Policy Press

Education and learning

Only a third of children in the world’s poorest households currently complete school. Two thirds of all illiterate adults are women and nearly half the global illiterate population lives in Southern Asia.

In focusing on education policy and the inequalities that are both in-built in education systems and perpetuated by them, our publishing responds to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education. Revealing and addressing some of the challenges in education, including those around technology and the digital divide, it looks to internationally-sourced evidence-based solutions, challenging traditional neoliberal approaches to learning.

Bristol University Press and Policy Press are signed up to the UN SDG Publishers Compact. In Education and learning, we aim to address the following goal:

SDG Publishers compact logoSDG 4: Quality education

Showing 1-12 of 183 items.

Learning at work

Edited by Frank Coffield

This first report in the ESRC Learning Society series examines the key processes of learning, as embedded in particular workplaces, organisational structures and specific social practices. The authors explore the conflicts and barriers which organisations run into, even when they are trying to promote greater learning among staff.

Policy Press

Why's the beer always stronger up North?

Studies of lifelong learning in Europe

Edited by Frank Coffield

This report presents different models of The Learning Society, of lifelong learning and of the learning organisation, through cross-national and 'home international' comparisons. It then explores the limitations and advantages of comparative research. It will be of particular use to researchers planning international, and intra-European studies.

Policy Press

Speaking truth to power

Research and policy on lifelong learning

Edited by Frank Coffield

In this collection of essays, researchers discuss the implications of their findings for policy. Findings are also presented for the first time from a major new survey, commissioned by The Learning Society Programme, which examined the skills of a representative sample of British workers.

Policy Press

Researching education

Themes in teaching-and-learning

This book illuminates current debates about the nature and status of research in education and calls for a wider understanding of education by policy makers and research funders.

Policy Press

Empowering practice?

A critical appraisal of the family group conference approach

This book examines the nature and meaning of 'empowerment' in the child welfare context using the family group conference approach to decision making in child welfare and protection. The authors evaluate the FGC approach so that current practice can be improved and lessons learned for other areas of work with children and families.

Policy Press

The necessity of informal learning

Edited by Frank Coffield

Policies to increase participation in learning need to concern themselves not only with increasing access and appreciating the different contexts in which learning takes place, but also with the different forms of learning. This report constitutes an exploratory study of the submerged mass of learning, which takes place informally and implicitly.

Policy Press

Differing visions of a Learning Society Vol 1

Research findings Volume 1

Edited by Frank Coffield

This first volume explores the ways lifelong learning can contribute to the development of knowledge and skills for employment, and other areas of adult life. It addresses the challenges for researchers to study issues that are central and directly relevant to the political and policy debate, and to take into account the reality of people's lives.

Policy Press

Differing visions of a Learning Society Vol 2

Research findings Volume 2

Edited by Frank Coffield

This second volume discusses both the meaning of the Learning Society for adults with learning difficulties, and use of social capital to explain patterns of lifelong learning. It presents five different 'trajectories' of lifelong learning, explores determinants of participation and non-participation in learning, and innovation in Higher Education.

Policy Press

The Learning Society and people with learning difficulties

This book makes a significant contribution to debates about how people with learning difficulties may achieve social inclusion, and the part which lifelong learning may play in this. Its exploration of the links between community care, education, training, employment, housing and benefits policies in the context of lifelong learning is unique.

Policy Press

Diminished rights

Danish lone mother families in international context

This is a qualitative study that documents the daily lives of vulnerable lone mothers and their children in Denmark. Loss of rights, gender and ethnic inequality, and family violence all emerge as key themes with international implications. Policy and practice recommendations are made with wide-ranging applications for an international audience.

Policy Press

Working together or pulling apart?

The National Health Service and child protection networks

This book examines the contribution of the NHS to the multi-agency and inter-professional child protection process. It examines the roles played by health professionals within child protection and investigates the nature and operation of the central policy community and local provider networks.

Policy Press

Learn to succeed

The case for a skills revolution

This is the first book to draw together the evidence on the 'case' for skills and to examine the policies appropriate to achieving 'skills for all'.

Policy Press