EVALUATION OF  MOTIVATION AND ITS IMPACT ON  THE PERFORMANCE  LEARNERS IN CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMME

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1Background of the Study

It is a fact that more and more individuals are going back to school for continuing education. According to Chao, Stover DeRocco, and Flynn (2017), 44 percent of U.S. postsecondary students were adult learners aged 24 or older. From 30,661 students in 2002 to 49,309 students in 2008, the number of part-time and open distance learners in Malaysia's public higher education institutions has expanded significantly (Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia, 2019). The need of a worldwide economy that prioritizes a knowledge-based society motivates adults to engage in continuing education. The more highly skilled and multiskilled people who are globally mobile, fiercely competitive, productive, adaptable, autonomous, and critical thinkers are highlighted by the knowledge-based society (Tan, 2015). Working adults are aware of this and take advantage of continuing education to improve their chances of success at work and in life (Madsen & Wilson, 2016; Mulenga & Liang, 2018). According to Houle (2016), continuing education is an intentional and methodical effort to introduce, review, or change the capabilities of professionals' professional performance. In reality, Wong (2015) defines continuing education as any learning options that can be pursued beyond the cessation or completion of full-time, obligatory schooling. As long as individual individuals are eager in learning new objects, concepts, or information to enable them to perform efficiently and successfully in their communities, this sort of education does not appear to have an end, necessitating motivation.

According to its etymology, motivation is the study of what induces a person to initiate, direct, continue, and ultimately complete an action. For instance, studying for a test is an example of an accomplishment activity. Miller (2020) described motivation as the investigation of human thought and behavior. It is a subfield of psychology that deals with the comprehension of how behavior is activated, organized, and directed. It may be claimed that all of the acts that appear to have the same purpose—like eating—are motivated and driven by the same idea (hunger). To urge them to embrace continuing education programs with committed enthusiasm, adult learners in continuing education programs need to be motivated in some way. Once people are motivated to study, they can be persuaded to participate actively in continuing education programs (Wong, 2015). Making a continuing education learning environment, for instance, comfortable enough for adult participants or learners to have a calm mind while learning, may draw in more individuals. In order to do this, it must be ensured that program participants have cozy places to sit. More adult participants in a continuing education center may be drawn in by the lighting or illumination of the learning space. As a result, the teacher or facilitator of continuing education programs must make sure that the adult learners' anticipated requirements and objectives are addressed as quickly as feasible.

Adults are driven to pursue continuing education by a variety of internal and external influences, according to Boshier (2021). (Garst & Ried, 2019). However, according to Abdul Razaq Ahmad et al. (2019), just 8% of higher education institutions met the demands of their students with the programs and courses they offered. In order to reach and instruct this expanding population, it is crucial for universities and other institutions to have a deeper understanding of the challenges with motivation. Additionally, motivation and academic success are closely associated. The motivating elements that adult learners in continuing education may use to represent their views and perceptions about putting in the required study effort may have an impact on their academic success. Up until recently, there hasn't been much study on the topic of adult learning, claim Knowles, Holton, and Swanson (2021).

There are extremely few empirical studies on non-traditional students, such as adult learners, and the majority of academic accomplishment research is focused on conventional young pupils. On the other hand, there is a dearth of research on the connection between adult learners' academic accomplishment and motivation for continuing their education (Miner 2020). Understanding the motivating elements that influence adult learners' academic success in their learning programs may help the government, the ministry of education, higher education institutions, program planners, and teachers better meet the requirements of the learners. Through the right modification of policy, learning resources, administrative procedures, consultation services, educational programs, and teaching quality, it may also improve their academic achievement (Abdul Razaq Ahmad et al., 2019).

1.2Statement of problem

In recent times, adult learners have showed great determination  to learn even faster when they are dully motivated. As observed by Kuyik (2019), although motivation is a great force in every human endeavor but the rate at which adult learners in continuing education and other adult education related programmes are handled seems to be discouraging.  Eric (2020) established further that more often than not, adult learners are found to be complaining of being treated like children just because they are passing through some learning process. The problem appears to be complex as the organizers do not seem to have realized the negative impact this has on adult learners performance. Hence the Jarvis (2021) maintains that the basic motivating factor for adult learners is need. If an adult has the need of any given form of skill or knowledge, he or she must develop interest genuinely to acquiring or learning such as skills and knowledge. Although there are several literature on motivation and leaner achievement but only few has focused on adult learners in continuing education. Upon this premise that this study seek to ascertain evaluation of  motivation and its impact on the performance  learners in continuing education programme.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The broad objective of this study is focused on an  evaluation of  motivation and its impact on the performance  learners in continuing education programme. Other specific objectives includes:

i.           To investigate whether motivation plays an essential role in reshaping adult learners behavior towards learning.

ii.        To ascertain whether teacher’s attitude is a determinant of adult learners’ performance in continuing education centers.

iii.      To establish whether motivation significantly influences adult learner's academic achievement

iv.      To determine whether the extent at which motivation factors determines adult learners academic achievement.

1.4Research Question

The following research questions were raised:

i.          Does motivation plays an essential role in reshaping adult learners behavior towards learning?

ii.        Does teacher’s attitude is a determinant of adult learners’ performance in continuing education centers?

iii.      Does motivation significantly influences adult learner's academic achievement?

iv.      What is the extent at which motivation factors determines adult learners academic achievement?

1.5 Significance of the study

Specifically, the study will be benefit to the following individuals.Adult learners would be the major beneficiaries of this study because they would learn a lot from the recommendations of this study an its outcomes. They would be exposed to the concept of motivation and achievement in school. This study will also motivate them to study hard  so ass to increase their performance rates at continuing education center. Parents would find this study of great benefit because it will enable them to have positive perception of motivation and academic achievement of adolescents. The recommendations of this study will no doubt help parents to motivate adolescents the more so that they would be of high academic achievement of adolescents. The recommendations of this study will no doubt help parents to motivate adolescents the more so that they would be of high academic achievers in the schools. Guidance counselors would also see this study  as beneficial and good because the recommendations will assist them to counsel people, especially, the adolescents  who are having low academic achievement due to poor or non- motivation by either their facilitators or their parents. This finding is crucial for program planners and adult educators. They will be able to lead adult learners to be more intrinsically motivated in continuing education. In this way, they will optimize their learning outcomes and develop quality human capital.Empirically, the study will contribute to the general body of knowledge and serve as a reference material to scholars who wish to conduct further studies in related field.

1.6 Scope of the study

The study was focused on an   evaluation of  motivation and its impact on the performance  learners in continuing education programme. Attention was paid to continuing education centers within Abeokuta, Ogun State.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only  selected continuing education centers within Abeokuta, Ogun State. Thus findings of this study cannot be used for generalization for secondary schools  in other  States within Nigeria. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work will impede maximum devotion to the research. Howbeit, despite the constraint  encountered during the  research,  all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

---

---