Adult Learners’ Perceptions On Environmental Factors Promoting Their Participation In Literacy Centres In Anambra State
Ezudike Regina Chidinma
Department of Adult and Continuing Education Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State
Williams Emeka Obiozor Ph D
Department of Adult and Continuing Education Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State
Keywords: Adult Learners, Perceptions, Environmental Factors, Promoting, Participation, Literacy Centres
Abstract
This study examined adult learners’ perceptions on the environmental factors promoting their participation in literacy centres in Anambra State. Three research questions guided the study and three null hypotheses were formulated for the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of this study constituted 70,448 adult learners, which comprised 26,010 males and 44,438 female adult learners in 286 literacy centres within the six (6) education zones in Anambra State. A sample size of 1,409 adult learners, which comprised 521 males and 888 female adult learners from 144 literacy centres in the six (6) education zones in Anambra State selected through proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used in the study. A 25-item questionnaire developed by the researcher for the adult learners and titled “Environmental Factors Promoting Adult Learners Participation Questionnaire (EFPALPQ) served as instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was validated by three experts from the Faculty of Education, while reliability of the questionnaire was determined through a pilot test. Information retrieved were measured using the Cronbach Alpha method in order to get the estimate of internal consistency of the questionnaire. Coefficients ‘r’ value of 0.76, 0.99 and 0.99 were obtained from each of the three clusters respectively and thereafter summed up to an overall reliability ‘r’ value of 0.91 for the questionnaire. Data retrieved and collated after distribution were analyzed using mean statistics rated at 2.50 and standard deviation; while the t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of the study indicated that all the three environmental factors which includes physical learning environmental factors, social environmental factors, and economic environmental factors promoted the male and female adult learners’ participation in literacy centres in Anambra State. As such, the difference between male and female adult learners’ perceptions on all these environmental factors promoting their participation in literacy centres in Anambra State is significant. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations were proffered and among these included that: Anambra State government should provide sufficient funds and financial budgetary allocations to support adult learning so as to improve on the physical learning environmental factors and appropriate put the physical learning environment in place which will promote the male and female adult learners’ participation in the literacy centres