Adult non-formal education/training institutions on the educational services market: students’ strategies

Full text in Russian (pdf)

No. 4 (78), 2014 Author: Dinara Borodina The adult non-formal education/training (NFET) is closely related with the idea of lifelong learning, its main target being the development and strengthening of abilities of an individual to be adapted to the transformations in the economy, professional life, culture and society. To be successful one needs to be aspired for learning the new, this referring not only to professional knowledge and skills.

Contents

Introduction .

 1.     Targets and outcomes of sociological surveys .

 1.1.      Monitoring of the innovative behaviour of the population

 1.2.      Monitoring of the economics of knowledge .

 Households’ surveys .

 Employers’ surveys .

 Surveys of heads of adult non-formal education/training institutions .

 2.     Survey of students of adult non-formal education/training programmes .

 2.1.      Characteristics of parameters of the sociological survey .

 2.2.      Characteristics of students of  adult non-formal education/training programmes .

 2.3.      Current educational strategies of students at adult non-formal education/training organizations of different types  

 2.4.      Short-term educational strategies of students of non-formal education/training programmes .

 2.5.      Level of satisfaction of students of non-formal education/training programmes at adult non-formal education/training organizations of different types  

 2.6.      Financial strategies of students of non-formal education/training programmes at adult non-formal education/training organizations of different types  

 2.7.      Optimal format of non-formal education/training programmes at adult non-formal education/training institutions  

 Conclusion.

The adult non-formal education/training (NFET) is closely related with the idea of lifelong learning, its main target being the development and strengthening of abilities of an individual to be adapted to the transformations in the economy, professional life, culture and society. To be successful one needs to be aspired for learning the new, this referring not only to professional knowledge and skills.

On the one hand the growing attention to NFET in this country is caused by new challenges of the scientific and technical development, a rapid replacement of production and technologies, an introduction of new materials, etc. A response to those challenges is an increasing quality of the labour resources, a timely improvement of knowledge and skills which become obsolete very fast in the modern conditions. On the other hand the system of NFET which had existed in this country for decades failed to be incorporated fully in the new economy, or to be more exact its development in the changed conditions was rather of a spontaneous, non-systematic character. The demand for NFET was growing. To meet this demand a new supply has emerged, this situation being described rather exactly by the phrase “only a lazy one does not teach”.

The adult NFET sphere needs to be examines in detail. In this connection a survey of heads of educational entities and organizations which implement NFET programmes was conducted in 2012 in the framework of the monitoring of education markets and organizations. The outcomes of the 2012 survey confirmed that those services were complex and versatile. Therefore in 2013 a decision was taken to go beyond the framework of professional NFET, to expand and alter the structure of the sample of educational entities’ heads and to obtain characteristics of strategies of students studying at NFET programmes.

The first part of the information bulletin presents some results of sociological surveys conducted by National Research University Higher School of Economics which deal with adult NFET: monitoring of innovative behaviour of the population; surveys of households, employers, heads of NFET organizations in the framework of monitoring of education markets and organizations. The second part presents the main outcomes of an ad-hoc survey of students of NFET programmes which was conducted in the framework of monitoring of education markets and organizations for the first time. The information collected in the course of the survey characterizes:

·     Current and perspective demand of adults in NFET;

·     Level of satisfaction with the educational and pricing policy of education institutions;

·     Parameters of an “optimal” format of training at education institutions of different types.

 In the last years the adult NFET was increasingly needed, the demand is growing both for professional and general education programmes. In the Russian Federation the adult NFET on the whole is of a compensatory character  the objective of which is to make up for the lack of professional knowledge and skills. However the demand for satisfying the individual general education needs of citizens is growing.

 As a rule a student of adult NFET programmes is a married woman of 30-40 years of age who has a higher education and lives in a city. An average monthly income per one member of a family is at the level of 20 thousand roubles.

 The conducted survey showed that NFET is closely related with the current work of students (77%). 60% of responding students are improving the knowledge and skills in their sphere of activity and 12% – in related spheres. The demand and attendance are highest in refresher programmes the duration of which is not more than 500 hours. 15% of students are studying for their own intellectual maturity.

 The demand for educational services is increasing. In the past year over half of respondents spent more of their time on training. This trend will continue: during 2-3 years more than a third of students are planning to increase the amount of NFET.

 One of the most frequent reasons of the growth of need in education is changes at a workplace: novel technologies, materials, equipment; an expansion of an organization, etc. Besides the changing of time spent on training is affected by changes in the legislation (25%). The influence of the legislation on students is minimal in case of in-house training, while it is maximal at independent organizations.

 44% of students are studying where required by law or an employer. The structural proportion of those who study “where required by law” is highest at independent organizations (22%), that of those who study “where required by an employer” – at corporate education centers (51%). A regular professional and general education is acknowledged by 52% of respondents. Most active is the personal attitude of students enrolled in professional courses (75%).

 56% of respondents would study for other reasons than the “must” of the legislation and/or an employer. More than half the students believe that it is reasonable to start a compulsory training in their professional sphere.

 Among the surveyed students there is high level of satisfaction with the NFET programmes as far as all aspects of training are concerned: content of programmes, teachers’ qualification, information & methodical and material & technical provision of the instruction process. The proportion of answers “corresponds completely” and “would rather correspond to the requirements” is 90% and over. A high level of satisfaction may be noticed at NFET organizations of all types. Remarks were made on some programmes, e.g. theoretical information prevailed in lectures; students wish to obtain concrete practical information, preferably in the format of discussions. A third of respondents noted that the coverage of topical problems was incomplete or their interpretation and analysis was not profound.

 The main source of funds for adult NFET are employers (44%),  the impact of students and households is 37%; 12% of students are studying at the expense of budget funds of different levels. In comparison with other types of adult NFET organizations most widely practiced is the payment for educational services on one’s own. The students whose training is financed by employers study mainly at in-house divisions.

 On average 17% of students are willing to consider a loan as a source of financing the NFET. A loan in NFET is considered mainly for getting a business education, as well as for studies and/or probation abroad.

 The overwhelming majority of students (81%) believe that the level of fee charged for a programme corresponds to the quality of educational services’ 16% are not aware of the cost of their training. When analyzed by types of NFET organizations, the level of cost-quality ratio of training is highest at professional courses and at NFET divisions of professional education institutions of all levels (93% of students).

 30% of students are willing to pay additionally for services of higher quality, the majority would rather decline to do this. The reserve of increasing incomes is highest at professional courses, 38% of students are willing to pay more. At other types of adult NFET organizations the indicators are close to the average. Students are ready to pay additionally for the programmes’ content and individualization of organizational aspects of the instruction process.

 As to this segment as a whole the students consider it optimal to study in Russia, this being once a year, more frequently at programmes with a duration of 72-500 hours (Table 1). Best of all is to study full-time communicating with a teacher in a group of up to 10 persons. As to separation from employment, it depends on the situation, the distribution of responses was even. When considering an optimal programme for various types of NFET organizations one may specify some nuances. The intensity of NFET increases from independent organizations to in-house divisions. In the opinion of students of independent organizations, an ideal programme means studying in Russia once in 2-3 years at programmes with a duration of 72-500 hours. The attendance status is full-time or at least partially part-time in a group including 11-20 persons. Students enrolled in programmes at corporate centers imply a constant instruction process – very short but frequent studies. An optimal option is studying in Russia more than once a year at short programmes of less than 72 hours in groups not exceeding 5 persons. The opinion concerning giving up one’s work was divided equally between the extreme positions “full-time” and “part-time” – 39% each.

Table 1.

Optimal format of training at adult NFET organizations of different types

NFET is needed to sustain the professional level in accordance with the changing requirements of the economy, labour market, to provide career growth opportunities, to transfer to an allied profession. Such training allows the adults to update and improve their knowledge of a specific subject, to acquire skills needed for solving practical tasks. In the course of training there appears an opportunity of sharing the experience and knowledge with other participants of the programmes, getting expert opinion and support, establishing business links.

The conducted survey revealed the differences in the training strategies at organizations of different types. The specific features of professional courses and in-house training divisions are most pronounced. It is necessary to continue the surveys in order to find out the needs of students in NFET sector and conduct their more detailed and structured analysis, to assess the level of satisfaction with the variety and quality of services. The data obtained in the course of monitoring the trends in the demand of adults for NFET will make it possible to elaborate an empirical basis for developing educational policies at all levels: from heads of organizations to federal authorities. The results of the survey may be used in the system of expert & analytical and information support of activities of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation when implementing the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 599 “On measures for implementation of the state policy in the field of education and science”, the State Programme of the Russian Federation “Development of education” for the period 2013-2020”, the Action plan (“road maps”) “Changes in the branches of the social sphere aimed at increasing the efficiency of education and science” (approved by the Order of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 30.12.2012 No. 2620-р); in the monitoring of the education system (Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation dated August 5, 2013 No. 662).

Prepared by Dinara Borodina