in the same trade, or a combination of these. In unfamiliar learning contexts,
participants may not share these characteristics and the context is new to the learner.
Whether a learning context is familiar or not depends not only upon the learning
context itself, but also upon the learner’s life experience. An unfamiliar learning
context might be a university setting for somebody who has not been to university
before, or a community centre for somebody who has only studied at university. In
addition, what is best for a learner in terms of wider, and indeed more narrowly
economic, outcomes of learning depends upon their personal and social resources -
which change throughout the life course. Learners can benefit regardless of the
context in which they learn. Nevertheless, some outcomes appear to be promoted in
some learning contexts more than in others.
We have numerous accounts from respondents who, lacking personal and social
confidence initially, enrolled in courses that were closely integrated with their lives.
Through these courses, they developed self-esteem, social confidence, and made close
friends. In contrast, respondents learning in less familiar contexts talked about the
enjoyment of meeting new people rather than the support that they received from
them.
5.1.1 The formation of goals and personal development
Where learning in a familiar context resonates directly with the learner’s interests and
motivations, it is likely that progression will result, leading to goal formation. We see
this in the accounts of many parents who, through family learning and involvement in
playgroups and nurseries with training components, have discovered not only purpose
and direction, but also a means to pursue it.
Several respondents described going to FE college in their late teens as a change that
they needed in order to mature. The change was beneficial not only because they were
given more responsibility and treated as grown-ups. It was also quite simply about
being in a new environment with a new peer group, especially where this included
mature students. Coming into contact with people from different backgrounds and
walks of life ‘opened’ respondents’ minds and led to the formation of more liberal
attitudes.
A clear finding from the fieldwork is that teachers’ respect and understanding of
students, and their role in group discussions are considered enormously important in
terms of wider benefits. These are discussed in more detail under learning experience.
Respondents did not talk directly about institutional ethos - possibly because they do
not think in those terms. Their experience is of their teacher, whose attitudes and
behaviours will be shaped to some degree by the ethos of the institution.
Although most examples of learning occurred in groups, respondents also described
learning alone, through reading and watching films. Although individual learning
built self-esteem and led to personal development, it did not develop the learner’s
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