The interrelatedness of formal, non-formal and informal learning
Definitions, differences and relationships between formal, non-formal and informal learning have long been contentious. There has been a significant change in language and reference from adult education to what amounts to forms of learning categorised by their modes of facilitation. Nonetheless, the...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Adult Learning Australia Inc
2012
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/45976 |
| _version_ | 1848757432678875136 |
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| author | Cameron, Roslyn Harrison, J. |
| author_facet | Cameron, Roslyn Harrison, J. |
| author_sort | Cameron, Roslyn |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Definitions, differences and relationships between formal, non-formal and informal learning have long been contentious. There has been a significant change in language and reference from adult education to what amounts to forms of learning categorised by their modes of facilitation. Nonetheless, there is currently a renewed interest in the recognition of non-formal and informal learning internationally and in Australia. This has been evidenced through the New OECD Activity on Recognition of Non-Formal and Informal Learning and recent policy developments in Australia. These developments have implications for the recognition of skills derived from informal and non-formal learning, especially for those disadvantaged in the labour market. This paper reports on data from a learning grid in a Learning Survey of labour market program participants (n = 172) from northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. We find that life (informal learning) and work experience (non-formal learning) are relatively more important for gaining self-reported skills than formal training/study. We conclude by arguing for a holistic focus on the dynamic interrelatedness of these forms of learning rather than being constrained by a deterministic dichotomy between formality and informality. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:28:00Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-45976 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:28:00Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | Adult Learning Australia Inc |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-459762017-01-30T15:24:30Z The interrelatedness of formal, non-formal and informal learning Cameron, Roslyn Harrison, J. Definitions, differences and relationships between formal, non-formal and informal learning have long been contentious. There has been a significant change in language and reference from adult education to what amounts to forms of learning categorised by their modes of facilitation. Nonetheless, there is currently a renewed interest in the recognition of non-formal and informal learning internationally and in Australia. This has been evidenced through the New OECD Activity on Recognition of Non-Formal and Informal Learning and recent policy developments in Australia. These developments have implications for the recognition of skills derived from informal and non-formal learning, especially for those disadvantaged in the labour market. This paper reports on data from a learning grid in a Learning Survey of labour market program participants (n = 172) from northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. We find that life (informal learning) and work experience (non-formal learning) are relatively more important for gaining self-reported skills than formal training/study. We conclude by arguing for a holistic focus on the dynamic interrelatedness of these forms of learning rather than being constrained by a deterministic dichotomy between formality and informality. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/45976 Adult Learning Australia Inc restricted |
| spellingShingle | Cameron, Roslyn Harrison, J. The interrelatedness of formal, non-formal and informal learning |
| title | The interrelatedness of formal, non-formal and informal learning |
| title_full | The interrelatedness of formal, non-formal and informal learning |
| title_fullStr | The interrelatedness of formal, non-formal and informal learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | The interrelatedness of formal, non-formal and informal learning |
| title_short | The interrelatedness of formal, non-formal and informal learning |
| title_sort | interrelatedness of formal, non-formal and informal learning |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/45976 |