Longitudinal panel survey of adult basic skills learners

The Department for Education and Skills has commissioned the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) Social Research to undertake a longitudinal panel survey of adult basic skills learners. BMRB will be responsible for conducting 3,000 interviews with adult basic skills learners.  In addition to the survey of learners, BMRB will also be conducting 3,000 interviews with a control sample of people with basic skills needs who have not undertaken learning. One of the main aims of the research is to identify the returns to basic skills learning and opportunities for improvement in terms of learning processes and strategy delivery.

The project is at its very early stages and the research team are currently refining the design of the study. It is anticipated that BMRB will be conducting a pilot study with a sample of colleges in early September and will then be looking to conduct mainstage fieldwork in selected colleges towards the end of October. BMRB Social Research will be contacting colleges to explain the research in more detail nearer the time but is envisaged that the research team will need to speak to course tutors in order to access course participants. Interviews will then be undertaken by BMRB on-site at the chosen colleges.

The study is longitudinal and it is intended that all those interviewed will be contacted again 12 months later and again after another 12 months. This approach will allow the Department to examine the short and long term impacts of learning on individuals.

National Survey of Adult Basic Skills Needs

The Department has also commissioned BMRB Social Research to undertake the National Survey of Adult Basic Skills Needs, which was promised in Skills for Life: The national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills.  BMRB Social Research will be responsible for conducting an initial 10,000 interviews with adults across England to assess literacy and numeracy skills needs and will follow up 5,000 of the respondents to these interviews to also assess ICT skills needs.  The interviews will take place between July 2002 and March 2003 and the final results will be available in Summer 2003.

The principal objective of the research is to ascertain how many adults of working age in England have low levels of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills when assessed in terms of the new national basic skills standards.  The information collected will be used to direct future policy development and ensure that priority groups are correctly defined and targeted.

Gail Peachey, Department for Education and Skills, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BT

Tel: 020 7925 5343; email: gail.peachey@dfes.gsi.gov.uk