“We Are Not a Small Island, We Are the Ocean”. Becoming a Student in Mature Age. An Exploratory Analysis on Italy and Spain

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https://doi.org/10.17583/rasp.2016.2080

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Abstract

The complexity underlying motivations and obstacles encountered by Mature Adults (MA; people over 45 years old) in their participation in educational activities, requires a thorough analysis to determine which factors are most salient for this social group. Under the project funded by the European Commission "IMAL: Innovations in Mature Adult Learning", a study through a questionnaire (n = 1.066) was conducted. From that sample, data for two of the participating countries, Spain (ns= 106) and Italy (ni= 460), have been drawn. The aim of the paper is to make an exploratory analysis of both samples in order to determine the most important motivational factors for MA in their educational participation, through descriptive and bivariate analysis (independent sample test), and to test how the sociodemographic variables influence these factors by an analysis through logistic regression. The results show great similarities between both samples. Lower levels of education and not being in working condition were found as risk factors for not undertaking learning activities. In both samples, the weight of “internal” motivations is very relevant. This evidence leads to interpret MA learning as a process addressed towards personal enrichment, thus claiming for a more holistic and learner centered vision in adult education.

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Author Biographies

Tatiana Iñiguez Berrozpe, Universidad de Zaragoza

Dr. Tatiana Iñiguez Berrozpe, PhD in Sociology of Education at University of Zaragoza (Spain) in 2011. She is lecturer and researcher in the area of Sociology at the University of Zaragoza since 2011 (University School of Tourism; Group of Research on Society of Risk, founded by Aragón Government). She is also Assistant Editor of the International Journal of Sociology of Education. Her main interest and topics are: sociology of education; social transformation of gender relations; transformative affective education; qualitative communicative methodology applied to education; lifelong learning; inclusive education of migrants and social minorities. She has participated in 2 international and 4 national funded research projects on these topics. Tatiana has numerous participations in national conferences and seminars, being part of the organization committee of the International Multidisciplinary Conference on Research on Education (CIMIE). She has also published several papers in international and national peer-reviewed journals.

Francesco Marcaletti, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano

Dr. Francesco Marcaletti, PhD in “Sociology and methodology of social research” at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milano in 2006. He is member of the Steering Commitee and secretary of WWELL Research Centre (Welfare, Work, Enterprise, Lifelong Learning) at the Department of Sociology of Università Cattolica, He is holding a position as Associate researcher at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences and lecturing “Sociology of Work” and “Data analysis in Social Research”. His main interests and topics are: sociology of labour market; sociology of work; hrm; age management; older workers; demographic change; international migrations.

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2016-07-30

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Iñiguez Berrozpe, T., & Marcaletti, F. (2016). “We Are Not a Small Island, We Are the Ocean”. Becoming a Student in Mature Age. An Exploratory Analysis on Italy and Spain. Research on Ageing and Social Policy, 4(2), 56–95. https://doi.org/10.17583/rasp.2016.2080

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