Gender - analysis of results

The following is analysis of the results of the 2008 Lifelong Learning Index by gender.

In line with current trends regarding the higher participation of women generally in education, 83% of female respondents have enrolled in adult education or training compared with just 71% of males.

The tendency for women to assign a greater value to lifelong learning might go some way to explaining this. 39% of women, compared with 23% male respondents, believe adult education is ‘vital for personal development’. Similarly, in response to Question 12 (‘has your involvement with adult education benefited you in any of the following ways?’), women were more likely to respond positively to most of the proposed answers:

• Health & Wellbeing - Male: 20% Female: 23%
• Social Interactions – Male: 31% Female: 40%
• Improved Job Prospects - Male: 56% Female: 61%
• Educational Attainment of your Children – Male: 6% Female: 7%
• Understanding of Other Cultures – Male: 22% Female: 19%
• Increased Awareness of Political or Community Issues – Male: 22% Female: 24%
• Increased Interest in Voting – Male: 7% Female: 7%
• Increased Interest in Volunteering – Male: 18% Female: 17%

It is interesting to note that despite these figures, more men (81%) than women (76%) intend to enrol in a course over the next 12 months. They also hope to achieve a higher level of certification, with 55% of males and 39% of females aiming eventually secure a postgraduate qualification.

Responses to the Lifelong Learning Index 2008 also indicate that male learners are slightly harder to please in terms of the standard of teaching and are more willing (or more able?) to travel to a class that meets their academic needs.

88% of female respondents are ‘more likely to attend a programme near where they work or live’, compared with 78% of men; while 71% of women and 81% of men are prepared to travel 10km or more ‘for the right part-time course’.

And finally, despite recent efforts to encourage more women to engage with information technology and science, it appears that men are still more interested in technology – although the gap is perhaps not what it once was. ‘E-learning, learning by computer’ is the preferred method of learning for 14% of males and 8% of females, and 88% of men would ‘consider taking a distance learning/e-learning course’, compared with 76% of women.

The trend continues with Question 31: ‘What subject area would you most like to take a course in?’ 20% and 15% of male respondents chose ‘computers & IT’ and ‘science & built environment’ respectively, while just 9% and 5% of females made these selections.