Inquiry Published Papers

Background

Over the coming months, the Inquiry will be publishing a series of interim papers on the Inquiry themes, the implications of lifelong learning for different sectors, expenditure on lifelong learning, and the public value of lifelong learning.

Thematic Papers

The Thematic Papers form the core initial substance of the Inquiry’s work. They cover the following:

Demography and Lifelong Learning, by Stephen McNair
This is the first of the Inquiry’s thematic papers, published on 20 January 2009. It reviews the evidence on demographic change which shows that the normal lifespan is increasing; the population is ageing and becoming more diverse. Alongside this it identifies globalisation, technological and social change as key factors meaning that most people will experience, during their lifetime, more change than any previous generation. It argues that if people are to lead satisfying and productive lives, they will need to learn throughout this extended lifespan, constantly building and maintaining their employability, engagement with society and their autonomy and identity capital.

Technological Change, by Simon Mauger
This is the second of the Inquiry’s thematic papers, published on 20 March 2009. It starts from the perspective that given the increasing ubiquity of computers everyone will be affected by their presence. It argues, therefore, that those engaged with lifelong learning in any capacity need to better understand the implications of this, so that future societies are the ones we seek rather than the ones we end up with. It highlights some key implications and challenges for the lifelong learning system, and argues for more attention to be paid to the cultural, as well as the technical implications of technology, in particular the ways it is fundamentally changing the behaviours that we associate with teaching and learning.

Migration, Communities and Lifelong Learning, by Stephen McNair
This is the third thematic paper to be published from the Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning (IFLL). This paper, published on 22 April 2009, is about the implications for lifelong learning of the changing nature of communities in Britain, and especially of the impact of migration (internal and external to Britain) on this. It aims to present as accurate a picture as possible of patterns of migration and community cohesion in Britain, but focuses on the broad trends and what they imply for what individuals and communities need to learn. It argues that adult education can speed up the process of integration into a new community, helping people to quickly become a significant part of their neighbourhood. This is true for people moving within the UK, as well as from other countries, and should include rapid access to first level ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teaching for those who need it.

Well-being and Happiness, by John Field
This is the fourth of the Inquiry’s thematic papers, published on 2 June 2009. Written by Professor John Field, a commissioner for the Inquiry, the paper argues that education has a measurable impact on well-being, through all the stages of life. That impact takes place at different levels: education has a direct effect on well-being, by helping people develop capabilities and resources which influence their well-being; it has an indirect effect, leading to outcomes that in turn allow people to thrive and increase their resilience in the face of risk; and it can have a cumulative effect, by influencing the social and economic environment in which people spend their lives. And the effects on well-being themselves can be collective as well as individual. The paper considers the challenges for learning providers to make more of their contribution to well-being; for policy-makers and providers to promote well-being through collaboration across policy areas such as health, employment, social policy, culture and the arts; and the need to develop well-founded approaches to measurement.

Sector Papers

The Inquiry’s Sector Papers will discuss the implications of lifelong learning for each of the sectors involved in providing learning opportunities: pre-school, school, FE, HE, private trainers, third sector organisations and local authorities. The goal here is to encourage innovative thinking on how these parts do or do not fit together, as part of a systemic approach to lifelong learning.

Schools as a foundation for lifelong learning, by Guy Claxton and Bill Lucas

This is the first of the Inquiry’s Sector Papers, published on 24 February 2009. It explores the role of school as a foundation for lifelong learning through four themes:

The Private Training Market in the UK, by Lindsey Simpson
This is the second of the Inquiry’s sector papers, published on 26 May 2009. The paper examines the nature of the private training market in the UK. It focuses on training purchased by employers rather than by individuals. Whilst there is a body of statistical and other evidence in relation to publicly funded training aimed at employers, there is lower awareness among policy makers of the nature of the private sector market and how it operates. The report examines the market dynamics and the implications for learning and skills policy in the UK.

Public Value Papers

This series of papers grapples with a range of questions about how we should understand the benefits of lifelong learning. The ‘public value’ of lifelong learning resides in the benefits it brings, not only to the learners themselves, but to the wider society. If learning makes individuals healthier, for example, that is good for them, but also for their family, their community and for the health service and the taxpayer. It signals a general uplift in the quality of life. This is public value. These papers explore different approaches to evaluating the benefits of learning.

Lifelong Learning and Crime: A Life-course Perspective, by John Bynner
This paper addresses the financial and other benefits to society to be gained from lifelong learning as an antidote to crime. It starts by setting out the evidence on the benefits of lifelong learning in relation to crime and offending and shows the potential benefits are high, but that current policy and practice does not enable them to be realised. It makes a case for a life-course approach to analyse the effects of learning. Finally, it adds a critique of how cost – benefit analysis is used and urges for a broader approach.

Lifelong Learning and Well-being: An Analysis of the Relationship Between Adult Learning and Subjective Well-being, by Matrix Knowledge Group
This paper addresses the question of how far learning can contribute to improving well-being. It studies the impact on a person’s well-being of engaging in lifelong learning, and uses this relationship to estimate the economic value of lifelong learning.  It suggests that undertaking part-time education, or having done so in the last year, is associated with an increase in well-being. However, having obtained a formal qualification at a later than conventional age results in a lower level of subjective well-being compared with obtaining a formal qualification at the conventional age.

Lifelong Learning and Crime: An Analysis of the Cost-effectiveness of In-prison Educational and Vocational Interventions, by Matrix Knowledge Group
This paper addresses the question of how far learning can contribute to a reduction in crime. It investigates the efficiency of one form of lifelong learning – in-prison educational and vocational interventions – in reducing offending. Specifically, by using cost- benefit analysis, it attempts to answer the question: ‘is in-prison education a cost-effective use of public resources, and what types of intervention are most efficient for which offenders?’

The Impact of Lifelong Learning and Poverty Reduction, by Ricardo Sabates
This paper summarises research-based evidence about the impacts of lifelong learning on poverty reduction. It is a contribution to an empirically based understanding of the complex mechanisms through which education impacts on poverty reduction.

It starts by providing a definition of poverty and sets the scene for learning opportunities for poor people in the UK. It reviews literature on the income effects of adult education, the impact of financial literacy, the employment and health effects of adult learning, basic skills and health literacy and the impact of lifelong learning on reducing child poverty.