Michael Osborne – författare

This authoritative volume is a truly international contribution to the worldwide debate on how best to widen access to lifelong learning.The first section of the book comprises research studies from around the world, reflecting the diversity of contexts in which widening access is researched and considers issues central to the access debate, including different understandings of the concept of access, organisational and structural change, curriculum development, entry policies, performance and retention and labour market outcomes.The second section illustrates diverse and innovative methodological approaches that have been employed by researchers in the field, and considers the range of approaches available.Given the growing concern around the world on the need to combat social exclusion and to improve economic circumstances through access to lifelong learning, this book acts as a unique reference point informing the ongoing debate, exploring the relationships between research, policy and practice.

This authoritative volume is a truly international contribution to the worldwide debate on how best to widen access to lifelong learning.The first section of the book comprises research studies from around the world, reflecting the diversity of contexts in which widening access is researched and considers issues central to the access debate, including different understandings of the concept of access, organisational and structural change, curriculum development, entry policies, performance and retention and labour market outcomes.The second section illustrates diverse and innovative methodological approaches that have been employed by researchers in the field, and considers the range of approaches available.Given the growing concern around the world on the need to combat social exclusion and to improve economic circumstances through access to lifelong learning, this book acts as a unique reference point informing the ongoing debate, exploring the relationships between research, policy and practice.

Presenting a snapshot of contemporary international research into the pedagogy of lifelong learning and teaching, this book focuses on a wide range of issues related to lifelong learning, including higher education, community-based learning and literacy practices in continuing education. It highlights the fact that the wide-ranging conclusions they draw have vital implications for this rapidly changing field. The book reviews the emerging issues from researching teaching and learning in different post-school contexts - an issue which has grown in research importance around the world in recent years - with the concern both to widen participation and improve student attainment. Examining empirically, methodologically and theoretically contemporary research in teaching and learning in diverse contexts, it focuses on three main areas: learning careers and identities; pedagogy and learning cultures and learning beyond institutions.

Presenting a snapshot of contemporary international research into the pedagogy of lifelong learning and teaching, this book focuses on a wide range of issues related to lifelong learning, including higher education, community-based learning and literacy practices in continuing education. It highlights the fact that the wide-ranging conclusions they draw have vital implications for this rapidly changing field. The book reviews the emerging issues from researching teaching and learning in different post-school contexts - an issue which has grown in research importance around the world in recent years - with the concern both to widen participation and improve student attainment. Examining empirically, methodologically and theoretically contemporary research in teaching and learning in diverse contexts, it focuses on three main areas: learning careers and identities; pedagogy and learning cultures and learning beyond institutions.

With contributions from around the world, this book brings together inter-related research from three fields: social capital, place management and lifelong learning regions. Providing valuable insight into the management of place and the development of learning at a regional level, the book presents international research that underpins the development and implementation of policies and practices that improve the quality of living and working circumstances at both local and regional levels.International in scope and at the cutting edge of research into this growing field that links lifelong learning to place, the book will appeal both to academics undertaking research in this burgeoning field and to those involved in lifelong learning at local, national and international level.

With contributions from around the world, this book brings together inter-related research from three fields: social capital, place management and lifelong learning regions. Providing valuable insight into the management of place and the development of learning at a regional level, the book presents international research that underpins the development and implementation of policies and practices that improve the quality of living and working circumstances at both local and regional levels.International in scope and at the cutting edge of research into this growing field that links lifelong learning to place, the book will appeal both to academics undertaking research in this burgeoning field and to those involved in lifelong learning at local, national and international level.

This textbook gives a wide-ranging, research-informed introduction to issues in lifelong learning across a variety of educational settings and practices. Its very accessible approach is multi-disciplinary drawing on sociology and psychology in particular. In addition, issues are discussed within an international context. While there has been a proliferation of texts focussing on particular areas of practice such as higher education, there is little in the way of a broad overview. Chapters one to four introduce various conceptions of lifelong learning, the factors that impinge on learning through the life course, and the social and the economic rationale for lifelong learning. Chapters five-ten consider the varied sites of lifelong learning, from the micro to macro (from the home to the region to the virtual). Chapter eleven draws the strands together in the context of turbulence and continuing transition in personal and work roles, and against the background of future technological development. This timely overview will be relevant to education and training professionals, education studies students and the general reader.

This textbook gives a wide-ranging, research-informed introduction to issues in lifelong learning across a variety of educational settings and practices. Its very accessible approach is multi-disciplinary drawing on sociology and psychology in particular. In addition, issues are discussed within an international context. While there has been a proliferation of texts focussing on particular areas of practice such as higher education, there is little in the way of a broad overview. Chapters one to four introduce various conceptions of lifelong learning, the factors that impinge on learning through the life course, and the social and the economic rationale for lifelong learning. Chapters five-ten consider the varied sites of lifelong learning, from the micro to macro (from the home to the region to the virtual). Chapter eleven draws the strands together in the context of turbulence and continuing transition in personal and work roles, and against the background of future technological development. This timely overview will be relevant to education and training professionals, education studies students and the general reader.

Received the ‘highly commended’ award by the Society for Educational Studies for books published in 2010.What is learned in universities today? Is it what students expect to learn? Is it what universities say they learn? How far do the answers to questions such as these differ according to what, where and how one studies?As higher education has expanded, it has diversified both in terms of its institutional forms and the characteristics of its students. However, what we do not know is the extent to which it has also diversified in terms of ‘what is learned’. In this book, the authors explore this question through the voices of higher education students, using empirical data from students taking 15 different courses at different universities across three subject areas – bioscience, business studies and sociology. The study concentrates on the students’ experiences, lives, hopes and aspirations while at university through data from interviews and questionnaires, and this is collated and assessed alongside the perspectives of their teachers and official data from the universities they attend.Through this study the authors provide insights into ‘what is really learned at university’ and how much it differs between individual students and the universities they attend. Notions of ‘best’ or ‘top’ universities are challenged throughout, and both diversities and commonalities of being a student are demonstrated. Posing important questions for higher education institutions about the experiences of their students and the consequences for graduates and society, this book is compelling reading for all those involved in higher education, providing conclusions which do not always follow conventional lines of thought about diversity and difference in UK higher education.

Received the ‘highly commended’ award by the Society for Educational Studies for books published in 2010.What is learned in universities today? Is it what students expect to learn? Is it what universities say they learn? How far do the answers to questions such as these differ according to what, where and how one studies?As higher education has expanded, it has diversified both in terms of its institutional forms and the characteristics of its students. However, what we do not know is the extent to which it has also diversified in terms of ‘what is learned’. In this book, the authors explore this question through the voices of higher education students, using empirical data from students taking 15 different courses at different universities across three subject areas – bioscience, business studies and sociology. The study concentrates on the students’ experiences, lives, hopes and aspirations while at university through data from interviews and questionnaires, and this is collated and assessed alongside the perspectives of their teachers and official data from the universities they attend.Through this study the authors provide insights into ‘what is really learned at university’ and how much it differs between individual students and the universities they attend. Notions of ‘best’ or ‘top’ universities are challenged throughout, and both diversities and commonalities of being a student are demonstrated. Posing important questions for higher education institutions about the experiences of their students and the consequences for graduates and society, this book is compelling reading for all those involved in higher education, providing conclusions which do not always follow conventional lines of thought about diversity and difference in UK higher education.

At a time in history when global challenges are becoming more intractable and threatening, it makes sense to draw on the specialist expertise of our universities. Much of government interest in doing so has typically focused on the major research institutions with their records of new discovery and invention. However, there is extensive evidence that the greatest opportunities are at regional level. Despite globalisation, regions are becoming more and more important as sites of identity and policy intervention. Regions can take their futures into their own hands, and their local universities are a crucial resource of expertise to support these initiatives. However, there have been significant barriers to effective cooperation between universities and their regional authorities. This book provides an analysis of these circumstances and draws on an international research project to point academics, policy makers and practitioners in the right direction. It provides extensive evidence from this project to support its argument.

This book examines access, lifelong learning and education for all, which have been policy preoccupations in all countries for more than half a century, but have been overlaid and pushed aside by the development of mass higher education.