| Popis: |
This study explores the motivation of adults participating in distance learning and more specifically those that have a university background in Geotechnical Sciences. An introduction to both the concepts of distance education and adult education is made, in order to present the scope of the study. Furthermore, a literature review concerning the terms “motivation” and “goal orientation”, as well as their respectful meaning is performed. Additionally, a reference is made to the longstanding motivation theories.The second part of the study consists of research involving a questionnaire that was provided to all participants, and an analysis of the gathered data, based on the quantitative analytical method. This particular research was carried out between February and March 2019 and the sample involved 85 adult trainees with a background in Geotechnical Science. In this study, special attention was given to the presentation of the approach, the questions, the tool and the method used while conducting the research. To summarize, the results are compared to similar literature and the outcome of other related research studies.In conclusion, this study has shown that the motives for engagement in distance learning programs are in descending order of importance: general interest in attaining further education, professional progress, the exploration of newfound knowledge and horizons, and the belief that education and training should be lifelong. On the contrary, escaping from personal or family problems and social interactions seems to be the least important factor. |
