Lifelong learning – lifelong returns? A new theoretical framework for the analysis of civic returns on adult learning

Does Participation in Adult Education Increase Volunteering? An Analysis of British Longitudinal Data

“…In a theoretical framework relating to the civic returns on adult learning, Rüber et al (2018) connect explanations for change in volunteering with the known outcomes of participation in AE. The framework suggests four mechanism clusters through which AE may influence civic participation: (a) AE may shape the learners’ competences for volunteering and the perceived benefits to the act of volunteering; (b) it may change the learners’ self-perceptions that are relevant for the uptake of new activities, such as self-efficacy or self-esteem; (c) it may affect the learners’ attitudes and values related to the society; and (d) it takes place in social contexts and thereby provides the opportunity to expand the learners’ social networks and communities.…”

“…The framework suggests four mechanism clusters through which AE may influence civic participation: (a) AE may shape the learners’ competences for volunteering and the perceived benefits to the act of volunteering; (b) it may change the learners’ self-perceptions that are relevant for the uptake of new activities, such as self-efficacy or self-esteem; (c) it may affect the learners’ attitudes and values related to the society; and (d) it takes place in social contexts and thereby provides the opportunity to expand the learners’ social networks and communities. Whether a mechanism sets in and to what extent it is prevalent, is conditional on the characteristics of the AE activity (Rüber et al, 2018).…”

“…Moreover, it aims to further the discussion on mechanisms that could explain this effect by distinguishing different types of AE based on content, volume and accreditation. Following Rüber, Rees and Schmidt-Hertha (2018), the type of AE is indicative of the mechanisms explaining the link between AE and volunteering.…”

The potential of statistical matching for the analysis of wider benefits of learning in later life

“…With qualitative methods traditionally dominating the field of adult education research, calls for methodological plurality encourage quantitative or mixed method approaches (Boeren, 2018;Fejes & Nylander, 2015). So far, the literature featuring quantitative studies on wider benefits of adult learning is modest but increasing and is accompanied by a constructive discussion on the underlying theoretical framework, (secondary) data, and analysis techniques in this field (Field, 2011;Rüber, Rees & Schmidt-Hertha, 2018). Studies frequently find (mostly) positive associations between adult learning and outcomes such as physical and mental health, employment, social and civic engagement (for an overview see Field, 2012;Schuller, 2017), mostly based on cross-sectional analysis, but progressively based on advanced statistical modelling techniques, such as randomized, quasi-experimental or longitudinal designs.…”

“…Third, results will always relate to some unique features of the data base (e.g. cohort, reference time, type of adult learning), therefore, generalisability of evidence on the benefits of adult learning will always be limited to some extent (Rüber et al, 2018). Thus, it is essential to balance trade-offs between the research interest and the data basis and to critically reflect findings against this backdrop.…”