Evidence-based support for the design and delivery of user-centred online public services.

Previous Next Open as MS-Powerpoint Print

Document 903
Population survey statistics

eLearning Chart 19: Attitudes towards training and learning: "Too old to learn"

eUSER population survey 2005

Chart 19: Attitudes towards training and learning: "Too old to learn"

Do you agree with: I am too old to learn	18-24	25 - 49	50 - 64	65+	Overall sample
Do you agree with: I am too old to learn	Age cohort				Overall sample
1 (do not agree at all)	83.5	73.7	52.9	37.8	63.7
2	8.1	8.6	9.2	8.0	8.6
3	4.6	9.8	15.8	13.5	11.2
4	0.9	3.5	7.7	9.1	5.2
5 (agree fully)	2.8	4.4	14.4	31.5	11.3

Scale: 1 (fully disagree) -5 (fully agree); Base: total population.

The aim of involving the whole population in lifelong learning activities faces a serious challenge in the widespread attitude that learning is something for the young. Older people have been found to often suffer from anxiety when faced with a situation where they are asked to learn new things, in spite of a wealth of evidence that the physiological ability to learn does not deteriorate considerably with age. Indeed, the eUSER survey found that 41% of all persons aged 65 or older, and 22% of people aged 50 to 64 consider themselves as "too old to learn". There is still a long way to go before lifelong learning will become accepted as a common element in the lifes of all people, regardless of age and socio-economic background.