Older Learners on Campus

Who are the older learners on campus? What are their motivations for pursuing higher education? What obstacles do they face? And what do they intend to do upon completion of their course of study? These are some of the questions explored by gerontology students in an action-research study of older learners enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB). The overall factors mentioned by respondents that influenced their enrollment decisions were: interest in subject, becoming a more informed person, gaining self-confidence, and the joy of learning. The major obstacles they encountered while attending classes were family obligations and the scheduling of course offerings. Gaining insight into the perceptions of older learners is a positive step toward making campuses more “older learner-friendly.”