AONTAS Research
AONTAS Research
The AONTAS Research Team works across adult learning, community education, and Further Education and Training (FET) to build evidence, inform policy and practice, and strengthen the adult learning sector across the island of Ireland.
Learner Voice is central to our work. Through collaboration with learners, members, practitioners, researchers, and partners, we gather evidence on the lived experience of adult learning and the impact of social inequality on access, participation, and progression.
Our research supports advocacy, contributes to national and international discussions on lifelong learning, and helps ensure that adult learners’ experiences are reflected in policy development and decision-making.
Our research focuses on National FET Learner Forum Research, Community Education Research, and Peer Review Publications and International Research Collaborations.
National FET Learner Forum Research
The National Further Education and Training (FET) Learner Forum is a national learner voice initiative run by AONTAS in partnership with local Education and Training Boards (ETBs).
Through regional forums, focus groups, and learner surveys, adult learners across Ireland share their experiences of FET and identify what is working well, what challenges they face, and how the learner experience can be improved.
This research forms an important evidence base for AONTAS advocacy work and helps ensure that FET policy and practice respond to the needs and experiences of learners themselves.
Following each forum, regional reports are developed for participating ETBs to support local improvement and quality enhancement. The findings are also brought together in the annual Learner Voices Across Ireland report, which provides a national picture of the learner experience and contributes to policy development across the FET sector.
By placing learner voice at the centre of research and decision-making, the Forum supports positive change across adult education from the ground up.
Community Education Research
AONTAS conducts research on the role and impact of community education across the island of Ireland, with a particular focus on social inequality, inclusion, and lifelong learning.
Working with learners, practitioners, members, and community partners, we gather evidence on the experiences of adult learners and the vital role community education plays in supporting individuals and communities.
Our research explores issues including participation, access, equality, learner wellbeing, social transformation, and democratic participation. Through reports, case studies, collaborative projects, and learner stories, we highlight the contribution of community education to creating more inclusive and equitable communities.
This work strengthens our advocacy, informs policy and practice, and supports the wider adult and community education sector.
Peer Review Publications and International Research Collaborations
AONTAS contributes to national and international research on adult learning, community education, lifelong learning, and social inclusion through peer review publications, conference presentations, and collaborative research projects.
Working with researchers, practitioners, networks, and partner organisations, we contribute evidence and insight from the adult and community education sector in Ireland to wider research and policy discussions.
Our publications and collaborations support knowledge sharing, strengthen connections between research and practice, and highlight the experiences of adult learners and communities across the island of Ireland and beyond.
The Adult Learner Journal
The Irish Journal of Adult and Community Education: The Adult Learner is Ireland’s leading peer-reviewed journal for adult and community education.
Published by AONTAS, the journal features research, analysis, and new perspectives from researchers, practitioners, and educators working across the adult learning sector.
Alongside the journal, AONTAS supports participation and capacity building through Writers’ Workshops designed to encourage new and emerging contributors to publishing and research.