Self-learning as a method of improving skills by adult Poles – evidence from non-metric survey data

Nowadays, in a rapidly changing environment, it is essential to participate in lifelong learning activities in order to update and develop knowledge and qualifications. There are various forms of learning from highly formalized and structuralized to informal ones which allow to improve knowledge and skills. European Union educational policy underlines the necessity of lifelong learning involvement. Unfortunately the participation rate in continuous education in Poland is far beyond European benchmarks. The official statistics concern mostly the engagement in formal and non-formal educational processes. This paper is focused on self-learning activities of adult Poles. The analyses are carried out on the basis of data from a nationwide survey. As the data are categorical adequate statistical methods are applied to reveal and describe the regularities concerning this aspect of continuous education.