A “Nordic model” of adult education: What might be its defining parameters?

Tuijnman, Albert

doi:10.1016/j.ijer.2004.04.008

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The value of lifelong learning is now well integrated in the government agenda in countries such as the UK (UK Government Office for Science, 2016) and the Nordic countries (Tuijnman, 2003), and ranks high in the education-related priorities of international organizations such as the OECD (OECD, 2014). Despite the large influx of mature-age students in recent years, Australia spends comparatively little in education and its institutional support for lifelong learning has historically lagged behind (Watson, 2004;McIntyre, 2012 providing targeted support.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The returns to mature-age education in Australia

Perales

Chesters

2017

International Journal of Educational Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In countries such as Australia education is becoming a lifelong endeavour, with many Australian men and women returning to education to upgrade their skills as a means to change employers, strengthen their claims for a promotion within their current employer, or move from inactivity or unemployment into paid employment. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, over one million people aged 25-64 years were enrolled in a formal programme of study in 2016. In 2014, Australia had the 2nd highest rate of participation in tertiary education for people aged 30-64 amongst OECD countries, and the highest for post-secondary non-tertiary education for people aged 25-64. Given this, it is important to understand whether and how returning to education at older ages relates to social and economic gains in Australia. We do so by comparing the earnings and occupational status of mature-age individuals (ages 24-63) before and after they acquire a new educational qualification using 15 years of Australian longitudinal data.We find that mature-age educational upgrading is quite common in Australia, with about 11% of women and 8% or men attaining a new, higher-order educational qualification over the 15-year observation period. The most common transitions involve moving from less than year 12 education to having a professional qualification, from an undergraduate to a postgraduate degree, and from year 12 education to professional qualifications. On average, the attainment of a qualification between ages 24-63 is associated with wage increases of 9.4% (∼AU$3.40) amongst men and 6.5% (∼AU$2.07) amongst women, and occupational status increases of 4.6 amongst men and 4.8 units amongst women. We also find substantial differences in the returns of different educational transitions, that qualifications obtained at younger ages yield higher pay offs, and that men's but not women's wage trajectories become steeper after mature-age educational upgrading.These findings carry significant implications for Australian education policy and practice. Australia spends comparatively little in education and its institutional support for lifelong learning has historically lagged behind. However, a recent Government review of the Australian income-support system emphasises the importance of continued skill development and the need to invest in lifelong learning. Our findings suggest that policy interventions aimed at encouraging and supporting the upskilling of the older workforce would result in improved labour market outcomes amongst mature-age learners. However, they also provide a cautionary message: different educational options are associated with highly different labour market returns and credentials obtained at younger ages matter more than those obtained at later ages. It follows that any new Australian public policy initiatives concerned with lifelong learning should incorporate this knowledge, providing targeted support. Her research interests include transitions between education and employment throughout the life course; inequalit...

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The returns to mature-age education in Australia

Perales

Chesters

2017

International Journal of Educational Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Nevertheless, besides high participation rates and volume per capita, there are certain 'patterns' of adult education and training that are distinctive to the Nordic countries: high public share in financing, as well as high share of public providers and of personal interest in education (Rubenson & Desjardins, 2009;Tuijnman, 2003). It has been pointed out that the Nordic countries have inspired the adult lifelong learning policies in the European Union and the OECD, rather than the other way around (Ehlers et al, 2011;Vinther-Jørgensen et al, 2013), and, that in a European context, this a region with the best developed and well-functioning adult education system (VintherJørgensen et al, 2013).…”

Section: Participation In Job-related Learning Among High-educatedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Participation in job-related lifelong learning among well-educated employees in the Nordic countries

Tikkanen

Nissinen

2016

International Journal of Lifelong Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The purpose of this study was to explore participation in job-related lifelong learning (LLL) among high-educated mature workers and compare it across four Nordic countries.While this group generally is very active in LLL, the centrality of knowledge work in society, rapid pace of skills-renewal, and due rising learning demands on all qualifications levels, necessitates a better understanding of the patterns of and factors affecting their skills development. The paper builds on theories learning motivation, human capital, and workplace learning. Data from the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) by the OECD was used.Besides high participation rates, systematic level differences in participation were found across the countries. The logit regression analyses revealed clear differences between countries in the models explaining participation, suggesting limited support to a single "Nordic model" of LLL. Furthermore, predictors of participation commonly found among adult population, low-educated, and/or younger adults, appeared less valid among higheducated.

show abstract

“…The Nordic model, seeks to allow for such a choice throughout the life-course, lifelong learning being understood as a goal and a means to this end. Also in education there is a strong political commitment to creating conditions for equal opportunities and outcomes for all (Tuijnman 2003 ;Vinther-Jørgensen et al 2013 ). Indeed, in a European context the Nordic countries have been pointed as a region with the best developed and well-functioning adult education system (Vinther-Jørgensen et al 2013 ).…”

Section: The 'Nordic Standard' Of Lifelong Learning and Targeted Intementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following from the overall Nordic model, there are three main goals for adult education in the Nordic countries (Tuijnman 2003 ;Tuijnman and Hellström 2001 ):…”

Section: The 'Nordic Standard' Of Lifelong Learning and Targeted Intementioning

confidence: 99%

International Perspectives on Older Adult Education

Findsen¹,

Formosa²

2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aims & Scope"Lifelong Learning" has become a central theme in education and community development. Both international and national agencies, governments and educational institutions have adopted the idea of lifelong learning as a major theme in the coming years. They realize that it is only by getting people committed to the idea of education both life-wide and lifelong that the goals of economic advancement, social emancipation and personal growth will be attained.The Lifelong Learning Book Series aims to keep scholars and professionals informed about and abreast of current developments and to advance research and scholarship in the domain of Lifelong Learning. It further aims to provide learning and teaching materials, serve as a forum for scholarly and professional debate and offer a rich fund of resources for researchers, policy-makers, scholars, professionals and practitioners in the fi eld.The volumes in this international Series are multi-disciplinary in orientation, polymathic in origin, range and reach, and variegated in range and complexity. They are written by researchers, professionals and practitioners working widely across the international arena in lifelong learning and are orientated towards policy improvement and educational betterment throughout the life cycle.More information about this series at

show abstract

A “Nordic model” of adult education: What might be its defining parameters?

Cited by 14 publications

References 3 publications

The returns to mature-age education in Australia

The returns to mature-age education in Australia

Participation in job-related lifelong learning among well-educated employees in the Nordic countries

International Perspectives on Older Adult Education

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About