Magister Educationis - MEd (AL (Adult Learning and Global Change)

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https://hdl.handle.net/10566/15407

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Browsing by Subject "Adult learners"

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    Investigating barriers to participation in adult learning among adult learners at a university in Southern Africa: A Chain-of-Response Model
    (University of the Western Cape, 2020) Felix, Agnes; Groener, Zelda
    This study was prompted by the increase in the numbers of adult learners who registered for a Diploma in Secondary Education offered by a tertiary institution (university). The diploma is a one-year programme, offered over two years through distance mode of delivery and concentrates on offering professional educational courses similar to those provided in the Bachelor of Education degree at the university. The aim was to investigate the opportunity to participate in adult learning among adult learners and barriers that affect them at a university in Southern Africa. I chose a qualitative research method and the Chain-of-Response Model (CoR) as the conceptual framework of the study. The CoR Model was a lens through which I analysed adult learners’ decision-making processes to participate in adult learning and to find the barriers affecting adult learners from actively participating in adult learning. The model is in the format of the cycle that has factors that influence the decision-making process of an individual. Following the logic of the CoR cycle, adult learners were selected to find out why they had participated in adult leaning and why others did not participate. The site of this study was the northern campus of a university in Southern Africa. Twenty adult learners were selected through non-probability purposive sampling from the university database. All adult learners participated voluntarily. There were three (3) males and seventeen (17) females in the study; their age range was 20 to 40 years old. Two questions underpinned the study: what opportunities are available for participation in distance education study, and what barriers affect participation in distance education study. The study findings revealed that adult learners do have opportunities to study and their attitudes towards education were positive. The barriers identified by participants were as follows: limited network connectivity, limited supply of electricity, few schools to do teaching practice; lack of teaching experience, limited transportation, limited time to do assignments, few employment opportunities, lack of course information and lack of career guidance for participants. The study recommends that the university improves among others, the dissemination of information to adult learners and to create teaching practice opportunities in partnerships with various stakeholders to address institutional barriers.
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    Psychosocial barriers to participation in adult learning and education: Applying a psychosocial Interaction model
    (University of the Western Cape, 2018) Adams-Gardner, Myrtle Grace; Groener, Zelda
    Adult learners’ perception of factors that are internal to their perceived control of their lives can be challenging to overcome when making a decision to participate in learning. There are complex relationships between psychological, and social barriers to participation in adult learning. Psychosocial barriers can deter adults’ participation in learning programmes. Understanding the nature of such barriers can enable policymakers, educators and adult learners create strategies to reduce such barriers in order to increase adults’ participation in adult learning. This study investigated the research question: What are adult learners’ perceptions of psycho-social factors that undermine participation in adult education and learning? The psycho-social interaction model adopted as a conceptual framework allowed the study to contextualise and analyse the effects of socio-economic status on the adult learner’s decision and readiness to participate. The model provided the broad segments of the adult learners’ pre-adulthood and adulthood learning years and through a thematic analysis attempted to analyse psychosocial factors that emerged as barriers to participatory behaviour in learning. An interview guide was used during a semi-structured interview. The study investigated a group of adult learners attending a non-formal learning programme in Central Johannesburg, South Africa. The selection of participants included 6 males and 4 females between 21 years to 49 years of age. The study findings showed that the adult learners’ perceptions of family support as well as the learning environment support are key enabling factors, which assist the adult learner to develop learning capabilities. Negative experiences with prior schooling was also described as a psychosocial barrier to participation. Age was a socio-economic variable that influenced the type of stimuli participants identified as a psycho-social factor which influenced their decision to take up further learning. Adult learners felt confident to successfully complete their current and future studies however perceived their learning press as a motivating factor that impacted their decision to participate. Findings also suggested that experiences of adult learners are unique to their specific context and educational planning can integrate ways to address enhancement of learning experiences for a diverse learner audience in non-formal learning programmes. The study concluded that while adult learners acquire social competencies through accessing non-formal programmes, further learning support is necessary to overcome the social and psychological complexities needed to develop basic academic learning capabilities.