“Why don’t they participate?” Reasons for nonparticipation in adult learning and education from the viewpoint of self-determination theory

Jan Kalenda,Illona Kočvarová

doi:10.3384/rela.2000-7426.3535

Abstract

The study deals with the perceived reasons for nonparticipation in adult learning and education (ALE), drawing on existing research concerning the motivation for lifelong learning, adult attitudes towards education, and the study of dispositional barriers. The aim of the study is to determine the subjective reasons/motivation of adults not to participate in ALE and what factors influence their nonparticipation. For this purpose, we drew on self-determination theory (SDT). Based on that we have created the research tool “Motivation to Nonparticipation Scale” (MNP-S), which measures three factors: extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, and amotivation. The empirical research was conducted with a representative sample of adults (N = 943, age: 19 to 81 years) who had not participated in ALE. Contrary to theoretical assumptions of SDT, amotivated adults do not predominate among nonparticipants, with the main subjective reasons for nonparticipation based on intrinsic or extrinsic motivations.

Highlights

One of the traditional questions in research on participation in adult learning and education (ALE) is that of why do adults participate? Since the 1960s many researchers have addressed this question
Several tools have been validated, with various typologies of participants which can aid in understanding the subjective reasons behind participation in ALE
Regarding our initial secondary aim, we examined the item structure of the tool using exploratory factor analysis (EFA)

Summary

Introduction

Since the 1960s many researchers have addressed this question (see, e.g., Boeren, 2016; Boeren et al, 2010, 2012a, 2012b; Blunt & Yang, 2002; Boeren & Holford, 2016; Boshier, 1971, 1977; Houle, 1961; Isaac et al, 2001; Mulenga & Liang, 2008) Within this extensive research, several tools have been validated, with various typologies of participants which can aid in understanding the subjective reasons behind participation in ALE. Several tools have been validated, with various typologies of participants which can aid in understanding the subjective reasons behind participation in ALE Despite this extensive research and the documented benefits of lifelong learning (e.g., Antikainen, 2006; Psacharopoulos, 2006; Regmi, 2015), in most countries nonparticipants still outnumber participants (Desjardins, 2017). The scholarly literature comes to a conclusion that if adults do not consider education important or are not interested in it, they tend not to participate (Baert et al, 2006; Kyndt et al, 2013a)

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