Young people, learning Young people, learning and life-patternsand life-patterns

Johanna WynJohanna Wyn

Australian Youth Research CentreAustralian Youth Research Centre

The University of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne

Life-Patterns project

Longitudinal, participatory study of Victorian school leavers from 1991 - 2004

Mapping progress from final year of school to their late twenties

Identify both objective progress and subjective assessments

Phase 129,155 school-leavers 1991

1992 follow up survey

1996 11,000 surveyed

80interviewed

2000studyingsample

surveyed

Studying subset1996, 1998, 2000

Phase 22002, 2004

Survey752

InterviewSubset, 50

Sample consistency 1996 – 2002 (%) Indicator 1996

n=1926 1998

n= 1430 2000

n=1121 2002

n=752 Government school 60 56 58 56

Australian born mother

65 65 67 68

Father: Professional/

Managerial

33 34 34 35

Mother: university qualified

13 14 15 15

Rural 33 31 34 34 Interrupted studies 15 12 12

Female 65 66 67 67

ReportingReporting

Annual reports to participantsAnnual reports to participants Youth Research Centre Research Youth Research Centre Research

ReportsReports Research Reports 14, 17, 19, 23, 27Research Reports 14, 17, 19, 23, 27 Working Paper 19Working Paper 19

Journal articles and booksJournal articles and books Youth, Education and RiskYouth, Education and Risk (2001) (2001) Youth and Society: the social dynamics Youth and Society: the social dynamics

of youthof youth (2004) (2004)

Participatory ResearchParticipatory Research

Blend of set and open-ended Blend of set and open-ended questionsquestions

Interviews (feedback on questions)Interviews (feedback on questions)

Participant meanings can challenge Participant meanings can challenge researchers’ assumptionsresearchers’ assumptionse.g. ‘career’, ‘family’e.g. ‘career’, ‘family’

Benefits of longitudinal Benefits of longitudinal researchresearch

Identify the Identify the processprocess of transition for of transition for individuals and for the cohortindividuals and for the cohort

Link individual transitions with processes Link individual transitions with processes of of change at the societal levelchange at the societal level

Identify identities, subjectivities, attitudes Identify identities, subjectivities, attitudes that are associated with ‘success’that are associated with ‘success’

Research issues Research issues Loss of sample over timeLoss of sample over time

representative? ‘success sample’?representative? ‘success sample’?

Interpretation of the dataInterpretation of the data Describe change without over-stating Describe change without over-stating

the casethe case traditional structures and identities traditional structures and identities

remain significantremain significant

ComplexityComplexity

Multiple Multiple commitments commitments

and choiceand choice

56% balancing 56% balancing study and workstudy and work

51% changed track 51% changed track in the first two in the first two yearsyears

Ideal – Reality GapIdeal – Reality Gap

By 1996, 60% had By 1996, 60% had completed their completed their studies and 49% studies and 49% had a full-time job had a full-time job but only 34% were but only 34% were in their preferred in their preferred jobjob

The ‘new adulthood’The ‘new adulthood’

valuing flexibility and mobilityvaluing flexibility and mobility personal autonomy, responsivenesspersonal autonomy, responsiveness a balance of life commitmentsa balance of life commitments new meanings of ‘career’new meanings of ‘career’ the self as a ‘project’the self as a ‘project’

Readily misunderstood as ‘faulty transitions’Readily misunderstood as ‘faulty transitions’The new, classed learner in a post-Fordist The new, classed learner in a post-Fordist

economy?economy?

Faulty transitions to adulthood?Faulty transitions to adulthood?

Extended transitions (Australia and UK)Extended transitions (Australia and UK) Post-adolescence (UK)Post-adolescence (UK) Arrested Adulthood (Canada)Arrested Adulthood (Canada) Generation on hold (Canada)Generation on hold (Canada) Over-age young adults (Netherlands)Over-age young adults (Netherlands) Developmentally underdone (Australia)Developmentally underdone (Australia)

These all assume that there is something These all assume that there is something wrong with young people’s transition wrong with young people’s transition processesprocesses

What is a career?What is a career?

80% or more said:80% or more said: A job that offers scope for A job that offers scope for advancementadvancement To be a career the job must offer To be a career the job must offer

commitmentcommitment Any ongoing role that offers personal Any ongoing role that offers personal

fulfilmentfulfilment A single career for life is a thing of the pastA single career for life is a thing of the past

A career is:A career is:

Not necessarily a permanent full-time Not necessarily a permanent full-time jobjob

Not necessarily your jobNot necessarily your job

Not necessarily your source of incomeNot necessarily your source of income

Employment and Change Employment and Change 20022002

75% in full time employment75% in full time employment

Only 18% have held only 1 job since 1996Only 18% have held only 1 job since 1996

61% have held between 2 and 4 jobs61% have held between 2 and 4 jobs

20% have held 5 or more jobs since 199620% have held 5 or more jobs since 1996

Overall, 82% have changed jobs in the last 5 Overall, 82% have changed jobs in the last 5 yearsyears

55% changed for better opportunities55% changed for better opportunities

Social and economic changeSocial and economic change

Has presented both young and old with Has presented both young and old with new challengesnew challenges

Flexibility is seen as more important than Flexibility is seen as more important than predictability as a basis for future predictability as a basis for future security in a post-industrial worldsecurity in a post-industrial world

e.g. valuing horizontal mobility over e.g. valuing horizontal mobility over vertical mobilityvertical mobility

Work is not rewarding enoughWork is not rewarding enough

How well do education How well do education policies and programs fit policies and programs fit

with the realities of young with the realities of young people’s lives?people’s lives?

Educational approachesEducational approaches

I ndustrial Post-industrial mainstream and

‘at risk’

diversity

seamless pathways f rom school – work

multiple commitments and mobility

future citizens

youth participation

economic outcomes broad lif e outcomes

ConclusionConclusion

Approaches to education need to take Approaches to education need to take greater account of:greater account of: The emergence of a ‘new adulthood’ involving The emergence of a ‘new adulthood’ involving

shifts in approach to education and work shifts in approach to education and work The significance of learner identitiesThe significance of learner identities Life-long learningLife-long learning

New Pedagogies?New Pedagogies?