Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / 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 nonformal
programmes, further learning support is necessary to overcome the social and
psychological complexities needed to develop basic academic learning capabilities.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uwc/oai:etd.uwc.ac.za:11394/6526 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Adams-Gardner, Myrtle |
| Contributors | Groener, Zelda |
| Publisher | University of the Western Cape |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | University of the Western Cape |
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