Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ed.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Educational Leadership

Major Professor

Bárbara C. Cruz, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Jane Applegate, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Tony Tan, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Stephen J. Thornton, Ph.D.

Keywords

Aging population, Learning motivation, Older Chinese adults, Later life

Abstract

China, with its vast population, has qualified as an aging society. As a response to this, education and learning have become an important means of improving the quality of life for older people in China. The primary objective of this study is to uncover what stimulates three older Chinese individuals to engage in learning activities by exploring their personal stories. The two research questions guiding the study are: (a) How do three senior Chinese citizens describe their life and learning experiences? and, (b) What factors motivate and influence these three senior Chinese citizens to participate in learning activities? In this paper, case studies are used to describe participants’ stories. The participants’ learning motivations are identified and analyzed through two online video interviews with other supporting data. Shared motivations for all three participants to engage in learning activities are found and reflect the three participants’ positive personality traits, a thirst for knowledge, generativity, the pursuit of health and well-being, and teachers’ influence. Of course, there are also individual motivations for each participant that influence individual learning engagement, including personal interest, professional identity, and combating negative emotions. This study also discusses explanations of these learning motivations based on Chinese historical and cultural contexts and presents research questions and ideas that may be involved in future research.

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