Purpose: The psychological theory of self-determination postulated that gamification enhances learning engagement by intrinsically motivating learners to undertake tasks spontaneously. Gamification has then been integrated into adult learning as part of the initiative of learner-centred pedagogies to curb the low retention rates of adult learners…

Many teaching strategies exist to develop critical thinking with students. Art students engage with critical thinking in a "Connected Art" workshop, implemented in three diverse Higher Education (HE) learning environments. Participants are interdisciplinary adult learners in the UK, Germany and Spain. Using joint practice development,…

In further education (FE), teachers and trainers are not legally required to undertake continuing professional development (CPD), with this mandate removed in 2013. Nevertheless, the Education and Training Foundation has emphasised the importance of maintaining and updating professional knowledge. Literature highlights CPD's contentious role among…

This article focuses on narrative interviews with mature students at one partner university that was part of the UK higher education (HE) Changing Mindsets project and research (2017-19). Changing Mindsets comprised workshops and training aimed at supporting students and staff in five participating universities to develop a growth mindset and…

Higher education in the UK is pressured to widen participation due to the social justice issues of mobility and movement through the class divide. However, those from lower classes and mature students elect for qualifications that do not classically allow entry into university, for example, the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) and…

Recently, society and further education institutions have seen an increase in the reporting of poor mental health and wellbeing. Although further education settings (typically comprising of study programmes ranging between levels one to six, including A levels, apprenticeships, T levels, GCSEs, BTECs and higher education qualifications) are…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on university students across the world. In a short period of time from 2020 to 2022, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) had to pivot their modes of delivery to ensure they could meet the needs of their students. The move to digital platforms has been challenging for students from all ages, but…

This research addresses the intersection of a unique student cohort, UK mature students studying creative arts subjects at higher education undergraduate level, focusing on career drivers and influences and using McMahon and Patton's Systems Theory Framework of Career Development (2022). The findings suggest that these students face similar…

This study explored the life experiences of care experienced adults in higher education to understand the factors that impeded or enhanced their journeys. Care experienced refers to someone who has been in the care of the state at some point in their life. Six students with a history in the care system took part in semi-structured interviews.…

Skills Bootcamps were introduced to support adults to upskill and retrain in priority high-growth sectors with skills shortages. Skills Bootcamps are short, flexible courses, that are co-designed with employers and run for up to 16 weeks. Most are equivalent to the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) levels 3-5 in the national qualifications…

Despite the plethora of research on widening participation in the last 20 years, access to the arts and humanities has remained relatively under-explored, especially in relation to the preparedness of adult learners. This article reports a case study investigating the impact of an arts and languages Access module at the UK Open University.…

Skills Bootcamps were introduced to support the 2019 UK Government's manifesto commitment to giving adults the opportunity to build sector-specific skills and to help employers by giving people the skills they need to move into jobs in sectors with skills shortages. Skills Bootcamps are short, flexible courses, co-designed with employers and run…

This paper reports on the experiences and perspectives of military wives as students and potential students of Access to Higher Education Diplomas, a qualification for widening participation in HE for 'non-traditional' students in the UK -- an under-researched topic. Contributing to both Marxist and feminist theory, we argue that the combined…

Starting this Parliament, the United Kingdom (UK) Government is providing £2.5 billion (£3 billion when including Barnett funding for devolved administrations) for a new National Skills Fund (NSF) to help adults learn valuable skills and prepare for the economy of the future. The NSF builds on extensive user research and engagement with local…

This article explores the sustained impact of an Access module on mature students from disadvantaged backgrounds as they progress to undergraduate study. Framed in the context of OfS concerns about attrition and conceptualisation of dispositional, situational and institutional barriers, student survey and tutor focus group data were collected in a…