In 1961, Cyril O. Houle, Professor of Education at The University of Chicago, conducted a qualitative study on why adults return to adult education classes. This study was the first of many studies to be conducted in the last twenty-six years. Most of the motivational research flows from Houle's three factor typology. This typology describes the motivations for adults returning to education as either "goal" oriented, "activity" oriented or "learning" oriented. Studies conducted since Houle's, by Sheffield, Burgess, Boshier and others have identified more orientations than did Houle. Boshier (1971) developed the Education Participation Scale (EPS) to identify the orientations of adults returning to adult education classes. This study used the EPS to determine if the orientation of ninety-nine adults enrolled in an adult education program in Northeast Indiana, compared to the orientations of adults who have taken the EPS worldwide. Five of the participants of the adult education program were interviewed over a five month time period to obtain their judgments on why adults return to formal educational settings. These interviews were analyzed for trends, themes and similarities and differences in the content.Findings1. The ninety-nine participants taking the EPS did differ from those participants who had taken the EPS worldwide.2. There were no topics raised in interviews that differed from the topics present in the EPS or existing factors in the EPS.3. Four of the five participants interviewed generally fit Houle's (1961) definitions of "goal" oriented adults. One participant fit Houle's definition of a "learning" oriented adult.Conclusions1. Although the interview data brought about no specific conclusions there were recommendations for further study in the area of motivational orientations of adult students.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/175413 |
| Date | 03 June 2011 |
| Creators | Capozzoli, Thomas K. |
| Contributors | McElhinney, James H. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | xi, 104 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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