Learner Identity and Lifelong Learning: A Mixed-Method Study

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##

Learning is on the one side happing every day. On the other side, adult participation in (formal and non-formal) learning is low, especially in Germany and for certain subgroups (e.g., with low educational attainment). It is well known that with the acquisition of knowledge over a lifetime many positive findings are associated. Hence, we propose that measuring learner identity might be a helpful construct for predicting and influencing lifelong learning. However, measurement options for learner identity are sparse. Hence, the present paper tries to adapt and validate a scale to measure learner identity. For that, we first adapted the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale questionnaire (Luyckx et al., 2008). Second, internal construct validity and external construct validity were established. For the latter, as in other studies, self-esteem, depressive symptoms (Luyckx et al., 2008) and openness (Crocetti et al., 2008) were used. Curiosity and epistemological beliefs were assessed as well, because according to the division of cognitive labor, we must gain knowledge from different sources to deal with life’s complexity (Bromme, 2005). Third, Marcia’s identity status (1964) was identified using a clustering approach. The mean age of the 124 participants was 21.90 years (SD = 3.23). Most participants were female (80.6%), and the majority were studying for a teaching post at the bachelor’s level (68.5%). Finally, one student per identity status was interviewed (n = 4) using a topic guide based on Marcia’s (1964) identity status interview. In this way, an explanatory mixed-method design was applied (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011). Both, the quantitative and the qualitative approach seem fruitful to assess learner identity. Analysis indicated that learner identity is different from epistemological beliefs. Learner identity is highly relevant to how learning situations are approached and how strong the commitment to learning activities and goals is. 

  1. Blossfeld, H.P., Klijzing, E., Kurz, K., & Mills, M. (Eds.). (2005). Globalization, uncertainty and youth in society. Routledge.  |   Google Scholar
  2. Boeren, E. (2017). Researching lifelong learning participation through an interdisciplinary lens. International Journal of Research and Method in Education, 40(3), 299–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743727X.2017.1287893  |   Google Scholar
  3. Boeren, E., Nicaise, I., & Baert, H. (2010). Theoretical models of participation in adult education: The need for an integrated model. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 29(1), 45–61.  |   Google Scholar
  4. Borschel, E., Zimmermann, J., Crocetti, E., Meeus, W., Noack, P., & Neyer, F. J. (2018): Me and you in a mobile world: The development of regional identity and personal relationships in young adulthood. Developmental Psychology, 55(5), 1072. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dev0000677  |   Google Scholar
  5. Bråten, I., Brandmo, C., & Kammerer, Y. (2019). A validation study of the internet-specific epistemic justification inventory with Norwegian preservice teachers. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 57(4), 877–900.  |   Google Scholar
  6. Bromme, R. (2005). Thinking and knowing about knowledge. In M.H. Hoffmann, J. Lenhard, & F. Seeger (Eds.), Activity and sign. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-24270-8_17  |   Google Scholar
  7. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning. (2008). The social and personal benefits of learning: A summary of key findings. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10003177/1/Feinstein2008thesocialreport.pdf  |   Google Scholar
  8. Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Sage Publications.  |   Google Scholar
  9. Crocetti, E., & Meeus, W. (2015). The identity statuses: Strengths of a person-centered approach. In K. C. McLean & M. U. Syed (Eds.), Oxford library of psychology. The Oxford handbook of identity development (pp. 97–114). Oxford University Press.  |   Google Scholar
  10. Crocetti, E., Rubini, M., Luyckx, K., & Meeus, W. (2008). Identity formation in early and middle adolescents from various ethnic groups: From three dimensions to five statuses. Journal of Youth & Adolescence, 37, 983–996.  |   Google Scholar
  11. Dresing, T., & Pehl, T. (2015). f4 Praxisbuch Interview, Transkription & Analyse. Anleitungen und Regelsysteme für qualitativ Forschende. 6. Auflage. Eigenverlag. German.  |   Google Scholar
  12. Dresing, T., Pehl, T., & Lombardo, C. (2008, May). Schnellere Transkription durch Spracherkennung. In Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 9(2), 17. German.  |   Google Scholar
  13. Elmer, T., Mepham, K., & Stadtfeld, C. (2020). Students under lockdown: Comparisons of students’ social networks and mental health before and during the COVID-19 crisis in Switzerland. PLoS One, 15(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236337  |   Google Scholar
  14. Erikson, E. H. (1973). Identität und Lebenszyklus: Drei Aufsätze (1st ed.). Suhrkamp-Taschenbuch Wissenschaft: Vol. 16. Suhrkamp. German.  |   Google Scholar
  15. Eurostat (2020). Share of job-related non-formal adult education and training sponsored by employers [Infographic]. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statisticsexplained/images/f/f1/Share_of_jobrelated_nonformal_adult_education_and_training_sponsored_by_employers%2C_2016_%28%25_share_of_all_nonformal_learning_activities%29.png  |   Google Scholar
  16. Eurostat (2016). Providers of non-formal education and training activities [Infographic].https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statisticsexplained/index.php?title=File:Providers_of_nonformal_education_and_training_activities,_2016_(%C2%B9)_(%25_share_of_all_noSnformal_learning_activities_of_adults_aged_25%E2%80%9364).png  |   Google Scholar
  17. Feinkohl, I., Flemming, D., Cress, U., & Kimmerle, J. (2016). The impact of epistemological beliefs and cognitive ability on recall and critical evaluation of scientific information. Cognitive Processing, 17(2), 213–223.  |   Google Scholar
  18. Gore, P. A. Jr. (2000). Cluster analysis. In H. E. A. Tinsley & S. D. Brown (Eds.), Handbook of applied multivariate statistics and mathematical modeling (pp. 297–321). Academic Press.  |   Google Scholar
  19. Hammond, C., & Feinstein, L. (2006). Are those who flourished at school healthier adults? What role for adult education? Wider Benefits of Learning Research Report No. 17. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, Institute of Education, University of London: London. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10015341/1/WBLResRep17.pdf  |   Google Scholar
  20. IBM Corp. (2019). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0. IBM Corp.  |   Google Scholar
  21. Jarvis, P. (2012). Towards a comprehensive theory of human learning. Routledge.  |   Google Scholar
  22. Kolb, A.Y., & Kolb, D.A. (2009). On becoming a learner: The concept of learning identity. CAEL Forum and News, 5–13.  |   Google Scholar
  23. Landberg, M., Eckstein, K., Mikolajczyk, C. Mejias, S., Macek, P., Motti-Stefanidi, F., Enchikova, E. Guarino, A., Rämmer, A., & Noack, P. (2018). Being both – A European and a national citizen? Comparing young people’s identification with Europe and their home country across eight European countries. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 15(3), 270–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2017.1391087  |   Google Scholar
  24. Landberg, M., & Noack, P. (2017). Die außerbetriebliche Ausbildung als Ausgangspunkt für lebenslanges Lernen. Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis, 46(3), 45–48. German.  |   Google Scholar
  25. Lannegrand-Willems, L., Perchec, C. & Marchal, C. (2015). Vocational identity and psychological adjustment: A study in French adolescents and emerging adults. Journal of Adolescence, 47, 210–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.10.005  |   Google Scholar
  26. Litman, J. A., & Mussel, P. (2013). Validity of the interest-and deprivation-type epistemic curiosity model in Germany. Journal of Individual Differences, 34(2), 59–68. https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000100  |   Google Scholar
  27. Luyckx, K., Seiffge-Krenke, I., Schwartz, S. J., Crocetti, E., & Klimstra, T. A. (2014). Identity configurations across love and work in emerging adults in romantic relationships. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 35(3), 192–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2014.03.007  |   Google Scholar
  28. Luyckx, K., Klimstra, T. A., Schwartz, S. J., & Duriez, B. (2013). Personal identity in college and the work context: Developmental trajectories and psychosocial functioning. European Journal of Personality, 27(3), 222–237. https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fper.1903  |   Google Scholar
  29. Luyckx, K., Duriez, B., Klimstra, T. A., & Witte, H. de. (2010). Identity statuses in young adult employees: Prospective relations with work engagement and burnout. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 77(3), 339–349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2010.06.002  |   Google Scholar
  30. Luyckx, K., Schwartz, S. J., Berzonsky, M. D., Soenens, B., Vansteenkiste, M., Smits, I., & Goossens, L. (2008). Capturing ruminative exploration: Extending the four-dimensional model of identity formation in late adolescence. Journal of Research in Personality, 42(1), 58–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2007.04.004  |   Google Scholar
  31. Luyckx, K., Goossens, L., & Soenens, B. (2006). A developmental contextual perspective on identity construction in emerging adulthood: Change dynamics in commitment formation and commitment evaluation. Developmental Psychology, 42(2), 366–380. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0012-1649.42.2.366  |   Google Scholar
  32. Marcia, J. E. (1993). The ego identity status approach to ego identity. In J. E. Marcia, A. S. Waterman, D. R. Matteson, S. L. Archer, & J. L. Orlofsky (Eds.), Ego identity: A handbook for psychosocial research (pp. 3–21). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8330-7_1  |   Google Scholar
  33. Marcia, J. E. (1964). Development and validation of ego-identity status. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 3, 551–558.  |   Google Scholar
  34. Mayring, P. (2015). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse. Grundlagen und Techniken. 12., überarbeitete Auflage. Beltz. German.  |   Google Scholar
  35. Mohr, G. & Müller, A. (2014). Depressivität im nichtklinischen Kontext. Zusammenstellung sozialwissenschaftlicher Items und Skalen (ZIS). https://doi.org/10.6102/zis79. German.  |   Google Scholar
  36. Molden, D., & Dweck, C. (2006). Finding “meaning” in psychology: A lay theories approach to self-regulation, social perception, and social development. American Psychologist, 61(3). 192–203. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.61.3.192  |   Google Scholar
  37. Neidhardt, H. (2006). Zum lebenslangen Lernen gezwungen? Chancen und Risiken einer gesetzlichen „Bildungspflicht“ für Erwachsene. Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung. https://www.die-bonn.de/esprid/dokumente/doc-2006/neidhardt06_01.pdf  |   Google Scholar
  38. Nes, F. V., Abma, T., Jonsson, H., & Deeg, D. (2010). Language differences in qualitative research: Is meaning lost in translation? European Journal of Ageing, 7, 313–316.  |   Google Scholar
  39. Offerhaus, J., Leschke, J., & Schömann, K. (2016). Soziale Ungleichheit im Zugang zu beruf¬licher Weiterbildung. In R. Becker und W. Lauterbach (Eds.), Bildung als Privileg (pp. 387–420). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-11952-2_12  |   Google Scholar
  40. Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. (2004). Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of social and Clinical Psychology, 23(5), 603-619.  |   Google Scholar
  41. Pekrun, R. (2006). The control-value theory of achievement emotions: Assumptions, corollaries, and implications for educational research and practice. Educational Psychology Review, 18, 315–341. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-006-9029-9  |   Google Scholar
  42. Preston, J., & Green, A. (2003). The macrosocial benefits of education, training and skills in comparative perspective. Wider Benefits of Learning Research Report No. 9. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, Institute of Education, University of London: London. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/83568.pdf  |   Google Scholar
  43. R Core Team (2009–2018). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. http://www.R-project.org/.  |   Google Scholar
  44. Rädiker, S., & Kuckartz, U. (2020). Focused analysis of qualitative interviews with MAXQDA. MAXQDA Press.  |   Google Scholar
  45. Satow, L. (2020). B5T® Big-Five-Persönlichkeitstest: Test- und Skalendokumentation. https://www.drsatow.de/tests/persoenlichkeitstest/  |   Google Scholar
  46. Schuller, T., Brassett-Grundy, A., Green, A., Hammond, C., & Preston, J. (2002). Learning, continuity and change in adult life. Wider Benefits of Learning Research Report No. 3. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, Institute of Education, University of London: London.. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/83569.pdf  |   Google Scholar
  47. Settersten, R., & Ray, B. E. (2010). Not quite adults: Why 20- somethings are choosing a slower path to adulthood, and why it’s good for everyone. Bantam Books.  |   Google Scholar
  48. Stichweh, R. (2016). Studentische Lebensführung. In E. Allwedt, A. Röcke, & J. Steinbicker (Eds.), Lebensführung heute. Klasse, Bildung, Individualität (pp. 140-147). Beltz Juventa. German.  |   Google Scholar
  49. Tomlinson, M. (2008). “The degree is not enough”: Students’ perceptions of the role of higher education credentials for graduate work and employability. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 19(1), 49–61.  |   Google Scholar
  50. Vesely, S., & Klöckner, C. A. (2020). Social desirability in environmental psychology research: Three meta-analyses. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1395.  |   Google Scholar
  51. Volles, N. (2016). Lifelong learning in the EU: Changing conceptualisations, actors, and policies. Studies in Higher Education, 41(2), 343–363.  |   Google Scholar
  52. von Collani, G., & Herzberg, P. Y. (2003). Zur internen Struktur des globalen Selbstwertgefühls nach Rosenberg. Zeitschrift für Differentielle und Diagnostische Psychologie, 24(1), 9–22. German.  |   Google Scholar
  53. Wegner, E., & Nückles, M. (2019, April 26). Epistemologische Überzeugungen. In M. A. Wirtz (Hrsg.), Dorsch Lexikon der Psychologie. Bern: Hogrefe. Retrieved from: https://dorsch.hogrefe.com/stichwort/epistemologische-ueberzeugungen  |   Google Scholar
  54. Westphal, A., Lazarides, R., & Vock, M. (2020). Are some students graded more appropriately than others? Student characteristics as moderators of the relationships between teacher‐assigned grades and test scores in mathematics. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(3), 865–881.  |   Google Scholar
  55. Woessmann, L. (2016). The economic case for education. Education Economics, 24(1), 3–32.  |   Google Scholar

How to Cite

Landberg, M., & Porsch, T. (2022). Learner Identity and Lifelong Learning: A Mixed-Method Study. European Journal of Education and Pedagogy, 3(3), 59–68. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejedu.2022.3.3.305

Search Panel

 Monique Landberg
 Google Scholar |   EJEDU Journal

 Torsten Porsch
 Google Scholar |   EJEDU Journal