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Non-formal adult education provides participants with a number of social and personal competencies that are relevant for the labour market. Also this sector is able to motivate participants to proceed into other kinds of education. This is documented in a survey made for the Danish Adult Education Association (DAEA).
By Michael Voss
When organizers, teachers and board members of non-formal adult education in Denmark get together, they agree without hesitation that one of the special qualities of non-formal or liberal adult education is its ability to provide the participants with social and personal competencies.
Likewise no one will argue against the assertion that liberal adult education is able to create the motivation and self-confidence that can make participants continue into other kinds of education, realising for themselves the idea of lifelong learning.
Nevertheless, from time to time the question arises: Can we document these assertions?
That is why the DAEA asked an opinion-research institute to make a survey among participants in Danish non-formal adult education. (For details on Danish adult education, see InfoNet article “Systems and tendencies of adult education in Denmark”).
The survey covers people who have participated within the previous two years in Evening Schools, Danish University Extension, Day High Schools or Folk High Schools. In different ways they were asked what they have gained from participating – apart from the actual subject of the course.
One result of the survey is that about half of the participants between 18 and 59 years thinks that they have become better at collaborating with other people from. One half answers that their creative competencies have improved. And the same share of the survey population are convinced that because of non-formal adult education they are better at solving problems and dealing with challenges.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that about 40 % have gained leadership competencies and are more able to cope with stress.
To really appreciate these results one must be aware that these competencies very seldom are the stated purpose of a course and seldom the individual’s reason for participating. They are a positive side effect.
These and other social competencies have been promoted by non-formal adult education in Denmark, primarily because they improve participants life quality and make them more able citizens. But there is no doubt that these competencies also are both relevant and necessary in most jobs nowadays. This point is often stressed by researchers, politicians and the labour market.
The survey shows that ordinary people, taking part in non-formal adult education, agree.
More than 50 % say that participating in non-formal adult education has been useful at their job.
Lifelong learning is necessary for all citizens. This is globally recognized. But still many people do not educate themselves after entering the labour market. Often they do not see the need, or their youth experiences scare them off.
Consequently one extremely important task for all parts of society is to create the necessary motivation for adult education.
According to the DAEA-survey non-formal adult education is part of the solution to this problem. 54 % said that participating in non-formal adult education improved their motivation for taking part in other kinds of education.
To make the picture complete it should be noted, though, that only 11 % answered that they have actually entered into some other kind of education.
Is this disappointing and does it devaluate the positive figures in the survey, I asked Per Paludan Hansen, chairman of the DAEA:
“You have to take into account that the people in question have finished some kind of course within the previous two years. Many of them haven’t yet had opportunities to enrol in the formal educational system.
But the gap between 54 % and 11 % shows that to many adults it is a huge step to begin education even though they want to. There are serious barriers, and in my view this is mostly problems that must be solved by the formal adult education and by the labour market.
One way at making more people enrol in formal education is to encourage educational institutions to recognise real competencies – or prior learning. For some years the DAEA has focused on this issue. We have developed tools to identify and document prior learning.
At the same time we have lobbied to have prior learning recognised, and a new legislation from June this year make it obligatory for formal adult education institutions to make a validation of applicants prior learning,” says Per Paludan Hansen.
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This article was originally written for and published by InfoNet Adult Education
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