Attitudes, Motivations and Barriers Among Third Age Learners Toward Lifelong Learning and Education

With the advent of the growing ageing population, the focus on lifelong learning for older adults known as – third age learning, later life learning and adult education, has emerged in the past decades.

In the Asia Pacific region, especially in the Philippines and other developing countries, old age and ageing issues have received minimal attention from government, social thinkers and educators. Lifelong learning and education opportunities for ageing have not been a high priority.

This study aims to explore the interplay between and among attitudes, motivations and barriers of third age learners toward lifelong learning and education. A three- part questionnaire was administered to third age learners to describe the underlying dimensions of their attitudes, motivations and barriers. The instruments were validated by experts in adult education. These were analyzed through the use of factor analysis.

It was noted that although many now advocate the need for education and learning over the life course, it is becoming increasingly clear that the attitudes of third age learners toward lifelong learning are key to developing such educational opportunities. This study has shown further that having a positive attitude does not necessarily mean that they will participate in lifelong learning rather they have to be motivated. Two intentions for pursuing lifelong learning appear to motivate third age adults to seek educational and learning opportunities: instrumental ambitions and expressive aspirations. Finally, findings also identified barriers that prevent the third age adults from accessing and participating in lifelong learning. Results of the study provided a clearer understanding of the third age learners and valuable insights for social gerontologic educators in planning and designing a more relevant and functional future lifelong learning and education programs for third age learners.