Study title

The project aimed to promote and support commitment as a necessary condition for the participation of adults with basic education needs in learning programmes. The aim of the multi-stage research and development project was to learn from everyday behaviours associated with commitments (appointments, appointments, commitments, participation in offers) in the private, professional or official environment for the conception, organisation and implementation of literacy and basic education measures. The study was intended to show which conditions increase the likelihood that adults with low literacy skills will also make commitments to participate in learning opportunities and, above all, keep them. Following a qualitative exploratory step, which involved stakeholders and providers of literacy and basic education as well as those with low literacy levels, a quantitative survey was conducted among adults with low literacy levels, some of whose responses were compared with those of a sample representative of the population. The survey was intended to use concrete scenarios to address the issue of commitment in everyday life. The central aim was to identify factors, individual and situational conditions that favour people with basic education needs making agreements and keeping commitments. This also involved voluntary commitments made by adults. The observation in the context of the population as a whole was intended to distinguish specific patterns of action of the target groups of literacy and basic education from the general behaviour of adults. Based on the quantitative survey, in a third step, concrete options for action and recommendations for the conception, design and communication of basic education programmes were derived together with providers and stakeholders in literacy and basic education as well as adults with low literacy levels. The project was supported by experts from science and practice throughout its entire duration.General population...