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Adult Learning in Modern Societies

Adult Learning in Modern Societies

An International Comparison from a Life-course Perspective
eduLIFE Lifelong Learning series
Edited by Hans-Peter Blossfeld, Professor of Sociology, University of Bamberg, Germany, Elina Kilpi-Jakonen, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Social Research, University of Turku, Finland, Daniela Vono de Vilhena, Postdoctoral Researcher, European University Institute, Italy and Sandra Buchholz, Professor of Sociology, Otto Friedrich University Bamberg, Germany
As industrial societies increasingly evolve into knowledge-based economies, the importance of education as a lifelong process is greater than ever. This comprehensive book provides a state-of-the-art analysis of adult learning across the world and within varying institutional contexts. The expert contributors examine the structures of formal and non-formal adult learning in different countries, and investigate the levels of success those countries have experienced in encouraging participation and skill formation.

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Extent: 416 pp
Hardback Price: $161.00 Web: $144.90
Publication Date: 2014
ISBN: 978 1 78347 517 9
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As industrial societies increasingly evolve into knowledge-based economies, the importance of education as a lifelong process is greater than ever. This comprehensive book provides a state-of-the-art analysis of adult learning across the world and within varying institutional contexts. The expert contributors examine the structures of formal and non-formal adult learning in different countries, and investigate the levels of success those countries have experienced in encouraging participation and skill formation.

The book offers a cross-section of international perspectives, with chapters focusing on Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the United States. Using empirical, longitudinal data from each of these countries, the contributors identify which types of learning are converted into positive labor market outcomes and assess the potential of adult learning for reducing social inequalities.

This book will be of great use to both academics and policymakers with an interest in adult learning, sociology, education and inequality, and the economics of work.

Critical Acclaim

‘This book constitutes a unique contribution to understanding adult learning in different types of advanced modern societies. It explicitly demonstrates the relevance of comparative studies in order to better understand how adult learning participation can be developed in various types of policy regimes.’
– Paul Bélanger, Unviersity of Quebec, Montreal in International Review of Education

Contributors

Contributors: P. Barbieri, C. Barone, H.-P. Blossfeld, S. Buchholz, S. Buchler, J. Chesters, G. Csanádi, A. Csizmady, G. Cutuli, J. Dämmrich, C. Elman, D. Hamplová, M. Haynes, A. Higginson, E. Kilpi-Jakonen, Y. Kosyakova, M. Lugo, P. Martikainen, P. McMullin, P. Miret-Gamundi, V. Myrup Jensen, E. Reichart, P. Robert, E.-L. Roosmaa, E. Saar, S. Scherer, S. Schührer, N. Simonová, O. Sirniö, A. Stenberg, M. Triventi, J. Unfried., M. Unt, D. Vono de Vilhena, S. Wahler, F. Weiss

Contents

Contents:

Preface

Foreword

PART I INTRODUCTION
1. Adult Learning, Labor Market Outcomes, and Social Inequalities in Modern Societies
Elina Kilpi-Jakonen, Sandra Buchholz, Johanna Dämmrich, Patricia McMullin and Hans-Peter Blossfeld

PART II COMPARATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS
2. Participation in Adult Learning in Europe: The Impact of Country-Level and Individual Characteristics
Johanna Dämmrich, Daniela Vono de Vilhena and Elisabeth Reichart

3. Returns to Adult Learning in Comparative Perspective
Moris Triventi and Carlo Barone

PART III COUNTRY-SPECIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS
4. Adult Educational Participation and Implications for Employment in the US Context
Cheryl Elman and Felix Weiss

5. Adult Learning in Australia: Predictors and Outcomes
Sandra Buchler, Jenny Chesters, Angela Higginson and Michele Haynes

6. Cumulative (Dis)advantage? Patterns of Participation and Outcomes of Adult Learning in Great Britain
Patricia McMullin and Elina Kilpi-Jakonen

7. Job-Related Adult Learning in the Russian Federation: More Educational Opportunities without an Equalization Effect
Yuliya Kosyakova

8. Cumulative Inequality Effects of Adult Learning in Estonia
Ellu Saar, Marge Unt, and Eve-Liis Roosmaa

9. Adult Learning, Labor Market Outcomes, and Inequality: The Case of Sweden
Elina Kilpi-Jakonen and Anders Stenberg

10. Adult Learners in Finland: Formal Adult Education as an Opportunity for Reducing Inequality?
Elina Kilpi-Jakonen, Outi Sirniö, and Pekka Martikainen

11. Adult Learning in Denmark: Patterns of Participation in Adult Learning and Its Impact on Individuals’ Labor Market Outcomes 223
Susanne Wahler, Sandra Buchholz, Vibeke Myrup Jensen and Julia Unfried

12. Reinforcing Social Inequalities? Adult Learning and Returns to Adult Learning in Germany
Sandra Buchholz, Julia Unfried, and Hans-Peter Blossfeld

13. Adult Learning in Hungary: Participation and Labor Market Outcomes
Gábor Csanádi, Adrienne Csizmady and Péter Róbert

14. Adult Learning in the Czech Republic: A Youth- and Female-Oriented System?
Dana Hamplová and Natalie Simonová

15. Participation in Adult Learning in Spain and Its Impacts on Individuals’ Labor Market Trajectories
Daniela Vono de Vilhena and Pau Miret Gamundi

16. Italy: A Segmented Labor Market with Stratified Adult Learning
Paolo Barbieri, Giorgio Cutuli, Michele Lugo and Stefani Scherer

PART IV CONCLUSION
17. The Promise and Reality of Adult Learning in Modern Societies
Daniela Vono de Vilhena, Elina Kilpi-Jakonen, Susanne Schührer, and Hans-Peter Blossfeld

Index