Factors Influencing Participation in Adult Public School Education Programs in Connecticut
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Authors
Heller, Velma E.
Issue Date
1989-07
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Adult education , Participation , Public school
Alternative Title
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine major influences on participation in adult education programs conducted by public schools. The study, which was conducted in four Connecticut communities, investigated whether students enrolled in various categories of adult public school classes and nonstudents could be differentiated according to demographic, participation, and deterrent factors. Also under investigation was whether participants in various categories of classes demonstrated different motivational orientations. Participants in six enrollment categories of adult classes and non-participants completed self-administered surveys. The survey instrument consisted of demographic and participation questions developed by the researcher, the Deterrents to Participation Scale, and the Education Participation Scale. It was hypothesized that there were no significant differences in sex, age, educational level, and family income among all groups in the study. A second hypothesis stated that no significant differences existed among all groups in factors reported as deterring enrollment. It was hypothesized further that there were no significant differences in the motivational orientations of participant groups, Finally, it was hypothesized that there were no significant differences among all groups in the frequency of attendance and the variety of institutions attended. The analysis of data revealed significant differences in demographic characteristics, factors likely to deter enrollment, as well as in frequency of course attendance and variety of educational institutions attended among participants and non- participants. There were also significant differences in motivational orientations likely to influence participants' enrollment. Therefore, all four null hypotheses were rejected. Implications of this study for planners of adult public school programs include gathering similar information in each community to develop profiles of potential students, profiles become the basis for designing and marketing comprehensive programs, planning instruction, and overcoming barriers to enrollment. It was recommended that further research be conducted in different types of communities to establish comparative longitudinal and geographic data and to determine any unique characteristics based on size or location of community, also recommended that research be conducted to determine adults' perceptions of various types of local adult education institutions. A final recommendation was that researchers probe beyond quantitative data for qualitative information on nonparticipants' motivations and factors that deter educational participation.
Description
This thesis is being archived as a Digitized Shelf Copy for campus access to current students and staff only. We currently cannot provide this open access without the author's permission. If you are the author of this work and desire to provide it open access or wish access removed please contact the Wahlstrom Library to discuss permission.
Citation
V.E. Heller, "Factors Influencing Participation in Adult Public School Education Programs in Connecticut", Ph.D. dissertation, School of Education, Univ. of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT, 1989.