Work in Progress
Men's sheds in Australia: Learning through community contexts
Summary
- Item:
- 10357
- Title:
- Men's sheds in Australia: Learning through community contexts
- Type:
- Managed research project
- Project no:
- NR5011
- Status:
- Finished
- Date commenced:
- 2 September 2005
- Contact:
- Barry Golding
- phone: +61 3 5327 9733
- email: b.golding@ballarat.edu.au
Purpose
This research examines what skill development takes place for older men in dedicated men's programs and spaces. It aims to research the circumstances and attitudes that have been shown to bring otherwise disengaged men to learning, and from the research, to create a typology for learning by older men (defined as age 45 ). In particular, it seeks to closely examine the rationales, pedagogies, experiences and outcomes of participants in Australian learning and community contexts and programs devised for and used by men. These spaces and programs form a growing part of local government, community services and welfare provision for older men at a neighborhood and suburb level in towns and local communities. Voluntary community organizations with a significant proportion of older male participants such as those devoted to rural and remote public safety as well as football clubs, Senior Citizens and Land Care organisations have been shown, through recent rigorous research, to be critically important sites for re-engaging older men in learning both formally and informally - with significant benefits to their lives, work, family and communities.
The research will consider the increasing difficulties older men are apparently having in the much changed world of work - typically with identities that are so tightly defined by their previous paid work, with quite negative attitudes towards most new forms of formal learning including VET; a lack of social and emotional connectedness; an inability to relate positively to existing formal and indoor learning programs or spaces and increasing discomfort with widely proliferated forms of ICT familiar to most younger men. Older men appear to flourish in situations where the emphasis is on hands-on, practical and/or outside activity and where program formality is minimal. The research is anticipated to provide pointers as to how more formal learning organisations, including VET and schools, might better meet the needs and interests of males who learn through the experience of doing.
The research will include an examination of the impact of a range of factors - shown from previous research to pose barriers to older men's attitudes to learning. These include many of the already known barriers to learning for many older men: the lasting impact of negative school experiences, fear of failure, negative attitudes to formal post-compulsory education, the importance of work to male identity (and the deliberate avoidance of many forms of formal learning), resistance to change, lack of social capital, skepticism about the benefits of learning and practical and structural obstacles including the formality of VET and comprehensively feminised nature of ACE learning spaces. It is also envisaged that the interviews and surveys will have the capacity of explore the otherwise difficult to identify inter-generational effects of learning on older men - from their fathers as well as to their sons and grandsons. By including metropolitan, regional and rural sites in each state, some place-related effects of occupation and identity on learning will be able to be separated out. Finally, the surveys and interviews of this large sample of older men informally participating in programs will provide unique and new insights about learning preferences for a diverse group of older men - who would not usually or typically be involved in ACE or VET programs or be counted in VET statistics
Approach
Literature review and data analysis, survey, interviews and focus groups
Research questions
1. What do current data and research say about learning programs, settings, spaces, policies and pedagogies for older men (age over 45)?
2. What are the rationales for creating dedicated men's learning spaces and programs including 'men's sheds' - specifically for older men in Australia? Who are the participants, why are they participating, what are their outcomes and are they effective?
3. How might findings about older men's learning in such settings be incorporated into a typology for older men's learning that enhances re-engagement, informs policy and leads to greater participation and outcomes in VET, ACE and pathways to work?
Methodology
Comprehensive and critical analysis of current research, participation patterns, pedagogies and policies for older men in education and training by sector and setting, including participation in informal community-based, voluntary and service sectors and organisations.
Survey (20 customised surveys/site), site analysis and key informant (coordinator, key staff member, committee member) focus group interviews in 24 selected men's learning programs and spaces, including 12 men's or community sheds. Four providers surveyed in six states. 1x30 minute group interview in all 24 sites with 3 participants all aged 45 .
Analysis and synthesis of findings from Questions 1 & 2 resulting in a report, including a proposed comprehensive typology of older men's learning in Australia.
Organisations
The University of Ballarat has a strong track record in rural and regional research in Australia. It is a small, multi-sectoral University incorporating a strong Institute of Rural and Regional Research. School of Education have recently successfully managed a number of VET research projects focused on learning in small and remote towns: through Swinburne University for NCVER, for the Adult, Community and Further Education Board (in Victoria) and for East Gippsland Institute of TAFE
