An Assessment of Factors Motivating University Students to Study Adult Education

Abstract

This study investigated Factors Motivating University Students to pursue Adult Education programme. It was guided by four research objectives: To investigate the views and opinions of adult education learners on the relevance, mode of delivery and scope of the contemporary AE programme at the University of Dar es Salaam; to examine the employment prospects and other opportunities for University adult education graduates in Tanzania; to show the reasons for non AE students to be attracted on AE courses as their optional alternatives and also to find out challenges and problems which students and instructors face in teaching and learning adult education courses and their suggestions on solution. The study used a single case study design and was carried out at the University of Dar es Salaam, at the Mwalimu Nyerere Mlimani Campus. The study was confined to a sample of 151 participants comprising of 40 first year students, 40 second year students, 40 third year students, 21 non BED ACE students who take AE as their optional courses, 6 students from SOED not taking any of the AE courses, 3 AE course instructors and the coordinator of the AE unit. The qualitative research approach was used in data collection and participants were accessed through focus group discussions, interview guides and documentary review guide. The findings revealed that majority of the University students were motivated to join adult education programmes because of the contexts and opportunities created. Also the study found that some students were not significantly motivated to join adult education because of the challenges facing adult education field from the institutional to the national level. It was concluded that Contexts and opportunities are very important in motivating University students to study adult education. The study recommends that there is a need for the University of Dar es Salaam and other higher learning institutions to create conducive contexts which can attract University aspirants to enrol in adult education programmes. Also, adult education stakeholders need to be active so as to revive the status of adult education by preparing various researches reflecting the status of adult education in Tanzania while killing the spirit of discouraging AE aspirants to study it.