Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.
The Adult Learners' Lives project was a major National Research and Development Centre (NRDC) research study carried out by members of the Lancaster Literacy Research Centre. The overall aim of the project was to develop understandings of the relationships between learners' lives and the literacy, language and numeracy (LLN) learning in which they were engaged, and to draw out the implications for the Skills for Life strategy. Starting from the perspectives of the adult learners the project focused on issues around motivation, participation, persistence and engagement. The first year of the Adult Learners' Lives project concentrated on college environments. Working with teacher-researchers enabled the research to be embedded in real classrooms and ensured that it had an impact on practice. In the second year of the project the work was on other sites with learners in what has been referred to by others as provision for the 'hard to reach'. This included a drug support and aftercare centre, a young homeless scheme and a domestic violence project. Contact was also maintained with 53 learners who represent the longitudinal cohort of the study. Work was collaborative with practitioners from all sites which allowed for exploration of participation and engagement with learners who frequently have issues in their lives that impact upon learning. The project investigated adult learning at three case study sites of Blackburn, Lancaster and Liverpool. The study consists of a range of interviews with learners and teachers, field notes, observations, focus groups and participants' creative writing and photographs. Further information about the project can be found on the Adult Learners' Lives web page.
Main Topics:
Some of the initial outcomes of the research include:relationships matter in learning, including teacher/student and student/student relationshipslearning environments often offer structure and stability in learners’ livesbeing in control is key motivation for learninghealth (both physical and mental) is often a barrier to learningthere is a need to assess and recognise small gains in LLN skills and the wider benefits to learning and learners. Learners value knowing what progress they have madethere is a complex relationship between teaching and learning: learners do not learn what teachers teachthere needs to be more effective inter-agency response to the social and learning needs of students seeking asylumin English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, learners often express satisfaction with their classes, but there is a need for more free use of language and 'bringing the outside in' as part of the learning processinvolving teachers in research projects can have great impact, on the teachers’ professional development, on the culture of their workplaces, and on regional networks
Purposive selection/case studies
Face-to-face interview
Observation
Focus group
Video recording
