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Informal learning has often been seen as formal learning's 'poor cousin'. Our paper explores and discusses new and different ways of thinking about defining, valuing and researching the breadth and importance of informal learning in diverse national and cultural contexts. This includes a consideration of the power relations that can act to devalue informal learning. It is underpinned by a recognition that not only do a relatively small proportion of adults currently engage in formal learning, but those who do tend already to be dedicated and successful lifelong learners. It leads to a discussion about how informal learning might be framed as part of the solution to adult exclusion, seen to be aggravated by unnecessary adult educational hierarchies, accreditation, assessment and formality.

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This is a major field-based study for National Seniors Productive Ageing Centre by a research team from the University of Ballarat. It is an exploration of the benefits of older men's (age 50+) learning through participation in community settings other than those understood as having a vocational or educational dimension. It is based on an analysis of extensive audio-recorded and transcribed interviews and surveys in 48 organisations in six diverse sites across three Australian states. The six community organisation types explored were: adult and community education; sporting; religious, Indigenous and cultural; voluntary fire and emergency services; age-related and disability; and men’s special interest organisations. The research provides new evidence of the acute need for organisations providing adult learning in community settings to consider how to engage more men and to promote older men's wellbeing more effectively.

Excerpt from publication.

A shorter report based on this study is indexed at TD/TNC 99.876. Show less

Informal learning has often been seen as formal learning's 'poor cousin'. Our paper explores and discusses new and different ways of thinking about, defining, valuing and researching, the breadth and importance of informal learning in diverse national and cultural contexts. It is underpinned by a recognition that not only do a relatively small proportion of adults currently engage in formal learning, but those that do tend already to be dedicated and successful lifelong learners. It leads to a discussion about how informal learning might be framed as part of the solution to adult exclusion, seen to be aggravated by unnecessary adult educational hierarchies, accreditation, assessment and formality.

Author's abstract. Show less