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The different style of lifelong learning in China and the USA based on influencing motivations and factors
ARTICLE

, , School of Education, China

International Journal of Educational Research Volume 95, Number 1, ISSN 0883-0355 Publisher: Elsevier Ltd

Abstract

The notion of lifelong learning nowadays is necessary to focus on individual growth and daily life, so as to create a collective ideology of lifelong learning based on the improvement of individual consciousness. This article explores the different style of lifelong learning based on influencing motivations and factors by comparing interviews on Chinese and American citizens from different social backgrounds, genders, ages, professions, educational levels, and geographic locations, etc. Using a biographical research and Grounded Theory with open, axial and selective coding, we found that the main motivations and factors affecting one’s learning in each country can be classified into four groups: the familial, individual, social, and educational influencing factors. According to the learning process and results mentioned in the interviewee's narration, it can be found these groups influence learning decisions, effectiveness, contents, purposes and future development. After analyzing the contents of each interview, we can divide learning motivations and influencing factors into different quadrants of a classification diagram based on the “ideal type”. Each narration, with typical features and key words, can be marked as circles in the x- and y-coordinate on the diagram. Lining these circles up together toward one end, the cluster diagrams were drawn to show the Chinese lifelong learning features embody “Social utilitarianism” Type while the American have “Individual interests and hobbies” features.

Citation

Chen, Z. & Liu, Y. (2019). The different style of lifelong learning in China and the USA based on influencing motivations and factors. International Journal of Educational Research, 95(1), 13-25. Elsevier Ltd. Retrieved August 10, 2024 from .

This record was imported from International Journal of Educational Research on April 7, 2019. International Journal of Educational Research is a publication of Elsevier.

Full text is availabe on Science Direct: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2019.03.005

Keywords

References

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