Quantitative
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(2010) A sense of a future: A study of training and work in later life
This report assembles evidence from a wide range of sources (including a review of national datasets, a literature review, interviews, and specially commissioned surveys), to explore the relationship between skills, training and work for people over the age of 50 in the UK. It examines the claim that training might help extend average working life and raise workforce skills levels in response to demographic change. Five key recommendations are made which aim to address two key policy concerns: how to best respond to an ageing society; and how to ensure an adequate labour force and skills base in the face of growing global competition. Report commissioned by the Nuffield Foundation from the Centre for Research into the Older Workforce (CROW) at National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE).
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(2010) Being an 'older learner' in higher education: sustaining the will to learn
This article reports on a study of 131 higher education students, aged 50 and over, which explored their reasons for studying and their self-reports of the perceived benefits of studying and their confidence as learners. The results suggested that, for the learners, personal and professional development were inextricably linked, and that they generally saw themselves as beneficiaries within the academic community. Self Determination Theory (SDT) provided a theoretical lens through which the will to learn could be interpreted as being sustained by a striving for autonomy, competence and a sense of belonging.
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(2011) Older men's learning through age-related community organisations in Australia
This paper explores less-examined learning beyond work in Australia, specifically the learning experienced by older men through participation in age-based community organisations. It is based on an Australian mixed method study of 48 diverse community organisations across three Australian states. Research interviews and surveys with participants in these organisations explored aspects of older men's learning. Some comparisons and insights are suggested between aged-based and non-age-based community organisations in which the median ages of participants are relatively high.
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(2012) Eurobarometer n° 393 - Discrimination in the EU in 2012
The European Commission published in November 2012 a new Eurobarometer which looks into attitudes and perceptions of Europeans towards discrimination, based on different grounds (gender, ethnic origin, religion or beliefs, age, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity). The age-related results highlight that the economic crisis is contributing to an increase of perceived discrimination in the labour market, especially for older persons - more than two-third of Europeans (67%) believe the economic crisis is contributing to more discrimination against “older” workers (those aged over 55).
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(2012) Family care-giving for ageing parents in Nigeria: gender differences, cultural imperatives and the role of education
Caring for an elderly relative, especially in African societies, is usually a task that is reserved for females. This article includes an analysis of the effect of gender in care-giving. Data was collected, using questionnaire and interviews, from 530 adult (40 + years, mostly well-educated) respondents, residing in Nsukka town, Nigeria, who had at least one parent alive. Comparisons were made between the responses of the male and female adult children. The findings showed that adult daughters had more positive general perceptions of care-giving than adult sons and were less likely to see a personal care-giving role as a burden. The findings raise questions about how likely it is that such differences will change and whether they can be affected by lifelong learning provision.
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(2012) Learning and Wellbeing Trajectories Among Older Adults in England
Research paper no. 92 from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The report sets out findings from quantitative analysis of the relationship between participation in learning and well-being outcomes among older adults in England. It uses data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
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(2012) Older Adults’ vs. Younger Adults’ Web Search: Memory, Performance and Strategies
This article reports on a study in which age differences in memory, performance and strategy use were examined in the context of a web search in which 124 adults participated. Regardless of test condition, list map or spatial map, older adults experienced significantly greater difficulty in retrieving information from recall than did younger adults but were just as able as younger adults to recognise material, suggesting that older people were relatively penalised when more effortful memory processes were required. The results showed that older adults used a broader search strategy than younger adults. However, older adults were slower and less able to find the target information than their younger counterparts.
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(2012) Older People's Learning in 2012: A Survey
The report of a survey of older people in Great Britain, carried out in spring 2012. It examined their learning: what they learned, where, when and why, and with what benefits. It also examined whether, and how far, current patterns might be changed. It follows a similar survey in 2005, and reveals some significant changes since then,especially in the role of employment, in the location of learning, and the role of computing and online learning.
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(2012) Population Ageing in the United Kingdom, its Constituent Countries and the European Union
This report from the UK Office for National Statistics gives an overview of population ageing in the UK, its constituent countries and the European Union. Median ages and percentages of people aged 65 and over are presented showing how the countries of the UK and the EU have aged between 1985 and 2010 and are projected to age up to 2035. This report is also accompanied by a Video Podcast: Population Ageing Across the United Kingdom and EU-27 - Animated Video Podcast
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(2012) Social partners: Out with early exit - in with lifelong learning and career development?
The goal of the survey was to find out to what extent the social partners have developed policies and outlined strategies which explicitly address the demografic change and promote opportunities for lifelong learning and career development among their senior members (45+) in the Nordic countries. Besides the differences between the unions in regards many aspects and within most countries, the findings also revealed systematic differences between the Nordic countries. Even a strong lifelong learning policy does not alone guarantee real opportunities for and participation in learning during the latter life time job careers. There is also a need for a more active approach from social partners, in policy and practice, to promote lifelong learning and career development to their senior memebers during their last 15 - 20 years in working life.
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(2012) Workplace learning for older workers in the Kingdom of Bahrain
The aim of this paper is two-fold. First, it considers the role of learning for older workers in the Kingdom of Bahrain, a country with a young workforce which is nevertheless dependent on older workers. Second, the importance of (workplace) learning for older workers is considered in light of older workers’ continued or even extended contribution to the labour market. A key finding from this research is that despite investment in learning by the state, there are numerous problems and barriers to workplace learning for older workers in Bahrain. Twelve organisations in Bahrain took part in the research presented - in total, 25 participants including 8 HR managers/directors and 17 employees were surveyed.
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(2013) 72% of Online Adults are Social Networking Site Users
Report from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, which has been studying online adults’ social networking site use since 2005. This report is based on the findings of a survey on Americans' use of the Internet, which shows that 72% of online adults use social networking sites. Furthemore, those aged 65 and older have roughly tripled their presence on social networking sites in the last four years—from 13% in the spring of 2009 to 43% in 2013. The report also examines Twitter use. The results are based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International from April 17 to May 19, 2013, among a sample of 2,252 adults, aged 18 and older.
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(2013) Generali Old-Age Survey – The way of living, thinking and involvement of elderly people
The research, by the Polling Institute of Allensbach on behalf of the Generali Future Fund, consisted of face-to-face- interviews with 4,000 representative 65 - 85 year old Germans. In general, the interviewees felt ten years younger than they were and wished to maintain lifelong independence. Key findings were that the majority led a very active, satisfying and varied life and focused on the maintenance of health.
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(2013) Shades of grey: ambitions of 55+
Het aantal ouderen in Nederland groeit snel. Hierdoor ontstaan kansen, uitdagingen en problemen. In het hier gepresenteerd onderzoek zijn de opvattingen, wensen en noden van de ouderen zelf in beeld gebracht rond vier thema’s: werk, zelfmanagement, wonen en sociale contacten. Medical Delta Vitality, Zuid-Holland, 60 pg, 2013
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(2013) The financial behaviour of older people in the Russian Federation and implications for learning in later life
This article examines the financial behaviour and levels of financial literacy of older people in the Russian Federation. It suggests that the understanding of finance of many Russian older people is derived from the very different financial culture of the former Soviet Union. The authors report on their own survey from 2010, on 460 residents of Ufa city, which showed that age contributed to an uneven use of financial services. Those over 65 largely did not consider themselves to be financially or computer literate and did not have contact with financial institutions. The authors identify a range of learning provision and initiatives for older people which would improve their financial literacy and argue that the active promotion of these is an imperative in the modern Russian state
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(2013) Traditions and recent developments in learning in later life in the Russian Federation
This article reports on a national survey of University of the Third Age-type provision for older people in eight cities in Russia. In the Republic of Bashkortostan a region-wide programme ‘Third Age Universities for All’ came into operation in 2011, and a small survey of U3A students in one city is also reported. The study explores the motivations of older learners and their perceptions of the major benefits of learning. It suggests that while the programme needs to be amended in many ways, it sets a worthwhile precedent.The author discussed possible directions for new curriculum development and tutor training to help the current generations of older people in Russia learn their way through national transition.
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(2013) Wellbeing and learning in later life
A longitudinal quantitative study which uses data on over 1200 people in their 50s and 60s from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and relates a measure of their wellbeing to participation in several types of learning. The authors find evidence that, amongst this demographic group, it is the non-vocational types of learning, rather than vocational education and training courses, which are associated with higher wellbeing. The paper reflects on these results, discussing ways of measuring wellbeing, and the advantages of using quantitative, rather than qualitative, data to analyse the benefits of learning.
