The determinants and labour market effects of lifelong learning

Jenkins, Andrew; Vignoles, Anna; Wolf, Alison; Galindo-Rueda, Fernando

doi:10.1080/0003684032000155445

Cited by 137 publications

(106 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…It is worrying, then, that the recent research from the Centre for the Economics of Education (Jenkins et al, 2002) did not find supporting evidence for such returns to vocational courses. In contrast, taking academic courses is associated with substantial changes in social and political attitudes that positively contribute to social capital.…”

Section: Wider Benefits Of Academic and Vocational Courses Leading Tomentioning

confidence: 98%

“…However, there is quantitative evidence from longitudinal studies that lifelong learning may lead to an increased probability of re-entering the labour market (Jenkins, Vignoles, Wolf and Galindo-Rueda, 2002). …”

Section: Evidence On Effects Of Almentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although attitudes and behaviours may have settled, there are nevertheless many life changes that adults at this stage in their lives share. Other research investigating economic returns to participation in adult learning have focused on exactly this phase, using the same data (Jenkins, 2002). In addition, other research based on analyses of data from the Labour Force Survey suggests that a substantial component -over 10% of adult accredited learning (measured in hours) -is taken between the ages of 33 and 42 (Conlon, 2002/3).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The contribution of adult learning to health and social capital

Feinstein

Hammond

2004

Oxford Review of Education

131

119

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Objectives and methods• The aim of this research is to investigate the effects of adult learning upon a range of measures of health and social capital and cohesion.• The study has a broad scope. We estimate effects of adult learning on a wide range of outcomes. We break down participation in learning in a number of ways, and we assess the different impacts of participation on different groups. The primary objective is to assess the nature and extent of wider effects of adult learning. More detailed findings relating to specific outcomes, types of courses taken and groups of learners are extremely interesting and indicate directions for further research.• The National Child Development Study is the database used for analyses. We use data relating to almost 10,000 adults born in Britain in 1958, focusing upon changes in their lives between the ages of 33 (in 1991) and 42 (in 2000).• The effects of participation in learning between the ages of 33 and 42 are estimated.Participation in learning is broken down according to the type of course takencourses resulting in academic and vocational qualifications, work-related training and leisure courses.• Previous, closely related research on the effects of adult learning focused on wage effects only and neglected non-accredited learning of the kind considered here. The current project is, therefore, a timely reminder that many learners take courses in adult learning that are not accredited and for reasons other than wage returns. A proper assessment of the value of adult learning must take these wider benefits into account.• The outcomes considered are changes between age 33 and 42 in social and political attitudes, civic participation, health behaviours (smoking, alcohol consumption and exercise), self-reported life satisfaction and onset and recovery from depression.• Effects of participation upon these outcomes are estimated for the whole sample. In addition, the different effects of participation are separately estimated for men and women, and for those without Level 2 qualifications at age 33.• We restrict selection bias by exploiting the fact that our data are longitudinal. We attempt to consider effects on individuals as they change over time, making before and after comparisons. We also control for a wide range of life-course background, achievement and developmental factors. Headline findings• Adult learning plays an important role in contributing to the small shifts in attitudes and behaviours that take place during mid-adulthood.• Participation in adult learning has positive effects on a wide spectrum of health and social outcomes. iv• The evidence for effects is robust to changes in specification. The same picture of wide-ranging effects of adult learning on changes in health and social outcomes is found when alternative specifications are used to measure participation in learning (linear, categorical, dummies, and quadratic functions).• Effect sizes are small in absolute terms. However, there is little change in attitudes and behaviours during mid-adulthood an...

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Section: Wider Benefits Of Academic and Vocational Courses Leading Tomentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Evidence On Effects Of Almentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The contribution of adult learning to health and social capital

Feinstein

Hammond

2004

Oxford Review of Education

131

119

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“…A large body of research reports no or rather weak returns (Jenkins et al, 2003;Wolf et al, 2006;De-Coulon and Vignoles, 2008;Blanden et al, 2012), although there is also research pointing to some economic benefits from life-long learning (Feinstein et al, 2004;Dorsett et al, 2011). However, none of these studies attempt to link social origins to the earnings returns to further education, and only very few consider occupational or class returns (for an exception, see Blossfeld et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, there is ample evidence of the positive effect of initial education on the chance of obtaining new qualifications as adults, both in Britain and elsewhere (e.g. Jenkins et al, 2003;Blanden et al, 2010). Employment characteristics also affect participation ratesalthough the results in this regard are somewhat conflicting, at least for Britain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cumulative Inequalities over the Life-Course: Life-long Learning and Social Mobility in Britain

Bukodi

2016

J. Soc. Pol.

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This paper examines the possibility that life-long learning promotes intergenerational class mobility. The following two research questions are asked. Is it the case that further education provides individuals coming from less advantaged origins with a second chance to improve on their educational attainment? Is it the case that the returns to further qualifications, in terms of chances of upward class career mobility, are greater for children from less advantaged backgrounds than for children from more advantaged backgrounds? The analyses -that are based on the complete educational and class histories of men and women in a British birth cohort -mainly produce negative findings. Children coming from managerial and professional backgrounds seem to benefit most from further education. More specifically, further education appears to be an effective means of career advancement for individuals of managerial and professional origins who start out in their working lives in relatively low-level class positions. Via further education they can increase or update their qualifications, and in turn enhance their chances of being counter-mobile back to their class of origin. Overall, based on the findings of this paper, we can conclude that qualifications attained through life-long learning primarily serve to maintain, rather than to narrow, inequalities attached to social origins in Britain.

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Do ‘learners’ always learn? The impact of workplace adult literacy courses on participants’ literacy skills

Wolf

Jenkins

2013

British Educational Res J

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This paper examines the degree to which British adults participating in workplace literacy courses improved their reading comprehension skills, using longitudinal data which cover the period from enrolment until between two and three years later. Learners were tested using an instrument designed explicitly for adults, with two parallel forms. For those who were native English speakers, there is no evidence of improvement. Learners for whom English was a second language showed modest but statistically significant improvements, but it is impossible to tell whether these were the result of instruction, or of subjects' longer exposure to an English-speaking environment. The data were re-analysed using imputed data, in order to address the problem of missing data, which is common in longitudinal studies, and using multilevel models. The results of these further analyses were the same in all key respects. These findings are important because improvement of adult literacy and numeracy skills has been central to successive governments' policies for improving both economic productivity and social mobility. Policy-makers have confounded the acquisition and award of certificates with substantive skill improvement. This study shows that one cannot, in fact, assume that the award of a new qualification indicates that substantive learning has taken place. It also underlines the complexity of reading skills, and the need for long periods of learning and instruction if serious progress is to be made.

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The determinants and labour market effects of lifelong learning

Cited by 137 publications

References 9 publications

The contribution of adult learning to health and social capital

The contribution of adult learning to health and social capital

Cumulative Inequalities over the Life-Course: Life-long Learning and Social Mobility in Britain

Do ‘learners’ always learn? The impact of workplace adult literacy courses on participants’ literacy skills

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