The Need For Participation In Open And Distance Education: 
The Open University Malaysia Experience

Year 2008, Volume: 9 Issue: 4, 77 - 89, 01.12.2008

Santhi Raghavan P. Rajesh Kumar

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of adult learner participation in open and distance education by focusing participation needs based on selected socio-demographic variables such as age, years of working experience and monthly income. The related study involved a sample of 454 Open University Malaysia students from a number of learning centres located in different parts of the country. The study found that adult learners are generally below the age of 39, relatively not affluent, have less than 20 years of work experience and have a high need for participation. The highest need is professional advancement, followed closely by cognitive interest, and communication improvement while the lowest reported need is escapism/social stimulation. Age and work experience exhibited negative regression coefficients, indicating inverse associations with participation need. These results are comparable to the findings of previous research on the role of age, work experience and monthly income as factors determining participation in adult higher education.

Keywords

Adult Learners, Learner Needs, Participation, Open and Distance Education

Santhi RAGHAVAN (Corresponding author) Faculty of Business & Management Open University Malaysia

Abstract

References

• BERGE, Z. L., Muilenburg, L. Y., and Haneghan, J. V. (2002). Barriers to distance education and training: Survey results. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 3 (4), pp: 409-418.
• BOONE, E. J. (1990). A perspective on self-directed learning and its implication for adult students enrolled in USM’s off-campus academic programme. Paper presented in a teletutorial with USM off-campus students, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang.
• BOSHIER, R. (1971). Motivational orientations of adult education participants: A factor analytic exploration of Houle's typology. Adult Education, 21, 3 -26.
• CERVERO, R. M. (1995). An overview of continuing education for the professions in the United
• States of America. Paper presented at the conference on Continuing Professional Development: Towards Effective Practice, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor. COURTNEY, S. (1992). Why adults learn: Towards a theory of participation in adult education. London: Routledge.
• CROSS, K. P. (1984). Adults as learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• DECI, E. L, Ryan, R. M, & Williams, G. C (1996). Need satisfaction and self-regulation of learning.
• Learning and Individual Differences, 8, 165-183. DHANARAJAN, G. (1990). Universiti Sains Malaysia: Distance Education- A Spectrum of Case
• Studies. Kogan Page Ltd. London. DARKENWALD, G. G., & Merriam, S. (1982). Adult Education: Foundations of Practice. New York: Harper & Row.
• DIRKX, J. M., (2000). Module on adult learning: Overview-Mapping the research and theory on adult learning. Retrieved on 14 February 2005 from, http://www.msu.edu/
• ~dirkx/adult%20learning%20module.html DIXON, G. R. (1986). A study of the characteristics, motivation and perceptions of adult part- time students at North Carolina State University. North Carolina State University.
• DORN, D. K. (1987). Continuing Professional education Motivational orientation of state supervisors of agricultural education. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. The Ohio State University.
• HALLIDAY, I. (1989). Teacher management and records in educational school system. Resource
• Book for Educational Administrators, Commonwealth Secretariat. London. HANDY, C. (1993). Understanding Organizations. Penguin. England.
• HOULE, Cyril. 1961. The Inquiring Mind. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
• JOHNSTONE, J. W., & Rivera, R. J. (1965). Volunteers for learning. Chicago: Aldine.
• KIM, K., Collins, M. A., Stowe, P. & Chandler, K. (1995). Forty percent of adults participate in
• Adult Education Activities: 1994-94 (NCES 95-823). U.S. Department of Education. Washington,
• DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. KREJCIE, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities.
• Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30, 607-610. LAWTON, S. & Barnes, R. (1998). Developing distance learning courses in a “traditional” university. Quality Assurance in Education Journal. 6(2), 106-111.
• MACBRAYNE, P. (1995). Rural adults in community college distance education: What motivates them to enroll? In New directions for community colleges (pp. 85-93). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• MERRIAM, S. B. & Caffarella, R. S. (1991). Learning in adulthood: A Comprehensive guide (2nd Ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• POLTECHAR, B. (1987). A study of motivational orientations of the teachers attending community–base in-service teacher education programs in northeastern Thailand. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Southern Illinois.
• Population and Housing Census (2000). Retrieved on 20 February 2007 from http://www.statistics.gov.my?English/pressdemo.htm
• TRUELL, A.D., & Turner, P.A. (1997). Themotivation to participate in distance education: an analysis based on Houle’s typology. Retrieved on 9 October 2004 from www.bcte.ecu.edu/ACBMITEC/p1997/Truell2.htm
• WLODKOWSKI, R. J. (1986). Enhancing adult motivation to learn. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• VALENTINE,T., & Darkenwald, G. G. (1990). Deterrents to participation in adult education:
• Profiles of potential learners. Adult Education Quarterly, 41(1), 29-42. VALENTINE, T. (1997). United States of America: The current predominance of learning for the job. In P. Bleanger and S. Valdivielso (eds.), The emergence of learning societies: Who participates in adult learning? New York: Elsevier.