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The man who invented the ‘adult learner’ and 'seriously useless learning'

The man who invented the ‘adult learner’ and ‘seriously useless learning’

A Guardian article about the influential adult educator Alan Tuckett has resurfaced on social media this week. It’s almost 2 years old but very relevant as adult learners begin a new academic year of part-time courses.

Alan Tuckett is an prominent campaigner for adult education including what he calls, “seriously useless learning” – by which he means learning that offers no immediate obvious…

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Adult education - from queues to a "best-kept secret"

Adult education – from queues to a “best-kept secret”

I was struck by the contrasts between two tweets in my timeline this morning.

The first showed a photograph of a long line of people queuing for adult education classes in Worcester in 1981. September queues were also an annual feature of adult and community learning in Leeds in the 1980s.

The second tweet provided a link to the Irish Times describing adult education as a “best-kept secret”.

Wh…

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After the EU referendum - Message to my MP

After the EU referendum – Message to my MP

The 52:48 EU Referendum result was close – too close to be reliable and conclusive for such a momentous decision. Nigel Farage said that such a ratio should trigger a second referendum (bit.ly/28POgKP), so should accept that there is an issue about whether an almost neck and neck outcome can be ultimately determinative.

There is now increasing evidence that many who voted for Brexit feel duped…

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A tribute to NIACE

A tribute to NIACE

NIACE, the National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education is merging with the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion and its name will disappear after 94 years at the forefront of promoting adult learning. The Who’s Lobbyingwebsite describes NIACE as, “the main advocacy body for adult learning in England and Wales and probably the largest body devoted to adult education in the world.” Its…

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10 reasons to Save Adult Education

10 reasons to Save Adult Education

Please sign and share the link to the petition to Save Adult Education. Evidence shows successive and massive funding cuts over recent years and a decline in numbers of adult learners in part-time education.

Why does this matter?

There are countless reasons, but here are some:

Education equips us for life, but the world keeps changing after our compulsory school leaving ages. Adults need to…

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Policy Exchange - Fining secondary schools to fund FE

Policy Exchange – Fining secondary schools to fund FE

A think tank, Policy Exchange, published a report this week arguing that secondary schools whose pupils fail to achieve required grades in GCSE maths and English should be fined, with funding for a ‘resit levy’ reallocated to Further Education colleges. It has prompted some strong reactions but provides an opportunity to exchange some relevant policy ideas.

You can read a synopsis and download…

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#signupnow for adult learning

#signupnow for adult learning

What more can we to encourage adults to sign up for courses this autumn? What will encourage people to enrol at times when fewer people are taking up part-time learning? Could we coax some potential students with a #signupnow hashtag on social media, reviving a campaign from the past and sharing some seductive reasons for taking part in adult learning?

A 2013 Government Report: Benefits of Adult…

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PARSNIPs, trigger warnings and coddling

PARSNIPs, trigger warnings and coddling

Should we steer clear of PARSNIPs in adult education or learn how to deal with them? David Petrie, blogging as TEFLGeek explains that the acronym stands for Politics, Alcohol, Religion, Sex, Narcotics, -Isms and Pork.

Petrie’s focus is on teaching English as a foreign language outside the UK but dealing with PARSNIPs is a hot potato in adult education more generally as students – and teachers –…

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Too big a cause to be marginalised

Too big a cause to be marginalised

Writing in today’s Observer, Will Hutton, principal of Hertford College, Oxford says that “Growing student debt is entrenching unfairness for a whole generation“.

The article comes in the week that A-Level results will be published in England and reports that a third of English 18-year-olds now apply to university. Hutton observes that 12,000 more students from poorer homes are enrolling at…

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Politics and making adult education a priority

Politics and making adult education a priority

(A Twitter exchange with Prof. John Field prompted this blog. You can read his latest tweets here.)

Some politicians are drawing attention to the severe threats facing FE and adult education, with criticism of cuts from across UK parties and in all four UK nations. The  politicians speaking up most loudly against the savage cuts tend to be in opposition  – but the balance of power between parties…

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FE and adult education cuts and cuttings

FE and adult education cuts and cuttings

This blog features a small selection of headlines and links to articles about cuts in Further and Adult Education over the last 2 years.

The current round of cuts is on top of massive earlier budget reductions and will affect many people including the most vulnerable in society, marginalising them further and removing chances for self-improvement. It was also affect skilled, professional adult…

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Do we need journals in adult education?

Do we need journals in adult education?

As adult educators, we should be mindful of our own professional development and continued intellectual growth. We expect this of our adult students, who have busy lives and are prioritising their learning alongside other demands on their time. Relevant reading helps us to keep abreast of developments in teaching and learning theories and practice, resources, techniques, curriculum, policy and…

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Will a whole class will have to stay behind?

Will a whole class will have to stay behind?

Social class still determines most people’s life experiences in the UK.

Inequality in wealth, health, social networks and the contrasts between privilege and poverty are marked, as shown in an OECD report of February 2015: Income inequality data update and policies impacting income distribution. The Equality Trust has also published a recent report, The Scale of Economic Inequality in the UK,…

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A new culture of night schools?

A new culture of night schools?

Writing in the Guardian on 19 June, David Lammy MP proposed that,” A new culture of night schools would transform our workforce”. He said, “We must resurrect the evening classes that once allowed people the chance to progress in jobs, so British firms don’t have to look elsewhere for skilled workers.” You can read the full text of the article here.

His description of how his mother benefited from…

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Who is speaking up for adult learning?

We are celebrating some fantastic individual and group achievements in inspiring Adult Learners’ Week events and activities across the country. The ALW celebrations show that adult learning is a potent game-changer for many people who wouldn’t otherwise meet their potential. The overall national award winners and their achievements will be announced at a glittering event in London this evening.

Y…

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All change!

This blog's title will change to "Lifelong Learning Matters" but the content will remain. My new Twitter name will be @_AnnWalker but this will be a continuation of my existing account.

Joanna Cain will take over the role of Deputy CEO and Director of Education at the WEA when I retire from the post at the end of this month. Jo is currently the Head of Learning and Organising Services at the public service union UNISON and has worked closely with the WEA on partnership initiatives including the longstanding “Return to Learn” workplace learning project. She is also an…

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Celebrating adult learning in the North of England

Celebrating adult learning in the North of England

Brilliant award winners were outstanding stars at the Northern England Adult Learners’ Week ceremony in Leeds Civic Hall on Friday 5 June. It was a fitting setting. Built in the 1930s depression, the impressive Civic Hall was a job creation project, providing work and training for adults who would otherwise have been unemployed.

The award winners were:

Christine Foskett – Raising Aspirations…

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