Cross (1981): Barriers to Participation in Adult Learning
Situational barriers – barriers resulting from the student’s situation in life at a given time
-Financial barriers existed because Susie stopped working to concentrate on program
Institutional barriers – policies and practices that prevent or make participation in activities or courses difficult
-Course offerings were limited - Needed more hands-on activities instead of lectures Dispositional barriers – the student’s self-perceptions and attitudes about her
ability to succeed
-Was concerned about being able to retain information at her age
Summary: Susie completed a bachelor’s degree before enrolling in the teacher education program. She entered the teacher education program to complete requirements for licensure. Money was the biggest problem for Susie. She realized that attending school part-time would simply take too long to complete the program requirements. She fully committed to the program by attending full-time. She quickly depleted her savings and eventually applied for student loans. The professors at the university lectured in most cases and Susie felt that hands-on activities would have benefitted her more than lectures. Susie worried about being able to retain enough information to pass exams given her age.
MacKinnon-Slaney (1994): APIL Model (Adult Persistence in Learning)
Component I –personal issues
Self-awareness- personal qualities and characteristics within individuals that drive them through a formal educational environment
-Felt she was capable of
succeeding in courses because of prior success in degree program -Thought she had a lot to offer to the world of education
Willingness to delay gratification- believing in oneself and the effectiveness of the educational system enough to put one’s life on hold
-Put social life on hold -Made financial sacrifices to attend program full-time Clarification of career and life goals- committing to goals and believing that
education is the vehicle through which the goals will be reached
-Goal was to complete program and be the teacher who makes a difference (just as her high school teachers and counselor made a difference in her life) - Wanted to be a legitimate professional
Mastery of life transitions- balancing home, school, and work responsibilities; renegotiating boundaries with others
-Managed school transition by redefining her role and relationship with her mother
Sense of interpersonal competence- socially competent, able to relate to professionals and peers
-Loves to talk and was not afraid to ask questions of peers and instructors
-Strong sense of self
Summary: Susie experienced a high level of success in her bachelor’s degree program prior to enrolling in teacher education. She enrolled in the program because she wanted to be a teacher that impacted students’ lives years after being in her classroom. She also wanted to be considered a professional by others. Susie’s mother was instrumental in helping her through the transitions faced at home and school.
Component II – learning issues
Educational competence – relearning how to learn (ex. Memory skills, reading, writing, listening)
--Slow reading speed was a problem
-Had to adjust to learning from lectures instead of hands-on activities
Intellectual and political competence – understanding the political climate of the educational environment and its relationship to the learning experience
Not considered by Susie
Summary: Susie’s slow reading speed meant that she had to spend many hours studying. She did not realize that reading and studying would be a problem for her until she changed from part-time to full-time study. Susie is a kinesthetic and visual learner and instructional techniques did not match her learning style.
Component III –environmental issues within the institution
Information retrieval from the university – knowing what to ask and where to get answers
- Relied on advisor and professors for information Awareness of opportunities or impediments in the environment – knowing
which institutional processes and practices are helpful and which are hindrances
-Opportunities- could talk with advisor during scheduled office hours
- Hindrance – institution’s limited course offerings, instructional methods Environmental compatibility- general climate is welcoming, caring, and
compatible socially, academically, and physically
- Felt comfortable at university because there were several nontraditional students in her classes
- Felt that the instructors cared about her
Summary: Susie relied on her professors for information and visited them regularly. The availability of her
professors by phone and email provided an opportunity for academic and emotional support. Susie was comfortable in the university setting and enjoyed spending time on campus.
Relationships –support from family, friends, teachers and peers -Depended on her mother for
emotional and financial support
- Received emotional and academic support from professors
-Talked to peers for emotional support
-Received encouragement from family and community members throughout program Self-efficacy – belief in one’s ability to succeed at present task - When she first started the
program, Susie was confident that she would excel in the program
-Susie became overwhelmed and began to doubt her ability to succeed once she became a full-time student
Goals – desired outcome -Goal was to make a
difference in children’s lives -Wanted to recognized as a professional
-Wanted to prove the lady that made her feel less than human at a conference wrong
Progress toward goal - able to measure progress - Able to look check off
courses on plan of study
Management of forces that may hinder or help persistence – understanding and identifying strong forces that affect persistence and manipulating them to one’s benefit
-Identified factors that created risks to persistence (finances and reading speed) and managed those factors with help from mother and instructors
-Said “no” to activities that detracted from study time Summary: Susie completed the teacher education program with support from family, professors, and community members. Susie does not have children of her own and wanted to impact the lives of children for many years after leaving her classroom. Susie had a desire to be a professional and wanted to prove to herself and others that she is a true professional. Susie’s experience with the lady who turned her back on her at a conference motivated her to complete a bachelor’s degree. Her desire to make a difference motivated her to complete the teacher certification program.