ERIC Number: EJ1027199
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1359-6748
EISSN: N/A
Restrictions into Opportunities: How Boundaries in the Life Course Can Shape Educational Pathways
ahmed Shafi, Adeela; Rose, Jo
Research in Post-Compulsory Education, v19 n2 p212-229 2014
This study explores relationships between experiences in initial education, subsequent life experiences/opportunities and the decision to return to education later in life. Semi-structured interviews with seven female returners to education, focused initially upon the women's perceptions of their aspirations and motivations at various ages, how these related to the choices they felt they had available to them at different points in time, and their sense of agency. Subsequently, the interviewees considered the relationship between early educational experiences, post-school experiences, and their current choices. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts led to the identification of four main themes: restrictions, opportunities, personal development, and an underlying theme of planning. Consideration of the relationships between these themes led to the conclusion that it was life experiences rather than initial education that both motivated and empowered the interviewees to take advantage of opportunities for higher education.
Descriptors: Adult Education, Females, Reentry Students, Adult Students, Decision Making, Semi Structured Interviews, Student Attitudes, Student Motivation, Educational Experience, Barriers, Opportunities, Individual Development, Planning, Foreign Countries, Learner Engagement, Empowerment, Self Esteem
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A