Appendix 3: NALS definition of learning activities4
Taught learning:
• Any taught courses leading to a qualification, whether or not the qualification
was obtained,
• Any taught course designed to help develop skills which might be used in a job.
• Any course, instruction or tuition in driving, playing a musical instrument, in an
art or craft, in a sport or in any practical skill,
• Evening classes,
• Learning which involves working alone from a package of materials provided
by an employer, college, commercial organisation or other training provider,
• Any other taught course, instruction or tuition.
Non-taught learning:
• Studying for a qualification without taking part in a taught course,
• Supervised training while actually doing a job (i.e., when a manager or
experienced colleague has spent time helping a person learn or develop skills as
specific tasks are done at work),
• Time spent keeping up to date with developments in the type of work done
without taking part in a taught course,
• Deliberately trying to improve knowledge about anything or teach yourself a
skill without taking part in a taught course.
4 This definition of learning is taken from Beinart & Smith (1998, p. 33).
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