'E-stablishing a learning society': The use of the Internet to attract adults to lifelong learning in Wales

The Internet has recently been heralded by both politicians and educators a s a ready means of promoting 'lifelong learning' and widening the numbers o f adults participating in education. Yet, despite such enthusiasm, the use of technology to attract adults to lifelong learning is only now beginning to be implemented on a widespread basis. Thus much of the technology-based vision of a 'learning society' remains empirically unproven. This paper, th erefore, concentrates on the longer-established efforts being made in Wales to use the Internet as a gateway for learning opportunities for adult lear ners. Focusing on a Web-based Welsh language programme over a 12 month peri od the paper empirically examines the role of the Internet in providing eff ective access procedures to adult learning and, moreover, gains a sense of who such methods are attracting and what learners are beginning to use the Internet for. In particular the paper examines: how the programme was prese nted on the Internet; when learners were using the Internet-based learning programme and what they were using it for; and, finally, who was accessing the learning programme via the Internet and how usage of the programme refl ected the wider goals of extending, participation beyond those social group s already engaged in learning.