Abstract:
Ibis thesis begins by examining various philosophies and models
applied to social problems and community education. Policy analysis
is carried out on Strathclyde Regional Council's social strategy and
the Open University Community Education programme, and on the
use of OU courses as a component of the social strategy.
The research is concerned with students who took these courses in
Glasgow's areas of multiple deprivation during the recent economic
recession. It examines who participates and who benefits. and
considers the place and influence of the courses in students' lives
and in their communities. It recognises that students' personal
characteristics and circumsiances have been and are affected by
local services and facilities and by wider socioeconomic events and
changes, and explores what influence community education has in
the context of such opportunities and constraints.
A life history approach is adopted which enables the activities and
events in students' lives to be analysed into various careers -
education, marital. childcare. employment, health, community and
social: and to be represented as parallel lifelines. A longitudinal
analysis shows that students' reactions to the courses are influenced
by the stage they are at in each of these careers. This is followed by
a systemic analysis focussing on the changes across all areas of their
lives around the time of the courses and afterwards. These appear
related to their social and economic instability Ue. marital
breakdown or husbands' unemployment) and those with more
instability have and make more changes and find the courses more
helpful. 7be courses benefit those who are most disadvantaged in
line with the objectives of the social strategy. A resource based
model is proposed which attempts to explain why those with least
resources have more changes in their lives and receive more help
from the courses.
