali� cationsfor adults that are easily understood, and that institutions must address the changingneeds of adult learners.

The agenda set for education and training providers by The Learning Age is farmore wide ranging and comprehensive than anything that has preceded it. Anindication of the wide range of issues that will need to be addressed is clearlydemonstrated by comparing The Learning Age with Marketing Adult and ContinuingEducation (Further Education Unit, 1987), one of the � rst reports to consider howto increase the participation of adult students in further education. This earlierreport focused very much on re-presenting what was already on offer in colleges andapplying marketing techniques to it, rather than fundamentally reviewing what wasalready available in colleges and restructuring it to more closely � t the needs ofpotential students. However, some of the report’s recommendations do tie-in withaspects of community-based education. The report recommends maintaining a fullcommunity contact database; a full industry contact database; maintaining a studentdatabase; identifying the needs and wants of local groups and meeting regularlywith local groups, both in the community and industry. Of less relevance to thecurrent debate were recommendations to target literature and public relationsactivities and to develop a corporate identity for the college. The Learning Age veryclosely re� ects work by McGivney (1992) who examined what motivates unem-ployed adults to undertake education and training. She concluded that the factorswhich encourage unemployed adults to undertake education and/or training are theprovision of clear information and guidance on the courses available; the demon-strating of clear links between education/training and employment; offering widelyrecognised quali� cations; ensuring that the bene� ts of participating in education/training outweigh the potential risks; offering � nancial incentives to those whoparticipate; recognising students’ personal circumstances; responding to individual

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Lifelong Learning 59

learning needs; providing both individual and group support for learners; havingclose links with employers, but most importantly using a targeted outreach approachto engage with potential students. McGivney (1992) concluded that three broadgroups of factors affect whether non-traditional adult students participate in edu-cation and training. These are, the economic context, speci� cally the state of thelabour market and the social context. The experience, attitudes and expectations ofdifferent socio-economic groups also impacted signi� cantly upon prospective stu-dents. However, for the purpose of this assignment, we shall concentrate solely onMcGivney’s third group, the educational context, speci� cally the extent and natureof available options of education and training available to groups of adults.

Increasing Adult Participation

According to Tight (1996) access, and more importantly participation, are nowamong the major policy issues facing post-school education; The Learning Age hascertainly brought his view into sharp focus. De� ning participation is dif� cult. TheOECD, quoted by Tight, de� ne participation as “to attend a sequence of meetingsor complete a cycle of exercises”. If we have de� ned what is participation, we needto have a clearer idea of who the participants or potential participants are or likelyto be. Research cited by McGivney in Edwards et al. (1993) indicate that prior tothe publication of The Learning Age, adult participants did not represent a cross-section of the adult population. Adult education was largely the preserve of themiddle classes, of those in non-manual rather than manual occupations, those ofworking age not retired, those who had experienced more than minimal previouseducational success, and were those who were also generally more integrated intotheir local community and who had a range of local contacts often includingteachers, councillors, religious leaders and people in management positions.McGivney in Edwards et al. (1993) and in her own research on women in educationand training (1993) cites � ve major reasons for the low participation of adults, otherthan those with characteristics indicated above, in education and training. A lack ofinformation and formal guidance about what is available; situational barriers of lackof time, relating to family constraints, a lack of support from partners and families,and a lack of childcare; the costs of training, both of fees (if payable) and lack ofon-going � nancial support; institutional barriers, characterised by an unresponsivesystem, with perhaps only 5% of education and training provision targeted ateducationally or socially disadvantaged groups, and dispositional barriers, wherenon-participants have a stereotyped view of education with their own and friendshaving negative attitudes, perceptions and expectations, rather than experiencingany practical barriers to accessing education and training.

The research by McGivney (1993) into women’s participation in education andtraining highlighted some of the barriers then created by education and trainingestablishments which resulted in low participation by adult students. These centredaround the lack of advice and guidance on the opportunities available; lack ofappropriate part-time courses delivered in a way that was � exible to students’ timepressures; lack of affordable childcare, the levels of fees charged, and the geograph-

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60 J. Parnham

ical constraints presented by having to travel to an often far distant site of a collegerather than to a local, community-based centre. McGivney also viewed colleges asoften presenting an unwelcoming environment to their non-traditional students,speci� cally where those students were from minority ethnic or other disadvantagedgroups.

Community-based Education and Training

One model used to increase the participation of non-traditional adult students ineducation and training is to develop a community-based model. This requires thata college or other education and training establishment develops education andtraining facilities within a speci� c community and does not expect participants totravel to a possibly far distant site of the college or to participate in their education/training alongside the college’s traditional students. Effectively, rather than expect-ing the students to travel to the college, the college comes into the participant’scommunity. This not only helps to break down potential participants’ negativeimpressions of education and training, but enables the college to provide a localisedservice with advice on courses available, childcare arrangements, possible � nancialsupport, and other key issues within easy reach of the potential students.

Brook� eld (1983) views community education as operating most successfully in ageographical area marked by some degree of social coherence. Brook� eld also citesresearch by the Massachusetts Department of Education who identify six elementsendemic to a working de� nition of community education. These are (1) thatcommunity education must be a partnership between educational agencies and thecommunity; (2) that community needs must be identi� ed; (3) that all availableresources must be harnessed irrespective of who controls them; (4) that there mustbe an element of democracy in educational decision making; (5) that learning mustbe recognised as a lifelong activity; and (6) that full access must be available to thefacilities by all members of the community for cultural, recreational and educationalpurposes.

A shorter but largely similar set of criteria were proposed by McGivney (1991)when proposing how colleges should open themselves to adult learners. She uses theterm ‘outreach’ and considers that it involves establishing links and networkingwithin the community; undertaking a needs analysis of the education and trainingneeds of both individuals, organisations and employers; responding with what thecommunity requires, effectively tailoring provision to their needs, and breakingdown barriers to learning, by developing � exible entry methods, learning approachesand support structures to assist non-participant sections of the community.McGivney further suggests some key elements that lead to successful outreachactivities. A clear policy statement about why outreach activities are being under-taken; the appointment of at least one key member of staff to lead the outreachinitiative; organisational support in terms of resources being committed to theinitiative; networking and collaboration with partner organisations; the use ofnon-educational venues, such as community centres and the provision of anintegrated curriculum allowing for easy access and progression. Martin in Edwards

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et al. (1993) provides a tentative theoretical analysis of community education.Community education is about the accessibility of education for everyone so thatpeople can achieve a fuller and more rewarding life. It is about modifyingthe existing education system to the bene� t of those who are considered disadvan-taged or deprived, and it is about acting in solidarity with those people in societywho have least power. McGivney (1993) suggests some essential features of educa-tional programmes to attract non-traditional female learners into community basedre-entry programmes who, for any college, will be the largest client group ofnon-traditional, community-based students. That educational programmes are opento the target groups in the community and involve no entry requirements; arerelevant to the participants and take account of their lives and experiences; that theyare � exible to � t into people’s lives; have an ethos of equality of value for all andinvolve small-group teaching and the use of supportive teaching methods.

The Community-based Model

The model of community based education and training described here has beendeveloped by the college in a speci� c geographic area, part of the college’s tra-ditional catchment area. The Crays (the community) consists of two council wards,St Paul’s Cray and St Mary Cray, both located within the London Borough ofBromley. Fletcher (1980) describes the necessary conditions for a community toexist. There must be a distinctive name, a recognisable dialect and the adoption ofcommonly agreed territorial boundaries. The area, to which all of these criteriaapply, is about 12 miles from central London and is within the top 1.5% of the mostdeprived areas in England. It is an area of predominantly local authority housing,with the majority of householders being either unemployed or employed in manualwork. The majority of children’s reading and maths skills are well below nationalnorms and results from the two secondary schools in the area are below borough andnational averages. Residents of the area suffer from poorer health than the rest of theborough; the number of offenders per 1000 of the population is higher than for otherparts of the borough; nearly 10% of all families are single parent; youth unemploy-ment is higher than for the rest of the borough, and the area includes 1000 travellerfamilies, forming one of the largest resident gypsy traveller populations in Europe.The area has approximately 136 registered businesses, only two of which are largeemployers employing in excess of 200 people. The rest of the � rms in the area aresmall, distribution, retail or light assembly businesses employing between 10 and 15people on average. Business in the area could fairly be described as in decline withthe total number of jobs reducing.

Bond et al. (1997) report on a three-stage process for recruiting adult students;discover, enrol and start. The � rst stage in the college developing community-basedprovision in The Crays was to conduct a community survey, which ful� ls the � rst ofthese criteria by discovering who the potential students will be and which coursesthey will be interested in. Brook� eld (1983) also stresses the importance of using acommunity survey to generate potential participants for any community-basededucation provision. The Skills Audit was conducted by individuals already living in

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62 J. Parnham

the community and familiar with education outreach work and funded and sup-ported by the college. A professional social researcher trained 12 local residents ininterviewing techniques and they, in turn, conducted the survey which the pro-fessional researcher analysed. The Skills Audit provided useful insights into the typesof courses that would be popular were they to be offered, and information onpeoples’ levels of skills, employment history and educational and employmentaspirations.

The second stage of the model was to harness the active support of public sectorbodies, community and other groups. In his diagrammatic representation of thewide range of partners involved in an inner city community development project inLiverpool, Lovett (1975) distinguishes between statutory local and national govern-mental bodies and local groups supported and organised by and for the community.The advantage of working in partnership with other groups is that local and nationalgovernment can commit resources to support community education, and becomestakeholders in its development. They can also commit staff time to work on andsupport the initiative, and can promote the bene� ts of the initiative when dealingwith their own clients. The local community groups can also commit resources andtime, but often in far more limited amounts, but can crucially act as advocates of theinitiative, often lobbying in informal situations for the initiative and what it has tooffer potential participants.

The college harnessed the support of the Broomleigh Housing Association, whichmanaged most of the local authority housing in the area; the Ravensbourne NHSTrust, which provided health visitors and local health centre facilities in the area andthe London Borough of Bromley, who funded research into labour market andtraining needs and lead and support bids for government and European funding tosupport community initiatives. The London Borough of Bromley also enabled thecollege to work closely with the local library in providing information for potentialstudents. The local training and enterprise council, SOLOTEC, and Marks andSpencer PLC provided computing equipment for the college as well as facilitatinglinks with local employers and providing access to labour market information. LocalYouth Associations also become involved. They were able to make contact withdisaffected 16–19 year olds who, whilst not part of the college’s main initiative in thearea, are encouraged to participate in courses offered on the college’s main site.Finally, community groups, residents’ associations and local political parties lobbiedon behalf of the college’s initiative in the area and publicised courses and workshopsavailable there.

The third stage was to develop close working relationships with the local primaryschools. In the absence of a signi� cant involvement in community education fromthe secondary schools, both of which were Grant Maintained and very much focusedon results and their impact on league tables, the primary schools provided a veryuseful route of contact with parents, who were to be the eventual recipients of thecollege’s services in the community. It is likely that within the coming year, one ofthe primary schools will become a community school under the government’s FreshStart inititaive, with the college having a regular presence on its site along with thelocal health trust, housing association and local council.

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Hillier (1990), in a review of how adult students learnt about educationalopportunities, concluded that adults who have no regular interaction with educationand training have a view that it is intrinsically uninteresting, not worth giving timeto and of little practical use or value. Being able to work with parents in their child’sschool enables the college to put before them the range of education and trainingopportunities that are on offer and break down their fears and concerns about whata return to education will mean. Research by Bond et al. (1997) concluded thatsuccessful adult provision must be promoted by presenting the potential studentwith four key pieces of information; that the course will be fun, or at leastnon-threatening; that it is free, or that � nancial support is available; that it is offeredlocally, and that there is child care readily available.

The � nal stage in developing the college’s model for widening participation in thearea was the acquisition of part of a redundant school, to provide a variety ofteaching rooms equipped with computers, smaller tutorial rooms, a creche, a cafeand advice and guidance services for potential adult students. Neither of the twosecondary schools in the area saw themselves as having a community brief widerthan catering for their own students. Therefore, this former school performs the roleof a community school, but without the pre-16 students, acting as a contact pointfor information about all education and training opportunities available to theresidents of the area. The former school also serves as a focus for local businesseswishing to access education and training facilities.

Once the infrastructure was in place to deliver the community-based model ofwidening participation to the residents of the community, a pathway had to bedevised to enable participants to progress, at their own pace and to achieve their ownpersonal objectives, through the courses and facilities available. Stages one and twoof the model are delivered through the primary schools, and are targeted at bothmale and female parents. Stages one and two consist of basic literacy and numeracyprogrammes known as Wordpower and Numberpower. Alternatively, basic � rst aidcourses and an introduction to computers and communications course is availablein local community centres, the latter being provided using lap-top computersmoved from community centre to community centre when courses are offered. Thecomputing and communications course is validated by the London Open CollegeNetwork, who have an impressive record of course scrutiny and evaluation by peersand practitioners. The course was devised and scrutinised by tutors with directexperience of the types of students taking the course. These � rst two stages givestudents an introduction to education and training outside any educational insti-tution and in surroundings with which they are more familiar and more relaxed.

Stage three of the model in delivered at the redundant school. It consists ofcourses including Moving On, a basic parenting skills course developed in theRepublic of Ireland and funded by the EU; a Computer Literacy and Informationtechnology (CLAIT) course, a National Vocational Quali� cation at Level 2 inBusiness Administration, a range of GCSE courses or, for those students morecon� dent and wishing to consider, as a longer-term goal entering higher education,a Pre-Access Course.

Stage four of the model is delivered at the main college site in the town centre and

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64 J. Parnham

is for those students who now feel suf� ciently con� dent to handle the complexitiesof studying in a larger building alongside 16–19 year old students and on a morecomplex and demanding course. Courses on offer at Stage Four include an AccessCourse; the second level CLAIT course; NVQs at Level 3 in Childcare, InformationTechnology, Business Administration or Leisure and Tourism; a Certi� cate ofEducation; a Diploma in Management Studies or a BA in Professional Studies.

Courses for local businesses can be delivered either in schools, communitycentres, the redundant school or the main college site dependent upon where thebusiness wishes training to take place. Links also exist to move successful graduatesof training courses into employment, either through informal recommendationsfrom the college to employers, or through the activities of the local Job Centre.

The four-stage model developed by the college allows students to progress at theirown pace, self-select their programme of study and the pathway they will take intothe main college, and to postpone their studies when family and other commitmentsbecome a barrier to their continuing to study. It is signi� cant that, in the two yearsthis model has been offered, students have already progressed through all of thevarious stages, often with the accreditation of their prior achievements, to return aspart-time teachers to students embarking on Stages one and two of the model. Thishas acted as a signi� cant motivator for students just embarking on their return toeducation/training; they are often taught by successful graduates of the model whocan speak with enthusiasm about the bene� ts of the model. It is at too early a stagefor the college to be able to formulate any information on the characteristics of thelearners who are accessing the community-based model, but eventually it will bepossible, as Gorard et al. (1998) have done, to formulate a range of adult learningdeterminants and to develop a range of advice and support for students that willensure a higher rate of student participation and eventual completion.

Conclusions

The model of community adult education developed by the college is a pragmaticresponse to the need to widen adult participation amongst non-traditional students.However, it resonates with much of the literature on the subject, which in turnsupports many aspects of the initiative. The model as described only highlights thoseresponses that the education system can make to widening participation and isunable to address non-educational issues such as bene� t levels for adult learners,childcare arrangements, the impact of government schemes for the unemployed, etc.The model also brings into sharp focus for colleges the inadequate levels of fundingthat they have to develop this necessary, but high cost provision. The modelprovides for a variety of outcomes from community capacity building to employabil-ity skills and has successfully targeted non-traditional adult education students.

Colleges such as Orpington College now look forward to the sentiments of thegovernment’s White Paper Learning to Succeed being translated into reality. TheWhite Paper reiterates the government’s commitment to raising and wideningparticipation and attainment of adults which can only be achieved by targetedfunding and support towards high-cost activities such as those described here.

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Whilst the White Paper stresses the importance of good quality information, adviceand guidance services for potential adult learners, and promotes the potential ofLearnDirect (the brand name for the University for Industry), it perhaps fails toemphasise the need for and bene� ts of dispersed delivery of courses in localcommunities and the signi� cant additional costs associated with such activities.Paragraph 7.30 of Learning to Succeed highlights the diverse types of venues in whichadult learning can take place. The Local Learning and Skills Councils need to targetfunding to support learning in such dispersed locations.

References

BOND, M., MERRILL, B. & SMITH J. (1997) Reaching out, Adults Learning, 9(4), pp. 7–10.BROOKFIELD, S. (1983) Adult Learners, Adult Education and the Community (Milton Keynes, Open

University).EDWARDS, R., SIEMINSKI, S. & ZELDIN, R. (1993) Adult Learners, Education and Training (London,

Routledge).FLETCHER, C. (1980) The theory of community education and its relation to adult education, in:

J.L. THOMPSON (Ed.) Adult Education for Change (London, Hutchinson).FURTHER EDUCATION UNIT (1987) Marketing Adult/Continuing Education (London, FEU).GORARD, S., REES, G., FEVRE, R. & FURLONG, J. (1998) The two components of a New Learning

Society, Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 50(1),HILLIER, Y. (1990) How do adult students learn about educational opportunities, New Era in

Education, 71(1), pp. 6–10.HMSO (1998) The Learning Age: a renaissance for Britain (London, HMSO).LOVETT, T. (1975) Adult Education, Community Development and the Working Class (London,

Ward Lock).MCGIVNEY, V. (1991) Opening colleges to Adult Learners: a report of the NIACE/TEED research

project on adult learners in colleges of further education (Leicester, National Institute forContinuing Adult Education).

MCGIVNEY, V. (1992) Motivating Unemployed Adults to Undertake Education and training: someBritish and other European � ndings (Leicester, National Institute for Adult ContinuingEducation).

MCGIVNEY, V. (1993) Women, Education and Training: barriers to access, informal starting points andprogression routes (London, National Institute of Adult Continuing Education and HilcroftCollege).

TIGHT, M. (1996) Key Concepts in Adult Education and Training (London, Routledge).

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