Understanding your learning audience

Statistics often show who is learning what and where, or who isn't engaging in learning. Rarely do they reveal what lies behind the learning decision making process. Yet, understanding this process is crucial to developing a marketing strategy to encourage people back into learning. It allows barriers to learning to be understood and addressed and motivation to be built through knowledge of the key drivers for learning behaviour.

Qualitative research with focus groups can look behind the statistics to provide this insight. The Campaign for Learning has conducted this type of research with young people, older people, family members and managers and proprietors. Often with individuals who are not participating in learning. A new book Understanding your learning audience by Michelle Wake sums up over five years of this qualitative research.

As would be expected, factors such as life stage, previous educational experience, qualifications, cultural and social influences affect people's attitudes towards learning. And barriers to learning may differ depending on these factors and circumstances both within and between target groups. For example, research shows that dads find the biggest barrier to learning with their family is time whilst for mums the strongest barrier is the confidence to support their children's learning.

With this in depth knowledge marketing plans can be built that reflect and address the needs of learners, to lead to real learning opportunities.