The learning motivations of younger and older part-time students

Abstract

Our research, that aims to get to know students better, contributes to the development of student-centred education so we can provide them with adaptive teaching opportunities. In this paper, we explore their learning motivations and the external environmental supports that assist them. Based on a study of the motivational literature and generational theories, we hypothesised that there would be differences between age groups in the reasons for enrolling in higher education, as well as differences based on biological sex and whether the student has already completed tertiary education. Our questionnaire survey was based on a sample of 900 part-time students of University of Szeged, Faculty of Education, with 150 anonymous respondents providing the final database for our analysis.