Adult Learners Questions

PART 1: Your Personal Experience/Career (Adult Learners)

Areas to explore with interviewees include:

Self-esteem and learning
Aspirations around literacy/numeracy/general
Communication preferences and technologies - anything about "feelings" associated with these, especially, literacy and electronic/computer-based technologies
Different languages used in the home and with neighbours and friends -spoken/ written?
Learning from other people - guiding lights - parents? Neighbours? Friends and workmates? (e.g. learning to drive)
Teaching other people - brokers
Adapting existing skills, taking on new things - how, why

6 important areas of everyday life:

organising life
personal communication
private leisure
documenting life
sense making and
social participation

Have you ever tried to learn things on your own at home (basic skills and other things)? If "yes" How? Using what materials? Synchronised with other media? Or formal courses?
What counts as "learning" to you? How do you know when you've learned something?
Things you are interested in or are especially important/useful to you at the moment (offer examples "I've got a friend who..........martial arts, Egyptology, cancer, legal things, children, fitness/health, fashion". How do you follow up these interests? Newsletters? Chat groups? books?
Do you ever write things for other people about these things or give them information? Do people come to you for advice?
Are there things you do for other people regularly: (looking after, DIY, running a catalogue, driving, making things, cooking), groups you are part of (sports, weight watchers, playgroups, babysitting, brownies or scouts, music, church).
In a typical week, what do you do that might involve finding things out: reading/writing/numbers/ computers/listening/viewing media and which ones?? (try and think about even the small things, like buying a lottery ticket, signing a form at the doctors, picking up a magazine)
Who would you go to find something out? What is your child was ill? If you had difficulties in filling in a form or understanding an official letter? Working out money problems?
When you want to learn something, what works well for you, what doesn't work so well?
What resources do you have in your home and who has access to them? Who uses them and when?/where (reading/writing materials/computers, mobile phones, CB radios, TV, video) Borrowing books, buying them for others etc,

Is it possible for you to get by with the skills and resources you have got:

in your work?
in organising and getting things done in your life?
to keep in touch with other people[letters, greetings cards, phone,e-mail]?
to look back on the past and make sense of what is going on in the world [ask: what personal and family records kept - who does this, when and how]?
to relax and enjoy yourself [leisure interests]?
to find out what is going on and to get involved (e.g. in politics and local groups)?
other?

PART 2: The Bigger Picture (Adult Learners)

Seen any TV ads about this lately? Newspaper reports about the way things are going?
Remember back to earlier ones - name them, show logos?? [Bob Hoskins and Gremlins]
Ever been sent or noticed publicity about adult courses?
Would you know where to go to get information about courses?
Ever taken part in a course since you left school [if "yes" views about this experience]
Ever talked to friends or family about doing this?
If you did take a course, what would you look for in a teacher?
Thinking of something you can do well that you are proud of, have learned successfully: how did you learn to do that? Did someone teach you, and if so, what was it about them that helped you?
Thinking about a not- so- successful experience of learning, where you tried or intended to learn but didn't: what got in the way, held you back?
Is there anything you've learned about/how to do that you would like to be recognised for - to get a qualification or a certificate proving you have done it? How important are certificates?
Have you ever wanted to learn something but been put off because of the cost? Would you be prepared to pay? Do it in work time?
How important is it for the government to be spending money on courses for adults? Are there things you think are more important?X and Y people have said this about this initiative "QUOTE........." How would you respond to that?

PART 3: Key Moments and People (Adult Learners)

Looking back at your life in decades 20s 30s 40s.... Zero in especially on survey points eg age 37

What were you doing then?
Can you identify moments of important change for you? Highs and lows? Hopes and disappointments
What would you like to achieve by 50 - 60 years?

Looking back on your education now..........

Have ways of learning changed since you were at school?
Significant influences on you - "guiding lights" - people who encouraged and supported you - or who didn't but should have?
What have you learned from your experience and what will you tell the next generation?
What have you learned from your children and from having children?

How important do you think reading/writing/ being able to deal with numbers/using a computer is?

Compared with your parents generation?
For your children?
Do you think most people can read/write/ deal with numbers/use a computer well enough?

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