Themes, Models, Findings and Collaborative Processes: some lessons from the Learning Society Programme BY Frank Coffield TLRP ConferenceLEID CardiffInstitute of Education 22 November,

2 The Learning Society Programme: Knowledge and Skills for Employment 1994 : Projects 50+ Researchers Universities from Edinburgh to Exeter, Belfast to Brighton 3. Funds: £2.5 million 4. Multi-disciplinary - economics, education, sociology and psychology

3 Main Publications 1.Learning at Work 2.Why’s the Beer always Stronger up North? Studies of Lifelong Learning in Europe 3.Speaking Truth to Power: Research and Policy on Lifelong Learning 4.The Necessity of Informal Learning 5.Differing Visions of a Learning Society: Vol July Differing Visions of a Learning Society: Vol October Brown A and Keep E (eds) Review of Research into VET in the UK, Luxembourg: CEC, July 2000 All published by The Policy Press, Bristol

4 Books By Projects 1.Ball, SJ, Maguire, MChoice, Pathways and Transitions Post-16, and Macrae, S (2000)London: Routledge 2.Bartlett, W, Rees T andAdult Guidance Services and the Learning Society, Bristol: Policy Press 3.Gorard, S and Rees, GCreating a Learning Society? Learning careers (2002)and policies for lifelong learning, Bristol: Policy Press 4.Hannan, A and Silver, HInnovating in Higher Education, (2002)Buckingham: Open University Press 5.Riddell, S, Baron, S andThe Learning Society and People with Learning Wilson, A (2001)Difficulties Bristol: Policy Press

5 Eight Themes 1. ‘learn at work, if you can’ 2. participation and non-participation 3. an over-reliance on human capital theory 4. the shifting of responsibility to individuals 5. ‘there’s precious little society in the learning society’ 6. the centrality of learning for a learning society 7. new inequalities 8. lessons from elsewhere in Europe Source: Coffield, F (ed) (2000) Differing Visions of a Learning Society, vol 2, Bristol: The Policy Press, pp 1-34

6 Ten Models of a Learning Society 1. Skills Growth 2. Personal Development 3. Social Learning 4. Learning Market 5. Local Learning Societies 6. Social Control 7. Self-Evaluation 8. Centrality of Learning 9. Reformed System of Education 10. Structural Reform

7 Percentages of Employees in Different Types of Organisation Source: Skills Survey 1997, Green Ashton and Felstead

8 Lifelong Learning Trajectories Source: Rees G, Fevre R, Furlong J and Gorard S (2000) “Participating in the Learning Society: History, Place and Biography” in F Coffield (ed) Differing Visions of a Learning Society, Vol 2, Bristol: The Policy Press

9 Social Determinants of Participation 1. TIME : when born, changing opportunities, salience of qualifications 2. PLACE : where born and brought up, local opportunities and social expectations, geographically mobile 3. GENDER: men report more learning than women, social expectations 4. FAMILY: social class, educational experience and religion, financial and cultural capital 5. INITIAL SCHOOLING : learner identities, 11+ NB All 5 factors determined relatively early in the life-course Source: Rees G, Fevre R, Furlong J and Gorard S (2000) “Participating in the Learning Society: History, Place and Biography” in F Coffield (ed) Differing Visions of a Learning Society, Vol 2, Bristol: The Policy Press

10 The market is not simply a new mechanism of service provision, it is a new culture and values system … it works to eradicate partnerships, planning and collaboration; our market is marked by insecurity, high anxiety, ruthlessness, suspicion, duplication, ‘knocking copy’ and poaching Source: Ball, SJ, Macrae, S and Maguire, M (1998)

11 “Let Them Eat Skills" Investment in education and training is a necessary but not a sufficient condition of sustained economic prosperity. Paradox: a strong manufacturing base is essential for long-term economic growth, but it doesn’t create many jobs.

12 COLLABORATIVE PROCESSES 3 Levels : Programme, Inter-Project and Individual Project

13 AProgramme : repeated return to central Q’s eg 1.Why a programme rather than a collection of stand- alone projects? 2.What new themes / thematic groups needed? 3.Using informal learning to build social capital? 4.Is the whole greater than the sum of the parts? 5.Are the findings worth £28m? Cf Standards Unit £100m

14 BInter Project 1.Presentation and discussion of papers 2.Cross-referencing 3.Joint presentations / publications 4.Director A as discussant of Project B Director B as discussant of Project A 5.Researchers from Project A (Phase 3) explore the potential of instruments, concepts and theories from Project B (Phases 1 or 2) 6.Shared challenges a) our collective messages on TLA? b) how to present discomforting findings to policy makers in ways they can respond positively? c)how to engage employers?

15 CIndividual Project 1.Identify common interests with other projects and establish links 2.Annual review of commitment to Programme 3.Pros and cons of being part of a Programme 4.Advice to ESRC