A distance education contribution to a social strategy to combat poverty
Open University Community Education courses in Glasgow
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11424229 |
|---|---|
| Authors | N C Farnes, Nick Farnes (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1993 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 191-204 |
| Publication date | 1993-07-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Lifelong Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0260-1370 • E-ISSN: 1464-519X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/0260137930120304 |
| OpenAlex | W2055268613 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 1 |
This paper concerns the use of OU Community Education courses as a component of Strathclyde Regional Council's Social Strategy to combat poverty and deprivation. The policy context is analysed in terms of a vertical alignment of interests between central and local government, the implementing bodies and the students as well as horizontal linkages between educational and other community development agencies. The study assesses the role of the courses by examining the characteristics and circumstances; of students who participate, and the influence of the courses on their lives and their communities. The approach involved collecting life histories and reactions to the courses from a random sample of 60 female students in Glasgow's areas of multiple deprivation who had completed courses two years previously. Their life histories were presented as a set of lifelines showing each student's multiple ‘careers’ including family life, childcare, employment, education, community activities, health, social life, and husband's unemployment. The contribution of the courses was shown to be related to the stage students are at in each of these careers. Around the time of the courses students experiencing social and economic instability (i.e., marital breakdown or husband's unemployment) have and make more changes in their lives and find the courses more helpful than those with more stable lives. Thus, the courses benefit those who are most disadvantaged in line with the objectives of the Social Strategy. The courses helped students take advantage of expanding community and social opportunities for their own benefit and for the benefit of others against a background of increasing unemployment and poverty. The participation rates achieved in certain areas suggest that there is scope for substantial expansion. To achieve this, further policy development involving targets and more effective co‐ordination across community services is needed
Community education · Distance education · Pedagogy · Political science · Poverty · Sociology · Education Systems and Policy · Global Educational Policies and Reforms · Youth Education and Societal Dynamics
| Citations per year | 0.13 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 1996 - 2022 (27) |
| Highly cited | No |