Motivations and Barriers for Adult Learner Achievement: Recommendations for Institutions of Higher Education
Saved in:
| Title: | Motivations and Barriers for Adult Learner Achievement: Recommendations for Institutions of Higher Education |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Bellare, Yamini (ORCID |
| Source: | Adult Learning. Feb 2023 34(1):30-39. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 10 |
| Publication Date: | 2023 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Adult Education Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Adult Students, Higher Education, Academic Achievement, Student Motivation, Barriers, Continuing Education, Employers, Incentives, Career Development, Education Work Relationship, Educational Certificates, College Choice |
| DOI: | 10.1177/10451595211059574 |
| ISSN: | 1045-1595 2162-4070 |
| Abstract: | Recent trends in higher education indicate a steady increase in the number of adult and non-traditional learners returning to complete college degrees. Though higher education can provide numerous economic and career enhancement opportunities, adult learners experience several challenges when they return to college. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gather and analyze data from employees from companies in the Midwest to determine the challenges and motivations of adult learners who plan to return to higher education. The results highlight that it is important for institutions of higher education to collaborate with employers to identify ways to modify their student recruitment methods to attract more adult student learners and identify supportive resources to help them complete their degrees successfully. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2023 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1362159 |
| Database: | ERIC |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwHnPSScomIQEyf6Ol8wYh--AAAA4zCB4AYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHSMIHPAgEAMIHJBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDKh6fWDIOgIsBvz0xwIBEICBmxkFvIobdB-t_DgPn_xRfh2RK-ac1jKvLnBA1t4y1XhPq5_AVErhwubP82K-pXW77hUx5mzyekPQMLd21M6-1LCBVrfk-6g-EiBF7mRGfCIqg2RoVOpIMHBaISCMfI84zj_l4tR-SoTenGgqozo1vjVZL3dIoJZaPYiSUCWfeZeFrZrqdLjARLgXypcADs5_7iz3H5C_q5lNAdV2 Text: Availability: 1 Value: <anid>AN0161227846;adl01feb.23;2023Jan12.04:01;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0161227846-1">Motivations and Barriers for Adult Learner Achievement: Recommendations for Institutions of Higher Education </title> <p>Recent trends in higher education indicate a steady increase in the number of adult and non-traditional learners returning to complete college degrees. Though higher education can provide numerous economic and career enhancement opportunities, adult learners experience several challenges when they return to college. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gather and analyze data from employees from companies in the Midwest to determine the challenges and motivations of adult learners who plan to return to higher education. The results highlight that it is important for institutions of higher education to collaborate with employers to identify ways to modify their student recruitment methods to attract more adult student learners and identify supportive resources to help them complete their degrees successfully.</p> <p>Keywords: adult learners; higher education; thematic analysis; motivation; barriers</p> <p>"...it is essential for rural employers to collaborate with institutions of higher education located in their region..."</p> <p>There are a myriad of reasons to seek further education, and simultaneously, numerous obstacles to completion. Adult learners face more challenges than just attending classes or completing homework. They must adjust to the role of a student and balance schoolwork with working full time and running a household, which could stand in the way of achieving certifications or higher degrees. Despite the challenges and barriers, numerous adult learners consider higher education as a bridge to better job opportunities, higher pay, promotions, and an increase in knowledge ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref1">2</reflink>]). In the current study, the goals were to get a deeper understanding of the experiences of adult learners who seek continuing education and to highlight the distinctive challenges experienced by adult learners living in rural settings.</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-2">Motivations to Return to Higher Education</hd> <p>No matter the underlying push to return to school, adult learners generally consider themselves workers/employees first, and being a student may take a lower priority ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref2">26</reflink>]). However, adult learners are multifaceted. Their motivation varies, and exploring career possibilities is an individual experience ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref3">16</reflink>]). Some adult learners seek to expand their future skills/focus on future job security, some want to position themselves for promotion/upward mobility, others may be looking to education for a different career path, and some focus on personal growth/enrichment ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref4">6</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref5">8</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref6">11</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref7">13</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref8">16</reflink>]).</p> <p>Adult learners' reasons for seeking higher education fall into different categories based on individual factors or their career stage or the industry where they work. It should be noted that there have been vast changes in the economy and workforce ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref9">20</reflink>]), including a decline of blue-collar jobs ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref10">8</reflink>]), a rise in automation ([<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref11">19</reflink>]), and many industries looking for new leaders as baby boomers retire ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref12">25</reflink>]). Therefore, the need for college graduates has accelerated ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref13">8</reflink>]). All these factors interact to create a situation where adult learners seek additional training linked to their career needs and career planning process ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref14">11</reflink>]).</p> <p>The traditional notion of career development has changed ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref15">16</reflink>]). Employees must take ownership of their careers and position themselves to enhance their employability ([<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref16">1</reflink>]). In many ways, there is now an expectation of life-long learning and continuous improvement (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref17">6</reflink>]). When one combines this with the changing economy and workforce, the adult learner's goals for education could be increasing skills for the new economy workforce ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref18">8</reflink>]) or a reorientation as industries and sectors change ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref19">16</reflink>]). Thus, most adult learners select majors where the knowledge and skills will connect to their career after graduation ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref20">6</reflink>]).</p> <p>Many adult learners return to school for career advancement and upward mobility ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref21">16</reflink>]). They are seeking a competitive edge for pursuing increased responsibility in their career ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref22">25</reflink>]). Due to the goal of advancement and mobility, most adult learners lean toward industry-recognized credentials ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref23">25</reflink>]). While the push may be to enhance skills for the current organization, some adult learners may wish to change professions ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref24">6</reflink>]). Therefore, the return to school could be focused on increased flexibility and a hedge against outsourcing or layoffs ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref25">16</reflink>]).</p> <p>Past research has found that a common push to return to school can be a major life transition, which could include a career change ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref26">8</reflink>]). As employees take greater ownership of their career planning, they realize that further education is needed in today's economy, and they also realize they need to be more flexible/open to more changes in the future ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref27">17</reflink>]). When they make the time commitment, some adult learners have already chosen a new career path before deciding to return to school ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref28">11</reflink>]). Whether they anticipate changing careers or not, adult learners will see personal fulfillment as the goal of their transition ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref29">11</reflink>]).</p> <p>When education has relevance to their work, adult learners have a higher rate of completion and degree attainment ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref30">14</reflink>]). Despite the internal and external motivations to return to higher education, the path to seeking a certification or degree is beset by several challenges.</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-3">Barriers Experienced by Adult Learners</hd> <p>Current research has found that adult learners experience several barriers to seeking certifications or a college degree such as (a) the need to juggle multiple work–life roles while pursuing higher education (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref31">20</reflink>]); (b) difficulties scheduling classes while working a nine to five job (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref32">7</reflink>]); (c) lack of support from family as adult learners return to school (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref33">10</reflink>]); (d) the need to decrease work hours and take pay cuts to accommodate schoolwork (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref34">15</reflink>]); and (e) difficulties transitioning to a student mindset and role after a long hiatus from school (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref35">7</reflink>]).</p> <p>Most research on adult learners focuses on work–life balance issues; however, work–school conflict is a major barrier to higher education completion that is often ignored. Three distinct factors demonstrate how the conflict between school and work impact an adult learner's experience as a returning student. First, researchers found that the work–school conflict experienced by adult learners exhausts their personal resources, which in turn negatively impact both school and work performance. For example, [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref36">18</reflink>] found that work–school conflict predicted professional outcomes such as lower job satisfaction, increased turnover rate, and burnout more than academic outcomes. Also, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref37">12</reflink>] found that adult learners often place greater emphasis on their role as workers, as a result, a work–school conflict negatively impacts their academic satisfaction (i.e., positive feelings towards the academic institution or learning experience). However, job satisfaction was not influenced by academic factors, because adult learners considered academic achievement as a key to professional advancement opportunities. Second, the physical and mental demands of juggling work and school could hurt the overall health of the adult learner. One of the most prominent factors is sleep. [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref38">21</reflink>] found that work–school conflict was negatively associated with weekly sleep quality and positively related to end-of-week fatigue. Additionally, school–work conflicts are associated with increased levels of stress among adult learners, which leads to burnout (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref39">18</reflink>]). This is troubling because many individuals go back to school to advance their careers, but they may experience circumstances that could increase turnover. Finally, institutional guidelines are often more suited to the needs of traditional learners and could negatively impact an adult learner. For example, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref40">22</reflink>] found that institutions that have flexible educational programs lessen the common barriers faced by adult learners. Furthermore, factors such as affordability and class timings can be addressed by offering adult learner scholarships and flexible scheduling of classes (e.g., online classes and evening courses). Another higher education issue is the credit hour system because it does not accurately represent the experience that adult learners gain from their work and life experience, which forces them to enroll in unnecessary courses ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref41">9</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-4">Current Study</hd> <p>In this study, researchers used data from focus group interviews with adult learners to examine barriers and motivations to seeking continuing education, incentives employers could offer adult learners to encourage them to pursue further education, and recommendations for institutions of higher education from the perspective of adult learners.</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-5">Method</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0161227846-6">Procedure</hd> <p>Participants were recruited from five organizations from the banking, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors in the Midwest. The businesses included small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies. Specifically, companies were selected and recruited based on key industries in the university's geographic region. These are employers that the university aims to serve (aligned with mission, vision, and strategic plan). The researchers wanted to recruit a range of industries and employers, but the companies were ultimately enlisted based on connections to the campus advisory board, vice chancellor, and career network. Though the organizations were recruited through connections to the university, these relationships were only used to make the initial contacts. The administration of the university was not involved in the creation of the interview protocols or questions, and the administration was not involved in the recruitment of individual employees for this sample. Any contact by the researchers after the initial calls or emails was very intentional to avoid undue influence.</p> <p>During the focus group interviews, the participants did identify and discuss the university the researchers were affiliated with as an option for higher education in the region. However, the researchers did not have any conflicts of interest related to recruitment or marketing for the university. The researchers were independent of the ties administration may have had to the companies. The interview questions were intentionally broad and did not attempt to guide interviewees into a discussion of any particular option.</p> <p>Once a company agreed to let the researchers conduct interviews on-site, there was an open call for employees to participate in the interviews. The researchers were looking for a wide range of past, current, and future adult learners; therefore, anyone interested was encouraged to attend the focus groups. Participation was not restricted based on years of employment or the number of credits earned. As a result, the researchers were able to gather data from participants with a broad range of experiences.</p> <p>The research team consisted of two faculty members and two undergraduate research assistants. At each location, the research team conducted hour-long focus group interviews. The focus groups included adult learners or employees who could benefit from additional certifications, continuing education, or completing degrees.</p> <p>Focus groups of adult learners were used in the current study mainly to reduce time commitment for the interviewees. Researchers were given limited access (time) on-site, and employees were all very busy during the workday. Additionally, the focus group format allowed researchers to elicit a range of different perspectives and lead an organized discussion on topics related to adult learner education ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref42">23</reflink>]). The research team took advantage of the focus group interview style by letting participants build off of each other to spark additional discussion between participants. However, a drawback was that at times the discussion was dominated by a few participants. The adult learner focus groups were asked a set of 11 questions that focused on their plans, motivations, and barriers to return to school or seek certifications, and how the employee development and education plans offered by their employer help shape their decision to seek continuing education.</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-7">Participants</hd> <p>A total of 23 adult learners participated in the employee focus groups. Of those 23 adult learners, 69% were female and the average age of the participants was 38.7 years old. With respect to past academic experience, 30% of those participating reported completing less than 3 years of college or were currently enrolled in college, 17% had an associate degree, and 26% had been out of school for more than 10 years. The income range for adult learners was $20,000–$100,000 and 43% stated that their income was between $40,000–$80,000.</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-8">Data Analysis</hd> <p>Group sessions were video recorded and then transcribed by the research assistants. The transcribed focus group sessions were then analyzed using Thematic Analysis ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref43">4</reflink>]). First, the research team conducted a thorough reading of the interview data. Second, codes were generated for the adult learner focus group interviews. Codes were defined as meaningful ideas or concepts in the written data. The research team worked together to examine and classify each code into a broader theme. Third, through regular meetings and discussions via online video conferencing, the research team attempted to reach a consensus on the content of the themes and identified subthemes. These discussions allowed the research teams to generate themes that were internally homogenous and externally heterogeneous ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref44">4</reflink>]). Fourth, the themes and subthemes were revised to eliminate any overlap. Fifth, the research team members collaborated to define the themes. Sixth, the themes were summarized. Finally, the frequency with which each theme was mentioned during the interviews was calculated.</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-9">Results</hd> <p>The results section is organized based on the themes found within the adult learner (employee) focus groups. The percentages reported in this section refer to the frequency or regularity with which each theme was mentioned during the interviews.</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-10">Focus Group Themes</hd> <p>Participants' responses varied in length and focus. Responses ranged from personal experiences and feelings to descriptions of how coworkers or friends might react. Analysis of employee responses revealed seven higher-order adult learner themes.</p> <p> <bold>Barriers to returning to college.</bold> Barriers to returning to college was defined as an aspect in one's current or future life that will hinder him/her from going back to school as an adult learner. Over one-fifth (21.46%) of responses referred to some sort of barrier or obstacle.</p> <p>The top obstacles identified were related to concerns regarding technology and online courses ("A lot of people don't know how to do certain things: work an excel, and that's where a majority of...your work is done"), time-related concerns due to schedule or family commitment ("You already have work-life balance and then school-work-life balance is you're just adding another one"), concerns related to the cost and debt ("We still have student loans"), and the concern of being unprepared for certain courses ("I would need...a refresher because I'm not going to remember everything I learned in physical or organic chemistry or calculus 2").</p> <p> <bold>Interest in attending college.</bold> Interest in attending college emerged as another frequent theme. It was defined as the level of interest in pursuing a degree, whether it is finishing or pursuing another degree. This theme was seen in 8.46% of responses.</p> <p>The top subthemes ranged from being interested in going to school ("I just finished my associate...in December so I'm looking at going back to get my bachelor's") to not being interested in going to school ("Currently I'm not looking to go back"), not seeing any benefit ("I don't know that if I stay in the banking profession that a master's will really benefit me much more..."), and already possessing a degree.</p> <p> <bold>Interest in earning a certificate.</bold> Interest in earning a certificate was defined as the level of interest in pursuing an industry-specific certification. A total of 6.69% of responses focused on an interest in certifications.</p> <p>The top reason for interest included developing job-related skills ("I'd almost be more interested in going to learn a trade..."), less time-consuming and/or more related to the current industry ("Even if it wasn't going to be an immediate change of jobs, maybe by having that qualification or bringing that benefit to your company...having some kind of increase in the base salary...would be an optional incentive without having necessarily a job title change"), and training offered at the employer's location ("I would get more education if the classes were offered by my employer").</p> <p> <bold>Career development opportunities provided by the employer.</bold> Career development opportunities provided by the employer was defined as efforts that support employee growth and education. This was the most frequently mentioned theme, in 21.85% of responses.</p> <p>The top offerings were tuition reimbursement ("They have a tuition reimbursement program"), performance reviews ("Usually we have a six-month mark and they go over...long-term and short-term growth and how they can help reach those and what the company has to offer..."), providing resources for free ("The bank does pay when it comes to [industry] programs"), and getting learning support from their employer ("The company pushes and supports education").</p> <p> <bold>Opportunities for colleges to attract adult learners.</bold> Opportunities for colleges to attract adult learners was defined as efforts by institutions to attract adult learners and 18.11% of the responses referred to opportunities that colleges are missing.</p> <p>Adult learners in the sample were looking for colleges to offer online courses ("I just don't have time to go sit in a structured class for two to three and a half hours"), make information easier to find ("Instead of going out to hunt for the information, I may already have that information"), offer training to help transition back to school ("Like a test class...a basic variety of stuff, they got you back to taking tests, got you back to...using your computer for a classroom"), and credit for work/school experience ("Based on your history...any learning credits [for] what you've been through").</p> <p> <bold>College choice.</bold> College choice was also a common theme. It was defined as factors used to select an educational institution. This theme was seen in 13.39% of responses.</p> <p>The top factors used to choose a college were price ("It's a flat rate as well, I think that is what draws people"), flexible class schedules ("Flexibility of schedule would definitely be an emphasis"), the availability of financial and academic advisors ("Grants are always a big saying, but...also having that specific person, almost like a navigator"), and degree options ("Ultimately that was kind of why I leaned towards...an online program because they had the whole degree based online").</p> <p> <bold>Motivation to return to college.</bold> Motivation to return to college was defined as the drive that an adult learner possesses to pursue further education and 5.71% of the responses mentioned their specific motivation.</p> <p>The most frequent subthemes were skill development ("I would like to stay here and eventually become a part of a leadership role here at the hospital"), a feeling of accomplishment ("It has always been something I just wanted to do for myself, for my family down the line"), promotion or raise incentives ("I think it's 5% pay increase for every degree"), and being passionate about learning ("I'm pretty passionate about continuing education, just in general, life-long education").</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-11">Discussion</hd> <p>The adult learner theme regarding <emph>barriers</emph> included many obstacles related to cost and time. This connects directly to the <emph>college choice</emph> theme, where subthemes showed that adult learners are focused on price and flexible class schedules. In turn, college choice ties to the next theme regarding opportunities for colleges to improve. The opportunities that colleges have to <emph>attract adult learners</emph> was a common theme. Even though the findings in the current study did not show a category of adult learners looking at changing career paths, this may still be a segment that colleges explore for potential growth. Various researchers (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref45">8</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref46">17</reflink>]) have found that adult learners will seek a return to school if they need additional qualifications to change careers. However, the current data may not have found this theme due to the nature of this sample or a reluctance by interviewees to share a desire to leave their current employers since the interviews were recorded (even though results were not shared with these companies).</p> <p>Within the adult learner <emph>certificates</emph> theme, responses revealed that employees are interested in job-specific skills. This theme may connect to the idea of learners looking to develop future skills and job security at their current job. Previous research pointed out that adult learners want to connect the program of study to work after their courses and degree are completed ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref47">14</reflink>]). This is likely to enhance their employability ([<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref48">1</reflink>]) as it connects to industry-recognized credentials ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref49">25</reflink>]). But this overlaps with general skill development as a motivation to return to college. This could be linked to prior research showing that adult learners seek education that will connect to an overall career ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref50">6</reflink>]) and possibly a reorientation of skills as the industry changes ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref51">16</reflink>]).</p> <p>Participants further discussed components of <emph>career development</emph> in their current jobs. Adult learners looking for a competitive edge in an attempt to gain more responsibility has been seen in prior research ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref52">25</reflink>]). It is here in the promotion category of previous research that the current study's themes of career development and an interest in earning a certificate overlap. But the promotion and raise incentive as motivation can also be linked to career advancement research in general ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref53">16</reflink>]).</p> <p>While many adult learners spoke directly about a specific promotion or raise as it related to their <emph>motivation</emph>, some had overall achievement or betterment in mind. Many times, participants were talking about learning support from their employer, under the development opportunities provided by the employer subtheme. However, the feeling of accomplishment could be related to prior research on the link adult learners have to personal fulfillment ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref54">11</reflink>]). Additionally, adult learner motivation found in this study also included a passion for learning, which has been seen before in topics such as life-long learning ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref55">6</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-12">Implications and Conclusions</hd> <p>The results of the current study have significant implications for employers and institutions of higher education.</p> <p> <bold>Employers.</bold> Current trends in the US indicate that employers invest heavily in workforce development because continuing employee education and training are mutually beneficial for employers and adult learners ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref56">5</reflink>]). The results of the current study indicate that industry-specific and job-specific certificates are of great value to adult learners. Further, adult learners look for employers that value education and are willing to offer incentives such as flexible scheduling options and financial assistance (through tuition reimbursement). Employers should harness their employees' desire to gain additional training by providing incentives and making concerted efforts to help adult learners overcome barriers. For example, in addition to tuition reimbursement, flex-time, and career advancement opportunities, employers can provide career guidance that could help adult learners determine career goals, examine their resumes and identify skills gaps, and weigh the pros and cons of returning to school to complete a degree or earn a credential.</p> <p>The current study also contributes to the literature on the experiences of adult learners in rural areas and the additional challenges they may face ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref57">24</reflink>]). Employers located in rural areas should realize that their employees experience unique barriers to seeking continued education such as fewer colleges and degrees options, transportation concerns related to travel expenses and time, and limited access to technology and high-speed internet ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref58">24</reflink>]). Hence, it is essential for rural employers to collaborate with institutions of higher education located in their region to provide resources and support services to adult learners.</p> <p> <bold>Higher Education.</bold> The results indicated that adult learners consider continuing education as an important component of their career advancement. However, issues such as cost, student loans, and lack of scheduling flexibility keep them from taking advantage of TAP funds from pursuing a degree. In particular, the participants identified delayed tuition reimbursement as a factor that discourages employees from returning to school. Tuition reimbursement is usually provided by the employer at the end of the semester after the employee has passed the course with a C grade or higher. However, universities require students to take out loans to pay their fees upfront, which places a burden on an already financially strapped adult learner. This finding highlights the need for universities to provide opportunities for adult learners to seek deferred or delayed billing, which would allow them to pay tuition at the end of the semester when they receive tuition reimbursement. Additionally, the results emphasized a need for institutions of higher education to invest resources into attracting adult learners. This finding is encouraging because there is growth potential. Colleges should focus on balancing cost and value, offering courses to fit various schedules (including online options), improving their marketing and communication by targeting adult learners and local employers, and at the same time, offering transition assistance and guidance throughout the entire education experience. Next, employers pump more funds into in-house training and certifications than higher education degrees because they are time-saving and cost-effective for both employers and their employees ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref59">6</reflink>]). Thus, institutions should offer more industry-specific certifications to compete with professional associations. Several factors support the suggestions that adult learners are looking for educational opportunities that develop specific career skills, that provide the best return on investment, and that are offered to fit their schedule. Additionally, adult learner participants expressed a positive attitude towards career development opportunities through their current jobs. This finding points to an opportunity for institutions of higher education to build relationships with employers offering tuition reimbursement. Finally, there are implications for technical colleges and universities located in rural areas. For instance, educational institutions should survey the workforce needs in their areas and develop training programs to develop the skills that local employers desire ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref60">3</reflink>]). Additionally, many rural areas suffer from massive unemployment after large employers shut down their operations. Educational institutions can respond to such rural unemployment crises by offering cost and time effective re-training and skill updating programs to help adult learners find lucrative employment with local employers.</p> <p>Overall, the current study contributes to the literature on adult learners seeking continuing education, and how their employers and institutions of higher education can support them. Additionally, the rural perspective provided in this study offers unique implications for stakeholders. Researchers and administrations should continue to explore ways to connect with adult learners and investigate programs to support them.</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-13">ORCID iD</hd> <p>Yamini Bellare https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3323-5872</p> <hd id="AN0161227846-14">Author Biographies</hd> <p> <bold>Yamini Bellare</bold> is a licensed psychologist (Indiana) and Assistant Professor of Psychology at California State University, Stanislaus. She has a PhD in counseling psychology from Ball State University, Indiana. Her research interests include career development, cross-cultural research on everyday stranger harassment and coping, mindfulness, and self-compassion.</p> <p> <bold>Adam R. Smith</bold> is an Associate Professor of Management in the School of Business at Indiana University Kokomo. He is an award-winning teacher who has won the Indiana University Trustees Teaching award and the Claude Rich Excellence in Teaching award; additionally, he was selected as an IU Career EDGE Fellow and an Indiana University Bicentennial Professor. He earned a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee.</p> <p> <bold>Kelcee Cochran</bold> is a senior, psychology undergraduate student at Indiana University Kokomo.</p> <p> <bold>Samuel Garcia-Lopez</bold> is an undergraduate student. He is a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology at Indiana University Kokomo.</p> <ref id="AN0161227846-15"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref16" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Botha J., Coetzee M., Coetzee M. (2015). Exploring adult learners' self-directedness in relation to their employability attributes in open distance learning. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 25(1), 65-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2015.1007603.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref1" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Bowers A., Bergman M. (2016). Affordability and the return on investment of college completion: unique challenges and opportunities for adult learners. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 64(3), 144-151. https://doi.org/10.1080/07377363.2016.1229102.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" idref="ref60" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext> Bozarth A., Strifler W. (2019). Strengthening workforce development in rural areas. Federal Reserve System. https://<ulink href="http://www.investinwork.org/reports">www.investinwork.org/reports</ulink>.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib4" idref="ref43" type="bt">4</bibl> <bibtext> Braun V., Clarke V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib5" idref="ref56" type="bt">5</bibl> <bibtext> Carnevale A. P., Strohl J., Gulish A. (2015a). College is just the beginning :Employers' role in the $1.1 trillion postsecondary education and training system. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib6" idref="ref4" type="bt">6</bibl> <bibtext> Carnevale A. P., Smith N., Melton M., Price E. W. (2015b). Learning while earning: The new normal. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib7" idref="ref32" type="bt">7</bibl> <bibtext> Chen J. C. (2017). Nontraditional adult learners: The neglected diversity in postsecondary education. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244017697161.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib8" idref="ref5" type="bt">8</bibl> <bibtext> Compton J. I., Cox E., Laanan F. S. (2006). Adult learners in transition. New Directions for Student Services, 206(114), 73-80. https://doi.org/10.1002/ss.208.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib9" idref="ref41" type="bt">9</bibl> <bibtext> Fortin A., Sauvé L., Viger C., Landry F. (2016). Nontraditional student withdrawal from undergraduate accounting programmes: A holistic perspective. Accounting Education, 25(5), 437-478. https://doi.org/10.1080/09639284.2016.1193034.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Gagnon J. L., Packard B. W. L. (2012). An overwhelming climb: The complexities of combining college, full-time work, and company tuition assistance. Journal of Career Development, 39(6), 479-499. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845310397362.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Gianakos I. (1996). Career development difference between adult and traditional-aged learners. Journal of Career Development, 22(3), 211-223. https://doi.org/10.1177/089484539602200304.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Gopalan N., Goodman S., Hardy A., Jacobs C. (2019). A fine balance: Understanding the influence of job, school and personal characteristics in predicting academic and job satisfaction amongst non-traditional students. Journal of Education and Work, 32(6–7), 570-585. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2019.1673890.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Hashim K. F., Tan F. B., Rashid A. (2015). Adult learners' intention to adopt mobile learning: A motivational perspective. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(2), 381-390. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12148.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Huss-Keeler R. (2019). The open door: Factors influencing the success of first generation, non-traditional age, Hispanic early childhood educators as university students. Journal of Latinos and Education, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2019.1670663.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Kim K. N., Baker R. (2015). The Assumed benefits and hidden costs of adult learners' college enrollment. Research in Higher Education, 56(5), 510-533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-014-9351-x.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Korhonen V., Portaankorva-Koivisto P. (2021). Adult learners' career paths – from IT profession to education within two-year study programme in Finnish university context. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 40(2), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2021.1900939.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Lanford M. (2021). In pursuit of respect: The adult learner attending community college in the "new economy". The Educational Forum, 85(1), 34-48. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2020.1775329.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Laughman C., Boyd E. M., Rusbasan D. (2016). Burnout as a mediator between work-school conflict and work Outcomes. Journal of Career Development, 43(5), 413-425. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845316633523.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Manyika J., Lund S., Chui M., Bughin J., Woetzel J., Batra P., Ko R., Sanghvi S. (2017). Jobs lost, jobs gained: What the future of work will mean for jobs, skills, and wages. McKinsey Institute.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Osam E. K., Bergman M., Cumberland D. M. (2017). An integrative literature review on the barriers impacting adult learners' return to college. Adult Learning, 28(2), 54-60. https:/doi/10.1177/1045159516658013.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Park Y., Sprung J. M. (2015). Weekly work–school conflict, sleep quality, and fatigue: Recovery self-efficacy as a cross-level moderator. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(1), 112-127. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1953.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Saar E., Täht K., Roosalu T. (2014). Institutional barriers for adults' participation in higher education in thirteen European countries. Higher Education, 68(5), 691-710. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9739-8.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Sagoe D. (2012). Precincts and prospects in the use of focus groups in social and behavioral science research. Qualitative Report, 17(15), 29-116. <ulink href="http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR17/sagoe.pdf">http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR17/sagoe.pdf</ulink>.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Spivey T. (2016). Examining barriers to retention of adult learners in rural education programs. ProQuest: [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University].</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Sutton J. (2016). Anticipating concerns of the adult learner: accelerated path to a degree and intrusive advising. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 40(5), 456-458. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2015.1059779.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Urban K., Jirsakova J. (2021). Motivation and personality traits in adult learners. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1177/14779714211000361.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0161227846-16"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibtext> Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Yamini Bellare; Adam Smith; Kelcee Cochran and Samuel Garcia Lopez</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author; Author; Author</p> <p></p> <p>Yamini Bellare is a licensed psychologist (Indiana) and Assistant Professor of Psychology at California State University, Stanislaus. She has a PhD in counseling psychology from Ball State University, Indiana. Her research interests include career development, cross-cultural research on everyday stranger harassment and coping, mindfulness, and self-compassion.</p> <p>Adam R. Smith is an Associate Professor of Management in the School of Business at Indiana University Kokomo. He is an award-winning teacher who has won the Indiana University Trustees Teaching award and the Claude Rich Excellence in Teaching award; additionally, he was selected as an IU Career EDGE Fellow and an Indiana University Bicentennial Professor. He earned a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee.</p> <p>Kelcee Cochran is a senior, psychology undergraduate student at Indiana University Kokomo.</p> <p>Samuel Garcia-Lopez is an undergraduate student. He is a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology at Indiana University Kokomo.</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib26" firstref="ref2"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref9"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref11"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib25" firstref="ref12"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref27"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref30"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref33"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref34"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref36"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref37"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref38"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib22" firstref="ref40"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl16" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref42"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl17" bibid="bib24" firstref="ref57"></nolink> |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1362159 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Motivations and Barriers for Adult Learner Achievement: Recommendations for Institutions of Higher Education – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bellare%2C+Yamini%22">Bellare, Yamini</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3323-5872">0000-0002-3323-5872</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smith%2C+Adam%22">Smith, Adam</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cochran%2C+Kelcee%22">Cochran, Kelcee</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lopez%2C+Samuel+Garcia%22">Lopez, Samuel Garcia</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Adult+Learning%22"><i>Adult Learning</i></searchLink>. Feb 2023 34(1):30-39. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 10 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2023 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Adult+Education%22">Adult Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adult+Students%22">Adult Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Motivation%22">Student Motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Continuing+Education%22">Continuing Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employers%22">Employers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Incentives%22">Incentives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Development%22">Career Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+Work+Relationship%22">Education Work Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Certificates%22">Educational Certificates</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Choice%22">College Choice</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1177/10451595211059574 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1045-1595<br />2162-4070 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Recent trends in higher education indicate a steady increase in the number of adult and non-traditional learners returning to complete college degrees. Though higher education can provide numerous economic and career enhancement opportunities, adult learners experience several challenges when they return to college. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gather and analyze data from employees from companies in the Midwest to determine the challenges and motivations of adult learners who plan to return to higher education. The results highlight that it is important for institutions of higher education to collaborate with employers to identify ways to modify their student recruitment methods to attract more adult student learners and identify supportive resources to help them complete their degrees successfully. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2023 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1362159 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1362159 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/10451595211059574 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 10 StartPage: 30 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Adult Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Higher Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement Type: general – SubjectFull: Student Motivation Type: general – SubjectFull: Barriers Type: general – SubjectFull: Continuing Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Employers Type: general – SubjectFull: Incentives Type: general – SubjectFull: Career Development Type: general – SubjectFull: Education Work Relationship Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Certificates Type: general – SubjectFull: College Choice Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Motivations and Barriers for Adult Learner Achievement: Recommendations for Institutions of Higher Education Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bellare, Yamini – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Smith, Adam – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Cochran, Kelcee – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lopez, Samuel Garcia IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Type: published Y: 2023 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1045-1595 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 2162-4070 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 34 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Adult Learning Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
