populations in their current or recent (past 3 years) participation in post-compulsory learning. 41% of the rural sample, against 43% of the urban, had engaged in such opportunities. Nevertheless, a parallel report noted that more than twice as many urban respondents as rural respondents expected to move on to further learning opportunities in the future, concluding that “the rural/urban divide is one of the most ignored in educational research.” [21] Clearly, though, some factors specific to rural contexts present important barriers to adult learning and training. Even if the level of engagement is similar between rural and urban residents, there are barriers that uniquely or predominantly disadvantage rural residents. Many will also affect adult learning and participation in rural churches.
The most profound barriers for rural adult learners relate to geography: isolation, dispersion, distance and size of community. Essentially all are structural barriers, and though individually appearing minor, for someone already personally unenthusiastic about adult learning they may prove to be the final straw in the decision not to participate [22].
4.1 Travel and Isolation
Isolation is not an exclusively rural phenomenon, but rural isolation is often a corollary of geography. This is exacerbated by travel issues: • Often severely limited availability of public transport • Access to private transport (for which there are also cost implications) One study [23] compared the ease of travel access to learning for rural and urban inhabitants. 80% of urban learners found it easy to access learning, against 73% of rural learners. By contrast 10% of the rural sample found learning hard to access, against 7% of the urban sample. The study concluded: “Rural learners (17%) are more likely than their urban counterparts (12%) to be learning at home or work” rather than at another location.
4.2 Opportunity Costs
Distance and travel also create opportunity costs that may provide barriers to learners: • Time taken to travel • Increased financial costs involved (even with personal transport) • Curtailment of working hours in order to travel.
4.3 Times and Seasons The timing of courses may also be a barrier, especially combined with travel issues. Page 16 of 45
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