The influence of out-of-institution environments on the university schooling project of non-traditional students in Uganda

ABSTRACT

Participation and integration of non-traditional students (NTS) in university education is influenced by factors within the institution and those external to the institution, including participants’ self-perceptions and dispositions. The objective of this qualitative study is to draw from the life-world environment component of Donaldson and Graham’s model of college outcomes for adults, to discuss the out-of-institution experiences of NTS participating in university education in Uganda. Findings derive from two elements: first, the social settings of work, family and community including the roles NTS play in these settings. The second element is connected to the first but goes deeper into individual relationships NTS have with important people around them. Both elements were found to be reinforcing and deterring to the NTS’ university schooling project. To this end, we argue that to achieve quality-inclusive university education for all learners, the lifelong learning frameworks must be accentuated, even outside the university.

KEYWORDS:

• Life-world environment
• university schooling project
• non-traditional students
• lifelong learning
• widening access

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the research participants for the commitment and time, and anonymous reviewers for the constructive comments and feedback on this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Peace Buhwamatsiko Tumuheki is an assistant registrar at Makerere University, Uganda and a PhD student at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Her primary research interests include higher education, lifelong learning, social exclusion, social justice for development and action research.

Jacques Zeelen is a Professor of Lifelong Learning and Social Intervention at the Institute Globalisation Studies Groningen (GSG) and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pedagogy (section Lifelong Learning), University of Groningen, the Netherlands. His research interests include lifelong learning and social exclusion, action research, early school leaving, international development cooperation, and issues related to professionalization in health care, social welfare and education.

George Ladaah Openjuru is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education and Humanities, and First Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Gulu University, Uganda. His areas of research interest include adult literacy education, lifelong learning, and action research.