Adult Learner’s Motivation for Learning from a Comparative Perspective

This paper presents the results of our research related to the motivation of the adults when learning. Our analysis is focused on the comparison of the motivational features of adults learning process in four Eastern and Central European countries (Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine). The research is based on a qualitative survey. We used questionnaire of our design to learn about their motivation to participate in trainings, their interest and the possible hindrances. The subjects of the study are adult learners from the mentioned countries (N=556) who were in contact with the research partner institutions. Our results show that the majority of the respondents looked for pragmatic opportunities in learning useful for work and life, but also wanted to develop their interests and expand their knowledge. No country-specific characteristics were found, and potential differences were only observable in some cases.

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