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MOTIVATIONAL ORIENTATIONS OF ADULT STUDENTS IN FOUR NEBRASKA STATE COLLEGES
Abstract
The major purpose of this study was to survey and analyze the demographic characteristics and motivational orientation factors that motivated adult students to participate in degree credit programs in the State Colleges of Nebraska. The secondary purpose of the study was to examine ways in which knowledge concerning adult student participation, the demographic characteristics of participants, problems faced by adult students entering degree credit programs, changes in their life styles as a result of their studies and other associated characteristics could be utilized by the State Colleges in their marketing, enrollment and student orientation practices. Three hundred fifty-six full-time and part-time adult students enrolled in degree credit programs at the four Nebraska State Colleges were surveyed by mail during May, 1980, using an eighty-five item questionnaire: the Adult Participation Influence Questionnaire. One hundred six usable responses (30.6 percent) were returned and subjected to statistical analysis. Six motivational orientation factors similar to those described by Boshier, Morstain and Smart were found to influence respondents to participate. They were: professional advancement, social welfare, cognitive interest, escape or stimulation, external expectations and social contact. Respondents also indicated the existence of a further motivational factor related to life and career change and transition. Respondents were grouped according to their prime motivational orientations. A total of 85.9 percent indicated that professional advancement (63.3 percent) and cognitive interest (22.6 percent) were the main motivational orientations behind their participation. An index of adult student participation was achieved by dividing the number of adult students enrolled, by the total student enrollment in each institution. Peru State College the smallest of the four institutions had an enrollment index fifty times greater than that of the largest college at Kearney. Peru State also had students expressing all six motivational orientations for participation while Kearney's adult student respondents indicated only professional advancement and cognitive interest orientations. The traditional thrusts of the Colleges' enrollment policies have been directed towards the traditional 18-22 year old students. Larger colleges have enrollment numbers that sustain programs oriented to initial job and career preparation, hence these colleges tend to attract fewer adult students to their programs. Smaller colleges attempt to reach a wider age-clientele, thus necessitating a more intensive adult student enrollment thrust and programs more orientated towards adult students.
Subject Area
Adult education|Continuing education
Recommended Citation
SOLOMON, KEITH JAMES, "MOTIVATIONAL ORIENTATIONS OF ADULT STUDENTS IN FOUR NEBRASKA STATE COLLEGES" (1980). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8111684.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8111684