| dc.description.abstract | Education psychology has taught us for long that motivation is indispensable
ingredient of learning. The current research acknowledges the role of motivation
in adult learning. The primary focus of the study is to investigate the factors that
motivate adult learners: mainly the university of Nairobi library staff.
The study sought to add to available literature on motivational factors that
describe reasons for adults participating in learning programmes. Consequently,
institutions, policymakers, as well as educators would benefit with the findings
which would help them in improving provision of adult education. Findings
would also benefit adult learners in their lifelong pursuit. More specifically it set
out to proof the hypotheses: that there is a positive relationship between adult
learning and career! work advancement: that there is a relationship between adult
learning and personal fulfillment; adult learning provides escape/stimulation.
The first phase of the research led us to examine research production around the
themes of adult motivation to learn, participation in adult education and adult
learning. On the theoretical side, this research project was grounded in an
interactive view of human motivation, considered as a "hypothetical construct
used to describe external and internal forces that explain the start, strength,
direction and persistence of action" (Vallerand & Thill, 1993). According to this
view human motivation assessment must be regarded as a "snapshot" of the
relations that establish themselves, in a given context, at a given time, between a
person and his/her environment, or a part thereof. Literature reviewed indicated that motivation of adults to seek learning has been
researched extensively in the recent past. Yet, the question namely 'what
motivates adults to take part in and complete courses in continued education and
competence development?' continues to be asked by educators, policymakers
and employers. Hence, the engagement of the researcher to have a second look at
the field of motivation and action within the realm of adult education and
learning.
The present research was designed to face these issues in a theoretical and
empirical mode. The University of Nairobi was selected as a case study for the
research. The sample was limited to the library staff, enrolled in adult education
programmes either full-time or part-time. The Education Participation Scale
(BPS)was used to construct the interview schedule. The six motivational factors
identified by Morstain and Smart were used in the study. A total of thirty
members of staff were interviewed. Factor scores were calculated by summing
up individual responses to each of the items that had shown a high factor loading
for that factor. The factor labels and sample items were: Social relationships, "To make new
friends", external expectations, "To carry out the recommendation of some
authority", social welfare, "To improve my ability to serve mankind", career!
work, "To secure professional advancements", escape/stimulation, "To get relief
from boredom", and cognitive interest, "Just for the sake of learning"
Descriptive statistics were used to identify the proportions of motivational
factors utilizing the six motivational factors as the dependent variables, with age,
gender, entry qualification and academic qualification as the independent
variables. The study found out that adult motives for participating in adult education have
three major characteristics which are: plural, Changeable and contingent upon
the individual's life context. However, they seem to follow four major
orientations, derived from Houle's (1961) initial vision and organized on two
axes: oriented towards intrinsic versus extrinsic orientations; oriented towards
learningversus participating.
The study further proved the stated hypotheses to be true. There was a positive
relationshipbetween adult learning and career/work advancement, there was also
a relationship between adult learning and personal fulfillment and also that adult
education did provide escape. The study was also able to identify the factors that
deter adult from participation in adult education programmes which are
dispositional, situational and structural barriers. If such barriers are removed
adults will be naturally motivated to educate themselves. In view of the findings, it was recommended that, if adult learners are to be
adequately served institutions charged with the responsibility of provision of
adult education must access the learners' needs and motivation factors and make
appropriate adjustment in their administrative procedures, programming and if!
the teaching-leaning process. In conclusion the researcher suggested that adult
educational theory could benefit from wider analyses of the reasons why adult
seek learning. Comparison of results obtained in variety settings could enlarge
the vision of adult motivation to learn and develop. More research is needed to
explore many other facets of adult leamer, in addition to motivation. Such
dimensions as cognitive, emotional and moral development, and their
relationships to learning motivation, should have implications for how adults
learn in a higher education environment. | en |
