| Frederic Jacobs
American University
Barriers to participation by adults in part-time educational activities
FINAL REPORT:
This report highlights findings from secondary analyses of the National Household Education Surveys (NHES) of l991 and 1995. NHES was the largest data collection effort undertaken by the U.S. Department of Education to analyze participation patterns of adult learners in a variety of educational activities, and to determine barriers to participation for nonparticipants.
The central research questions guiding this inquiry were: (1) in what type of program did adult learners participate, and what was their main reason for participating? and (2) what are the major barriers to participation for adults who did not engage in adult education programs? For participants, the type of adult education program attended, the type of provider offering the program, the main reason for attending the program, and the type of employer provisions made to attend the program were analyzed. For nonparticipants, the main barriers to participation were identified.
Descriptive statistics for participants in English as a Second Language, Basic Skills, Credential, Work-related, and Other Formal Structured Activities are highlighted. For nonparticipants, descriptive statistics are available for English as a Second Language, Basic Skills, and Work-related programs only. Chi-square analyses were also conducted, and appropriate contingency tables are included. Finally, regression analyes were conducted; however, due to the nature of the survey design, the results yielded no useful information. Outcomes of the regression analyses are included in the appendices as a reference for future researchers interested in exploring this methodological consideration in the future.
Salient differences between NHES:91 and NHES:95 are included, with the analyses centering around the following characteristics: salient differences related to age; salient differences related to employment status; salient differences related to highest grade level completed; salient differences related to marital status; and salient differences related to income level. The outcomes of this study are synthesized around the following framework: findings which corroborate results from prior studies; findings which provide new perspectives as a result of this study; and questions raised as a result of this study.
Finally, implications from this study are presented in the following manner: implications for public policy-makers; implications for higher education; implications for employers; and implications for future researchers. Also included are technical appendices and other resources of interest to administrators, faculty, policymakers, adult learners, and researchers.
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