EXPLORING LEARNERS’ MOTIVATION IN NEIGHBORHOOD LEARNING PROGRAMS IN RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: A MIXED METHODS STUDY
Restricted (Penn State Only)
- Author:
- Albawardi, Abdulaziz
- Graduate Program:
- Lifelong Learning and Adult Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- February 02, 2024
- Committee Members:
- Esther Prins, Co-Chair & Dissertation Advisor
Ty Hollett, Outside Field Member
Clemente Abrokwaa, Outside Unit Member
Jose Cossa, Co-Chair & Dissertation Advisor
Heather Toomey Zimmerman, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- Adult learner
literacy
motivating factors
participation
persistence
success - Abstract:
- This study holistically explored the motivating factors of female and male low-income adult learners participating in Neighborhood Learning programs (NLPs) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and investigated how these factors are related to persistence and success. The literature reveals that motivation is crucial for adult participation in education, and it can vary significantly depending on the level of motivation. Therefore, low motivation affects a student’s commitment and persistence; hence, exploring the motivating factors that influence adult learners’ participation is imperative to develop a learning environment congruent with learners’ needs. This study employed a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design (MMR) in which quantitative data inform the qualitative phase. The data sources included one survey and in-depth interviews with 11 participants who completed the survey. Quantitative data in Phase I was analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. The findings reveal that the highest motivating factors based on their means were related to cognitive interest, education preparation, professional advancement, and communication improvement. The focus of Phase II was to further investigate how the motivating factors influenced participation and were related to persistence and success based on the stories participants shared. The data from the interviews were analyzed through an inductive line-by-line process utilizing the standard grounded theory coding process (open, axial, and selective coding). The findings indicate that the most significant motivating factors of male and female low-income adult learners were economic, personal, professional, social, and communal factors. The expanded generated model presented in this study adds to the body of knowledge and offers a thorough understanding of the motivating factors that encourage low-income adult learners, both male and female, to participate in NLPs.