Final Paper - Charlie Berger, 100384876 EDUC 5401G-001

EDUC 5401 FINAL PAPER

As we have discussed articles, engaged in discourse about theoretical frameworks and reflected on the true nature of adult education, it is evident that there is no single answer, no one theory or model of adult learning that explains all that we know about adult learners, the various contexts where learning takes place, and the process of learning itself(Merriam, 2001, p.3), leaving us with a mosaic of theories, models, sets of principles, and explanations that, combined, compose the knowledge base of adult learning (Merriam, 2001, p.3). Although there are diverse arrays of thought about the true nature of adult education, certain shared characteristics do exist between different theories.

The question of what truly motivates adult learners to learn has been a prominent overarching issue among the various perspectives examined, articles read and assignments created throughout this course. It has been previously noted in the literature review that adult education theories view the adult as an empowered learner with the freedom to engage in educational endeavours for a variety of purposes, but what exactly drives the decision to participate in these learning activities?

As adults, motivational factors for learning extend beyond the pedagogical childhood obligation to learn (Merriam, 2001, p.5), opening adults to a variety of internal and external factors influencing the desire and decision to learn (Merriam, 2001, p.5). Three key motivating factors of adult learning have been identified and discussed throughout the readings, discussions and assignments conducted throughout this course and will be examined through the lenses of fundamental adult learning theories.

Professional Motivation
From discussions with peers and through much of the literature, the impact of the workplace on adult learners has been discussed at length. It is evident that many adults are driven to learn by the influence of their own professional practice for a variety of reasons.

Many adult learners may regard learning as a tool to increase chances for career advancement within a specific career path. Mezirow suggests that adults may be motivated to learn in an effort to obtain social mobility, specifically through occupational training (1981, p.11). Learning a new skill set that can be applied to an existing job can lead to advanced placement within an organization, which in-

Final Paper - Charlie Berger, 100384876 EDUC 5401G-001

turn could lead higher wages and ultimately the ability to change ones socio-economic position without having to radically alter the chosen career path. Marsick and Watkins, in their discussion of informal and incidental learning (2001), suggest that the motivation to learn for career advancement is further reinforced by companies through specific educational incentives offered to employees such as tuition reimbursement and video or computer-based courses (p.28).

Learning can also lead to opportunities for altering a career path altogether. In her discussion of the general educational timelines of adults, Merriam suggests that adults may be externally motivated to learn in an attempt to start a new career in midlife (1999, p.70). The landscape of the workplace has changed and adults understand that career shifts may be necessary at various points of life in order to maintain a steady flow of income. It has been suggested that the linear career path that once kept people working in the same job, often for the same company, is not the standard career route for todays workers (Brown, 2000, p.1). Education is regarded by adults as an opportunity to add alternate routes to their own career path (Merriam, 1999, p.70).

Career advancement aside, in a difficult economy, adults may also be professionally motivated to learn in an effort to simply maintain an existing position within a company. Merriam (2001) states that the self-directed learner is externally motivated to learn...attending training sessions to keep their job (p.5). Adults may feel the pressure from their respective organizations to continually train and retrain, to remain current in professional trends, techniques and technologies, all in an effort to increase the likelihood of job retention. This pressure can encourage employees to become more self-directed in planning their careers and development (Marsick & Watkins, 2001, p.31) and individuals who refrain from engaging in professional development activities risk being left behind (Merriam, 2001, p.5).

Personal Motivation
Merriam (2001) believes that many adult learners may also be motivated to learn by internal rather than external factors (p.5), suggesting that there are a multitude of personal, individualized reasons an adult may be driven to learn that exist outside the external pressure of a workplace environment. The internal desire for learning can be prominently triggered by key life changes. It is observed that incidental learning is often the result of a significant unplanned or unexpected event (Marsick & Watkins, 2001, p.27) which can bring about dissatisfaction with current ways of thinking or being

Final Paper - Charlie Berger, 100384876 EDUC 5401G-001

(Marsick & Watkins, 2001, p.27). These changes offer a challenge, or a problem to be resolved (Marsick & Watkins, 2001, p.28) and the desire to overcome these issues can serve as a catalyst for learning.

Similar to incidental learning, transformative learning observes adults who are motivated to learn through significant life changes, initiated by a disorienting dilemma that brings about a significant life change (Mezirow, 1997, p.11) and as a result individuals engage in critical reflection and re-evaluate the assumptions they have made about themselves and their world (Baumgartner, 2001, p.15). In order to engage in this re-evaluation process, learners must alter their current frame of reference (Mezirow, 1997 p.12) by instigating a self-reflective learning process that will lead them to the adoption of new perspectives.

Transformative learning can also be the driving force behind a shift from external to internal motivations for learning. Research into the nature of transformative learning theory observed that after a disorienting dilemma event, an individual observed in their study suddenly valued serving others more than his own career advancement (Baumgartner, 2001, p.16), illustrating that transformative learning can change not only the perspective of an individual learner, but it can also spark a change in the needs and desires for wanting to learn.

For adults, the social aspects of learning can also uncover new ideas and opportunities for engaging with peers, which can serve as a driving force behind the desire to learn. According to Hansam (2001), learning exists as a reoccurring process in which adults act and interact within their social situations (p.45). There are many benefits to the social aspects of learning, among them the development of trustful relationships that allow individuals to have questioning discussions, share information openly and achieve mutual and consensual understanding (Taylor, 2007, p.179). Adult learners recognize these social benefits (Hansam, 2001, p.45) and the enriching social rewards of learning can fuel the desire to seek learning opportunities in all stages of adult life.

Learning out of necessity

Learning may also be motivated by the necessity to properly address internal and external changes occurring naturally in the lives of adults. It has been noted that learning happens even in everyday encounters and experiences (Kolb, 1984, p.26) and we are not always conscious that this learning is taking place (Marsick & Watkins, 2001). The unpredictable nature of life events often forces

Final Paper - Charlie Berger, 100384876 EDUC 5401G-001

adults into situations where learning was not anticipated (Marsick & Watkins, 2001), but perhaps necessary in order to properly address the situation at hand. According to Merriam (1999), external factors such as learning about parenting, beginning a career, or adjusting to the death of a spouse are developmental tasks that occur at particular times in the life cycle and give rise to the teachable moment (p.73). In other words, life itself can act as an external agent that forces adults to learn in order to properly adapt.

As previously discussed, transformative learning involves engagement in the internal process of changing a frame of reference and action on the new perspective is imperative...not only seeing but living the new perspective is necessary (Baumgartner, 2001, p.17). The learner has little to no choice but to fully immerse him/herself in the learning required to properly engage in perspective shift from the old frame of reference to a new one (Mezirow, 1997, p.12). As a result, learners are forced to engage in the learning process by their own internal need to give meaning to this new perspective. (Baumgartner, 2001, p.17).

Conclusion
Adults will continue to learn throughout their lives in some form or another, motivated by many different aspects of life, well after they have been released from the obligatory classroom setting of elementary and secondary schools. The major learning prompts common to differing educational theories illustrate that life-long adult learning not only possible, but practically inevitable. Adults may be pushed to learn by external workplace pressure in an effort to maintain, enhance or change career paths. They may also be motivated by internal factors, such the desire to cope with key life changes and major perspective shifts. Additionally, adults may be required to learn simply out of pure necessity in order to overcome certain unplanned life experiences. These varied motivational factors illustrate that adults will choose to learn through all walks of life, even in instances where the learning process is not necessarily perceived or even desired.

Regardless of the influencing factors, adults in our society have the power to choose the nature, shape and scope of the learning they will engage in. Perhaps with increased consolidation of the overarching commonalities between different adult education perspectives, adult educators from all theoretical backgrounds can better prepare themselves to address the diverse learning needs of all adults as they continue their life-long educational journeys.

Final Paper - Charlie Berger, 100384876 EDUC 5401G-001

References
Baumgartner, L. (2001). An update on transformational learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 89(Spring), 15-24. Hansam, C. (2001). Context-based adult learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 89 (Spring), 43-51. Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. PrenticeHall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Lankard Brown, B. (2000). Changing Career Patterns. ERIC Digest, 29. Marsick, V. & Watkins, K. (2001). Informal and incidental learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 89 (Spring), 25-34. Merriam, S. (1999). Time as the integrative factor. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. 84(Winter), 67-75. Merriam, S. (2001). Andragogy and self-directed learning: pillars of adult learning theory. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 89 (Spring) 3-13. Merriam, S. (2001). Something old, something new: adult learning theory for the twenty-first century. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. 89 (Spring), 93-96. Mezirow, J. (1981) A critical theory of adult learning and education. Adult Education, 32(1) (Fall) 3-24. Mezirow, J. Contemporary Paradigms of Learning. Adult Education Quarterly, 1996, 46(3), 158172. Mezirow, J. Learning to Think Like an Adult: Transformation Theory: Core Concepts. In J. Mezirow and Associates (eds.) Learning as Transformation: Critical Perspectives on a Theory in Progress. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000. Taylor, E. (2007). An update on transformative learning theory: a critical review of the empirical research (1999-2005). International Journal of Lifelong Education, 26(2), 173-191.