Motivation to Learn Among Older Adults in Taiwan

Abstract

This study analyzed the survey on adults administered by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan in 2008, and logistic regression analysis showed a close relationship between learning motivations of older adults. The finding revealed that the higher age or the lower education attainment of older adults, the lower their learning motivation. The investigation of environmental factors showed that developing a comprehensive learning model boosts the participation of older adults. The study considered both individual and environmental factors, and it found being relatively young, female, and lonely had higher learning motivation. Also, the learning styles involving group activities and online learning stimulated the learning motivation of older adults.

Notes

Note. An ∗ mark indicates that the marked factor was found to be related to the older adults’ motivation to learn in the study.

**p < .01.

Note. Variable categories marked with * are used as reference.

Note. Annual household income (1) refers to middle income households; annual household income (2) refers to high income households.

*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.

Note. Gender and marital status are only significant related to learning motivation when environmental factors are considered; The more ∗ marks given indicates higher level of relation; The level of relation is gauged through Exp(β).