Family Structures and Intergenerational Transfers of Learning: Changes and Challenges

In spite of the range of formal education that is available, much of our learning occurs informally in a variety of contexts. Among these contexts is the family. For young children this is especially important in terms of what it offers at a time when influences can be long-lasting and of a formative nature. Older generations can also be influenced by, and learn from, younger members of the family. Traditionally, the family has provided a setting where children, their parents and other close relatives such as their grandparents have lived together under the same roof, or household. In the home setting people can spend time together and the range of activities occurring within this setting are influenced by, and in turn influence, a wider cultural milieu. The family and the household are, however, entities that are subject to change and in turn these changes can have profound influences for those who are part of it. In this article I will outline what is understood by home and family and how the home and family are changing within the UK as a result of a variety of demographic changes that are associated with factors such as an ageing population and migration. I will then consider the contributions by those who have studied learning going on in the home, also taking account of the possible influences of present day developments in science and technology. I will then consider more speculatively some possible developments over the next few decades and the challenges that arise from these.