You are here

Home » Content

UNDERSTANDING OLDER ADULT LEARNERS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION: The Case of Universiti Sains Malaysia

Journal Name:

  • The Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education

Publication Year:

  • 2011

Key Words:

Author Name
Abstract (2. Language): 
World population ageing is unprecedented and pervasive which will affect all countries in the world. According to a United Nation report (2010): ―By 2045, the number of older persons in the world will exceed the number of young for the first time in history.‖ The number of the older adult learners in distance education programs is also expected to increase in tandem with the growth of ageing population throughout the world. As such distance education institutions and instructors should be vigilant to this new emerging group of learners. The objectives of this study were to identify factors related to older adult learners‘ participation in the distance education degree programs and their characteristics. Data were collected by using interviews and questionnaires. Respondents for the study were older adult learners age 50 and over who enrolled in degree programs at the School of Distance Education (SDE), Universiti Sains Malaysia in Malaysia. Five older adult learners were interviewed and 72 out of 123 respondents completed the questionnaires. The findings indicated that older adult learners‘ participation in the distance education degree programs is mainly due to career advancement and to seek knowledge. The older adult learners‘ distinct characteristics are high motivation, eager to learn, health conscious, effective time management, good social skills, no financial difficulties and have strong family support.
Bookmark/Search this post with
FULL TEXT (PDF): 
PDF icon arastirmax-understanding-older-adult-learners-distance-education-case-universiti-sains-malaysia.pdf
  • 3
229-240
  • English

REFERENCES

References: 

Altbach, Philip G. (1991). Patterns in higher education development:Toward the Year 2000. The Review of Higher Education, Vol 14(3), 293-316.
Ary, D, Jacobs, L. C. Razavieh, A. & Soremsen, C. (2006). Introduction to Research in education. 7th edition.Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Blunt, A. & Yang, B. (2002). Factor structure of the adult attitudes toward adult and continuing education scale and its capacity to predict participation behavior:Evidence for adoption of a revised scale. Adult Education Quarterly, Vol 52(4), 299-314.
Bodensteiner, Jim. (1989). A profile of the nontraditional college student and recommendations for continuing educators. Continuing Higher Education Review, Vol 53(2&3), 87-98.
Center for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI). (1987). Adults In Higher Education. OECD:Paris, France.
Cross, K. P. (1981). Adults as learners:Increasing participation and facilitating learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Cross, K.P. and J.Q. Jones. (1972). Problems of access. In Gould, S.B and Cross, K.P (eds), Explorations In Non-Traditional Study. San Francisco:Jossey-Bass.
Economic Planning Unit. (2010). Tenth Malaysia Plan 2011-2015. Putrajaya:The Economic Planning Unit Prime Minister‘s Department.
Hayutin, A. (2007). Global demographic shifts create challenges and opportunities. PREA Quarterly, (Fall),46–53.
240
Kim, A. & Merriam, S. B. (2004). Motivations for learning among older adults in a learning in Retirement Institute. Educational Gerontology, 30:441-455.
Kosters, M. H. (1991). Wages and demographics. In Kosters, M.H. (ed), Workers and Their Wages Changing Patterns in the United States, (pp. 1-32). Washington, DC:The AEI Press.
Lakin, M.B., Mullane, L. & Robinson, S.P. (2008). Mapping new directions: Higher education for older adults. Washington DC: American Council on Education.
Lakin, M.B., Mullane, L. & Robinson, S.P. (2007). Framing new terrain: Older adults and higher education. Washington DC: American Council on Education.
Mezirow, J. (1981). A critical theory of adult learning and education. Adult Education Quarterly September 1981, Vol. 32(1), 3-24.
Ong Fon Sim. (2002) Ageing in Malaysia:A review of national policies and programmes . In David R. Phillips and Alfred C. M. Chan(Eds.), Ageing and Long-Term Care National Policies in the Asia-Pacific . Canada: International Development Research Centre Canada.
Paulson, K. & Boeke, M. (2006). Adult learners in the United States: A national profile. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.
Raghavan, S. & KUMAR, P. Rajesh. (2007). The need for participation in open and distance education: The Open University Malaysia Experience. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education,Vol 8 (4).
Sewall, T. J. (1984). A study of adult undergraduates: What causes them to seek a degree? Journal of College Student Personnel, Vol 25(4):309-314.
United Nation. (2010). World population Ageing 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2011, from http://www.un.org/esa/population/publication/WPA

Thank you for copying data from http://www.arastirmax.com