Influence of adult learners’ self-direction on group learning

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to present the group learning behaviours of adult students at a public university in Ghana. The study setting is the University of Ghana, specifically the Department of Adult Education and Human Resource Studies. Adults engage in continuous learning for purposes of personal and professional development. The study draws from the concept of self-directed learning and constructivist theories, examining the relationship between selfdirection and group learning in an adult learning context. Through the qualitative approach, the researchers conducted a thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews to gain insights into what influenced adult learners’ self-direction and peer engagement. The research found that collaborative contexts lead to better student engagement. Also, support from a more capable colleague contributed significantly to successful learning. The main contribution of the study is that the self-direction of the adult learner is critical to moving from the zone of the current development to the zone of potential development. For practice, adult educators need to design curriculum programmes that can encourage adult learners to create student-driven support groups for learning. Concerning workplace learning, adult learners should develop professional relationships and build networks especially voluntary support groups with their peers.