by Alexander Darracott

Created on: November 25, 2010

Adults face a number of difficulties when they return to education: finding quiet areas of work at home, balancing family and work time, self confidence issues, lack of skills, finances and a worry for the unknown if they are about to change career direction. Adults are offered more opportunities to return to education than they had previously, with councils running adult education courses through libraries, colleges, schools and community centres across a whole range of different subjects some paid for and some free.  Being computer literate can be very important in determining how well an adult learner picks up a subject and develops their skills, but without an understanding of such skills they understandably feel left behind and nervous especially if they have never used a computer before. How important is computing in modern adult education courses and what should the adult learner expect? 

Each country will have their own specific qualification network: a stepwise framework of qualifications that people climb up from school education to professor level. The UK, for example, begins with Entry Level courses, designed specifically for adults who have had little formal education or who have been away from education and training for many years and want to change direction or develop their skills, and also for those with learning difficulties to try to help themselves to overcome any barriers they have to learning and increase their job prospects.  At schools in the UK, children leave with GCSEs, which are either Level 1, which is four steps up the UK qualifications ladder and is equal to a low GCSE pass, or Level two, which is five steps up the UK qualifications ladder and is equal to a good GCSE pass.  Whether or not they want to climb up the ladder further or enter the job market is determined by the individual.  The level to which an adult enters the qualification ladder for the first time really depends on their current skill and their role in a company. Those with extensive experience in a particular field could go straight into a high level course such as a Degree without any formal qualifications.

It is common knowledge that all adult education courses based on I.T and business solutions will contain a heavy element of computing technologies.  There are a plethora of I.T qualifications suitable for all abilities and understanding, from basic courses on the introduction of computing to all round courses where students learn

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