Vocationalism varies (a lot): a 12-country multivariate analysis of participation in formal adult learning

Boeren, Ellen and Holford, John (2016) Vocationalism varies (a lot): a 12-country multivariate analysis of participation in formal adult learning. Adult Education Quarterly, 66 (2). pp. 120-142. ISSN 1552-3047

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Abstract

To encourage adult participation in education and training, contemporary policy makers typically encourage education and training provision to have a strongly vocational (employment-related) character, while also stressing individuals’ responsibility for developing their own learning. Adults’ motivation to learn is not, however, purely vocational—it varies substantially, not only between individuals but between populations. This article uses regression analysis to explain motivation among 12,000 learners in formal education and training in 12 European countries. Although vocational motivation is influenced by individual-level characteristics (such as age, gender, education, occupation), it turns out that the country in which the participation takes place is a far stronger explanatory variable. For example, although men’s vocational motivation to participate is higher than women’s in all countries, Eastern European women have significantly higher levels of vocational motivation than men in Western Europe. This supports other research which suggests that, despite globalization, national institutional structures (social, economic) have continuing policy significance.

Item Type: Article
RIS ID: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/781944
Additional Information: © 2018 by American Association for Adult and Continuing Education
Keywords: Motivation; Comparative research; Europe; Vocationalism; Quantitative research
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-014-9540-8
Depositing User: Minson, Kanchana
Date Deposited: 12 Mar 2018 15:13
Last Modified: 04 May 2020 17:43
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/50372

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