Being an Adult Learner in Austere Times by Ellen Boeren & Nalita James

Author:Ellen Boeren & Nalita James
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783319972084
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Findings

Isolation emerged as a significant finding from data collected in the first semester. Interviews and diary entries revealed that mature students were more likely to experience continued social isolation during their first semester, than their traditional-aged counterparts. In addition, whilst all mature students gave accounts of feeling like an isolated learner, for some mature students this was expressed as a choice made in order to successfully adapt to the academic demands of university: a coping strategy to help them manage their time effectively. For others this was expressed as a barrier: a result of their social exclusion by their younger peers, alongside other factors relating to the social environment and attitudes within the institution.

Age appeared to be a key factor in whether social isolation dissipated, continued or became magnified during the course of their first year. The traditional-aged (18–20) students in the sample reported feeling isolated in their first few days, but most explained that once they had attended their lectures, classes and fresher’s events, they found they quite quickly developed a new social network. These networks were seen to be supportive, both academically and personally. They also seemed to be an integral part of their enjoyment at university.

Conversely, the mature students in the sample, who also felt isolated in the first few days, were more likely to continue feeling like an isolated learner and less likely to assimilate into social networks at university. Their search for someone ‘like them’ is a feature of all the mature students in this study. However, as will be outlined in the next section, the discussion of isolation was varied. For some mature students, particularly the younger ones, social isolation was actively chosen, initially, as a coping strategy. For others this was expressed as a result of how their younger peers made them feel, alongside other institutional factors.

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