Not just petrol heads: men's learning in the communitythrough participation in motor sports

• Main Author: Barry Golding
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Linköping University Electronic Press 2011-04-01
• Series: European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults
• Subjects: Motor sports; men's learning; community; men's sheds
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.3384/rela.2000-7426.rela0015

This paper examines the learning experienced through participation by men in twoquite different two motor sports organisations in Western Australia. It relies oninterview data from volunteers about what they do and what they learn as aconsequence of their participation in staging complex but safe, competitive, publicevents. The paper provides evidence of a deep well of learning and wide range of skillsproduced as a consequence of participation. This learning would rarely be recognisedas education or training, illustrating the need for caution when concluding that adulteducation is not taking place and learning outcomes are not being achieved other thanthrough courses where teaching occurs, or in contexts that are regarded as literary.What men skills men learnt, though significant as outcomes, were not the object of themotor sport activity, supporting Biesta's (2006) view that the amassing of knowledgeand skills can be achieved in other valuable ways aside from through education.