Some financial Cathartic experience as concerns stimulus Lack of confidence Late starter Current opportunity – – I cope?’ for me’ ‘can ‘time Attitudes of Self belief they can – ‘If family/social group do it so can I’ Altruism Lack of self-belief Need a good job to Financial 22’ support family ‘Catch Timetable difficulties Single parent Want to be a role model Childcare problems for family Juggling family, work, Enjoy learning study Need to work so time Better long-term career for study limited prospects Family pressures Careerist Self-respect – never at home Interest in studies Employer support and sometimes requirement Lack of confidence New career with better Costs difficult to prospects manage Escapees Better pay Need to work as well as Need a change in study direction stuck in a rut – Timetable issues Doubts about job market when finished Lack of confidence Interest in the subject Personal growers Opportunity presents itself now Prove that I can do it (Osborne et al, 2004: 296) It is important to consider the negative factors that potential students perceive as they are likely to impact on how they perceive the actual experience of further education. For example if the potential student has foreseen a large number of negative factors associated with their further education, but experience relatively few in reality, then it is likely that they would classify their experience of further education as positive. However, if they underestimate the negative factors and overestimate the positive, they are more likely to have what they perceive to be a negative experience. This ideological stance is expressed eloquently by Knowles 1978 (cited in James, 1995) who believes that learners do not “adult bring their experience with them to higher education; they are their experience”. It was important to always be aware of the role that the student’s previous experiences and expectations have on their reported experience which is the focus of this study. Phillips (1986) ascertained that mature students anticipated encountering more problems “all adapting to higher education of an academic nature prior to their studies than were
Some financial concerns Lack of confidence – ‘can I cope?’ Attitudes of family/social group Late starter Cathartic experience as stimulus Current opportunity – ‘time for me’ Self belief – ‘If they can do it so can I’ Altruism Lack of self-belief Financial ‘Catch 22’ Timetable difficulties Childcare problems Juggling family, work, study Single parent Need a good job to support family Want to be a role model for family Enjoy learning Need to work so time for study limited Family pressures – never at home Careerist Better long-term career prospects Self-respect Interest in studies Employer support and sometimes requirement Lack of confidence Costs difficult to manage Need to work as well as study Timetable issues Doubts about job market when finished Escapees New career with better prospects Better pay Need a change in direction – stuck in a rut Lack of confidence Personal growers Interest in the subject Opportunity presents itself now Prove that I can do it (Osborne et al, 2004: 296) It is important to consider the negative factors that potential students perceive as they are likely to impact on how they perceive the actual experience of further education. For example if the potential student has foreseen a large number of negative factors associated with their further education, but experience relatively few in reality, then it is likely that they would classify their experience of further education as positive. However, if they underestimate the negative factors and overestimate the positive, they are more likely to have what they perceive to be a negative experience. This ideological stance is expressed eloquently by Knowles 1978 (cited in James, 1995) who believes that “adult learners do not bring their experience with them to higher education; they are their experience”. It was important to always be aware of the role that the student’s previous experiences and expectations have on their reported experience which is the focus of this study. Phillips (1986) ascertained that “all mature students anticipated encountering more problems adapting to higher education of an academic nature prior to their studies than were
Carol_Moran_Final_Revised_Doctorate_06.01.15.docx