Competent Learners

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This longitudinal NZCER project has tracked the development of a group of learners from when they were in early childhood education, through school and into adulthood. Over the years, its findings have been well used in policy and practice.

The final phase of the project returned to the cohort when they were 26. Two reports from this phase are now available (see below), with a third report coming in late 2019.

Latest reports: Competent Learners @ 26

The Competent Learners study has followed a cohort of young New Zealanders from their final months in early childhood education to age 26. Twin reports give valuable insights into the roles of learning, work, health and relationships in their lives. Most were in paid work. Sixty percent were in relationships, and 21% of the women had a child. Friendships were important, and many of their closest friends were from school. Informal activities were more common than formal activities. “We found some differences related to education levels and income in how young people spend their time and what matters to them, but more differences related to gender” said Dr Cathy Wylie, the study leader.

Reports and papers

Listed below are the reports and papers from this study. The project has been funded by the Ministry of Education, and through Te Pae Tawhiti, NZCER’s Government Grant.

Reports from age 5 to age 20 are also released by the Ministry of Education: Competent Children, Competent Learners.

Project Outputs

	Publication year	Publication type
Making a place in the world: Experiences of those who took less conventional paths from school	2020	Research report
Pathways, labour market experiences, and learning at work and beyond at age 26	2019	Research report
Shaping adulthood: Relationships, values, and experiences of the Competent Learners @ 26	2019	Research report
Forming Adulthood Past, Present and Future in the Experiences and Views of the Competent Learners @ 20	2011	Research report
Tracks to Adulthood Post-school experiences of 21-year-olds: The qualitative component of Competent Learners @ 20	2011	Research report
Exploring connections between engagement and student voice	2011	Conference papers
Competent Learners @ 20: summary of key findings	2011	Research summary
Student Perspectives on Leaving School, Pathways, and Careers (A Report from the Competent Learners Project)	2008	Book
Competent Learners on the Edge of Adulthood: A summary of key findings from the Competent Learners @ 16 project	2008	Research summary
Continuing contribution of early childhood education to young people's competency levels	2007	Research report
Early childhood education and young adult competencies at age 16. Technical report 2 from the age-16 phase of the longitudinal Competent Children, Competent Learners study	2007	Research report
Competent Learners @ 16: Competency levels and development over time	2007	Research report
Competent Learners @ 16: Competency levels and development over time - Technical report	2007	Research report
Contributions of early childhood education to age-14 performance: Evidence from the longitudinal Competent Children, Competent Learners study	2006	Research report
What matters in the transition to secondary level? Results from NZCER longitudinal research	2006	Article
Competencies at age 14 and competency development for the Competent Children, Competent Learners study sample	2006	Research report
Growing independence : A summary of key findings from the Competent Learners @14 project	2006	Research report
Growing Independence: Competent Learners @ 14	2006	Research report
Technical report with Growing independence: Competent learners @14	2006	Research report
Completely different or a bigger version? Experiences and effects of the transition to secondary school: Evidence from the Competent Children, Competent Learners project	2006	Research report
Leisure activities and adolescent engagement in school learning	2005	Conference papers
Twelve Years Old and Competent	2004	Book
Competent children at 12	2004	Research report
Key facts summary of Competent Children at 12 report, 2004	2004	Research report
Beating the odds: Factors which can make a difference for New Zealand children in low-income homes	2003	Conference papers
Long-term contribution of early childhood education to children's performance - evidence from New Zealand	2003	Article
Competent children at 10: Families, early education, and schools	2001	Research report
Ten years old and competent: The fourth stage of the Competent Children project - a summary of the main findings	2001	Book
Competent children: Findings and issues from the first 7 years	2001	Conference papers
Making sense: relations between literacy, television and computer use	2001	Conference papers
Eight years old and competent: The third stage of the Competent Children project - a summary of the main findings	1999	Book
Competent children at 8: Families, early education, and schools	1999	Research report
Six years old and competent	1998	Research report
Competent children at 6: Families, early education, and schools	1998	Research report
Spreading their wings: Seven hundred and sixty-seven parents talk about their children's home and early childhood experiences	1997	Research report
Five years old and competent	1996	Book
Competent children at 5: Families and early education	1996	Research report
Competent children and their teachers: Learning about trajectories and other schemas	1995	Research report
Competent children: Influences of early childhood experiences - pilot study report	1993	Research report
What makes for a successful science learner?
Making school science personally relevant
In defence of science fairs
Building creativity, innovation and increased critical science literacy
Competent Learners @ 26: Summary of key findings		Research report