Governing Adult Learning Through Influencing Public Debate: How the Media Use PIAAC Data in Denmark, Italy and the United Kingdom

Abstract

This chapter examines how visible the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) is in widely read newspapers in Denmark, Italy, and the United Kingdom, and how those newspapers use PIAAC data. Analysing 83 articles, editorials and opinion pieces, using a common protocol, it shows that press reporting of PIAAC tends to confirm general standards for adult learning. PIAAC data and PIAAC’s ‘implicit’ benchmarking of Level 3 in adults’ performances support European standard setting in adult learning. When national governments ask international organisations to do ‘objective’ evaluations, the latter’s power is enhanced. How PIAAC data is used by different newspapers varies not only between countries but also according to the role each newspaper plays within national debates.

Lifelong learning, young adults and the challenges of disadvantage in Europe Lifelong learning, young adults and the challenges of disadvantage in Europe , by John Holford, Pepka Boyadjieva, Sharon Clancy, Günter Hefler, Ivana Studená, 2023, 467 pp., £34.99 (paperback), ISBN: 978-3-031-14111-9. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

“…The ISCO 4 group (clerical support workers) is not included amongst the low-and medium-skilled occupations here, because their educational background is significantly higher (more have obtained tertiary level education compared to ISCO 5-9), and they have considerably higher NFE participation rates. In the analysis, the reference groups are young people with upper secondary education or higher (ISCED 3-5) 6 and people working in high-skilled occupations (ISCO 1-3). 7 Although our main interest is the impact of institutional characteristics on the probability of participation, the logistic regression models control for some individual level characteristics.…”

“…There is research in this area: for example, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Well Being website 5 provides infographics enabling regions across the world to be compared in terms of eleven topics important for well-being, such as education, employment and access to services. Eurostat's visualisation, 'My country in a bubble', 6 compares EU member states using 50 indicators grouped into themes, such as 'Population and social conditions', 'Transport', and 'Industry, trade and services'.…”