« Previous | Contents |
Listen
Footnotes
1. Learning is classified as vocational if it is related to the respondent's job at the time of starting the learning, was started in order to help with a future job, or was started in order to help with voluntary work.
2. Scottish Executive (2003) Life through learning through life: the lifelong learning strategy for Scotland
3. The Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen) is part of the National Centre for Social Research. ScotCen was formed in February 2004 as the result of a merger between the National Centre's existing organisation within Scotland and Scottish Health Feedback, an independent research consultancy.
4. Since we are interested in adult learning in which people participate after leaving full-time education, people who were still in 'continuous full-time education' (e.g. school, college or university) at the time of the survey are not included in the majority of the tables in this report. People who had been on gap years or had breaks of less than 2 years from full-time education were treated as still being in 'continuous' full-time education.
5. As noted above, for the purposes of determining eligibility, people who had been on gap years or had breaks of less than 2 years from full-time education were treated as still being in continuous full-time education.
6. Although some of the figures for Scotland are slightly higher, the differences are too small to be significant.
7. In line with previous NALS surveys, vocational learning is defined as learning, either taught or self-directed, which was started to help with current or future work, paid or voluntary. Non-vocational learning is defined as participation in any learning which was not job related. As such, there is some overlap between the categories of vocational and non-vocational learning (since if someone did some learning that was job-related and some learning that was non-job-related they can fall into both categories). It is also worth noting that questions about work-related learning were only asked of selected courses taken over the past 3 years rather than all courses taken over the previous 3 years. Proxy variables were created based on responses to two screening questions (both of which were highly associated with vocational learning in previous NALS surveys), and to the selected courses where they were asked in detail about vocational learning. Further details about the derivation of vocational and non-vocational learning are included in the Technical Report.
8. La Valle, I, Collins D, Finch S, Korovessis K (1999) Feasibility Study on Tracking Adult Learners, National Centre for Social Research Report for the DfEE.
9. N.B. the totals shown here differ from those shown in other tables, as the table includes respondents aged 70 and over, while most tables in the report are restricted to those aged 16-69 years.
10. Aged under 16.
11. In keeping with the NALS time series, if a respondent returned to full-time education within two years of first leaving it, the gap is disregarded in the NALS definition of continuous full-time education. In the analysis presented in this section, when looking at the age respondents left continuous full-time education, any short gaps (e.g., between completing highers and going into higher education) are disregarded.
12. In order to maximise comparability with the England and Wales report, which uses NVQ levels (or equivalent qualifications) as a measure of qualification level. Annex B shows the relationship between different SVQ levels and the Scottish Curriculum and Qualification Framework, as well as explaining in more detail which qualifications were included at different SVQ levels.
13. As very similar results and patterns emerged when mothers and fathers age of leaving education were looked at separately, only the combined results have been included in this report.
14. The most commonly used classification of socio-economic status used on government surveys. NS- SEC is designed to measure employment relations and conditions of occupations. Conceptually, these are central to delineating the structure of socio-economic positions in modern societies and helping to explain variations in social behaviour and other social phenomena. For further details of NS- SEC categories, see http://www.statistics.gov.uk/methods_quality/ns_sec/default.asp
15. The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD) 2004 identifies the most deprived areas across Scotland. It is based on 31 indicators in the six individual domains of Current Income, Employment, Housing, Health, Education, Skills and Training and Geographic Access to Services and Telecommunications. SIMD 2004 is presented at data zone level, enabling small pockets of deprivation to be identified. The data zones are ranked from most deprived (1) to least deprived (6505) on the overall SIMD 2004 and on each of the individual domains. The result is a comprehensive picture of relative area deprivation across Scotland.
16. The wording of the question differed depending on the whether the respondent had a computer and Internet connection at home. Those who had earlier indicated that they did not have a computer at home were asked whether they would consider doing learning from home via the Internet if a computer and Internet connection were provided as well as help using it. Those who had indicated that they had a computer (but no Internet connection) were asked whether they would consider doing learning from home if an Internet connection and help using it were provided.
17. Figures for England and Wales were 1 course = 54%, 2 courses = 24% and 3 or more courses = 22%.
18. N.B. because the figures in this chapter are based on descriptions of respondents' 'most useful' courses, the base of 'all taught learners' used here differs slightly from that in chapter 2, where participation in taught learning is calculated based on screening questions about participation in taught courses.
19. This question is based on a 12 month reference period to coincide with the reference period for the AES.
20. Derived from the start and end dates, collected during the interview.
21. This excludes respondents who subsequently said they had not paid any fees in the past 12 months.
22. Respondents were given the option of choosing "computer only", "internet only" or "both" from a showcard. Although the internet is most commonly accessed through computers there are other methods of access (e.g. via mobile phones or digital TVs). It is also possible that those who used computers solely to access the internet for their course classed this as "internet only".
23. Excluding those who only used ICT to get information about the course or to enrol.
24. This question about wider motivators for learning was only asked of vocational taught learners. Those whose job was related to their current job were asked whether the course was compulsory and those for whom the course was not compulsory were routed to the question about wider motivators.
25. As with the question on use of ICT for taught learning, respondents were given the option of choosing "computer only", "internet only" or "both" from a showcard. Although the internet is most commonly accessed through computers there are other methods of access (e.g. via mobile phones or digital TVs). Again, it is also possible that those who used computers solely to access the internet for their learning classed this as "internet only".
26. Those who had only used a computer to play games were not considered computer users, while Email users were classified as Internet users.
27. ICT users are those who reported using a computer or the Internet at the time of the survey.
28. Questions generally referred to "information, advice and guidance", with no attempt to separate the three.
29. Respondents were first asked about their awareness and use of learndirect scotland (lds) as a source of IAG. Those who did not mention the lds telephone helpline, website or learning centres in response to the general question about sources of IAG used (discussed in Chapter 8) were asked directly whether they had heard or used lds services. Table 9.6 combines the responses of those who first mentioned lds when asked about use of IAG with responses from this more direct question about awareness and use of lds.
30. See Chart 1, above. This refers to any learning classed as formal or non-formal under AES definitions.
31. See AES definition of formal learning in Chart 1.
32. See AES definition of non-formal learning in Chart 1. The first three non-formal learning sub-categories in Table A1 refer to NFE1d, NFE1b and NFE1a in Chart 1.
33. This category includes all non-formal learning (as defined by AES), excluding on-the-job training. It is included to enable comparison with the NALS category of 'self-directed' learning, which excludes on-the-job training.
34. See AES definition of informal learning in Chart 1.
35. See NALS definition of self-directed learning in Chart 1.
36. A sub-category of NALS self-directed learning ( SLRN2 in Chart 1).
37. See NALS definition of vocational learning on p3 of Chapter One.
38. See NALS definition of non-vocational learning on p3 of Chapter One.
« Previous | Contents |