Participation in informal learning contexts, self-perception of lifelong learning, and the digital participation of older adults

Digital participation is increasingly important for social inclusion, yet a considerable proportion of older adults remains offline. The present study investigates the role of informal learning contexts and the self-perception of lifelong learning for (the lack of) digital participation of older adults.

Drawing on four waves (2014, 2017, 2021, 2023) of the German Ageing Survey (DEAS), we analyze both the frequency of internet usage across different purpose groups (social, service, informal learning) in cross-sectional analyses and transitions from non-usage to usage and the reverse transition in longitudinal analyses.

The cross-sectional results reveal no single informal learning context that consistently predicts internet usage across all waves and purposes. The only exception is being culturally active, which is positively associated with the frequency of internet usage for all purposes in all waves. The self-perception of lifelong learning shows more stable positive associations with internet usage, particularly for service purposes.

In the longitudinal analyses, inter-individual differences in the frequency of participating in several informal learning contexts predict both the transition from non-usage to usage and from usage to non-usage, suggesting an association with openness to change rather than a directional effect. Intra-individual changes in informal learning contexts do not predict transitions, whereas an intra-individual improvement in the self-perception of lifelong learning increases the likelihood of transitioning from non-usage to usage.

Our findings suggest that a lifelong participation in informal learning contexts and a positive attitude towards learning need to be fostered as early as possible in adult life to support digital participation in older age.