Associations between motivation to learn, basic skills, and adult education and training participation among older adults in the USA

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study is to examine the associations between the motivation to learn, basic skills (i.e. literacy and numeracy), and organised adult education and training (AET) participation among the middle-aged and older adults in the USA. Rapid technological advancement and globalisation necessitate individuals to engage in lifelong learning to actively participate in society. However, little is known about the roles of motivation to learn and basic skills in the AET participation in the U.S. adult population. We obtained the data from the 2012/2014 Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies restricted-use file and adults aged 50 years and older (n = 2,580) are included. Structural equation models are used to examine (1) any AET, (2) formal AET and (3) non-formal AET participation as a function of the motivation to learn latent construct, literacy, numeracy, and other covariates. Results showed that the motivation to learn, literacy and numeracy are all positive predictors of non-formal AET participation. Only motivation to learn is associated with formal AET participation. Findings from this study may inform future interventions as well as policy changes to promote specific types of organised AET programmes among older adult population in the USA.

KEYWORDS:

• Lifelong learning
• aging
• literacy
• numeracy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences [R305A170183].

Notes on contributors

Takashi Yamashita

Takashi Yamashita, PhD, MPH, MA is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. His primary areas of research are social determinants of health and well-being over the life course, wider benefits of lifelong learning, health literacy, and gerontology education.

Phyllis A. Cummins

Phyllis A. Cummins, PhD is a senior research scholar at Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University. Her research foci are workforce issues for older workers, including examination of the benefits of ongoing training and workforce development and the role of publicly sponsored training programs and community colleges play in facilitating work at older ages.

Roberto J. Millar

Roberto J. Millar, MA is a doctoral student in gerontology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. His primary research interest is health promotion over the life course, Particularly in areas of environmental gerontology, aging in place, and health behaviors in later life.

Shalini Sahoo

Shalini Sahoo, MA is a doctoral student in gerontology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her primary research interest is the intersection between affordable housing and cost-effective integrated healthcare in view of health and well-being of elderly residents.

Thomas J. Smith

Thomas J. Smith, PhD is a professor of education and presidential teaching professor at Northern Illinois University. His primary research interest is statistical methodology including normal and ordinal logistic regression modeling and cluster analysis, as well as STEM education.