Only by learning can they adapt to, cope with, and challenge the ever-changing internal and external environments as they move through the life cycle. This view of education as a vital human resource was reaffirmed at the 1981 White House Conference on Aging. With education having the potential to help and maintain the quality of life of older people, it's important for educators to understand the reason for participation and non-participation in educational opportunities and to use this knowledge to maximize future participation. 2 Reasons for Participating Participation in educational endeavors by the older learner is generally not for credit or formal recognition, but primarily for immediate application, personal satisfaction, and socialization. 3 Three types of barriers to educational participation exist in the older adult years -situational, dispositional, and institutional.
Situational barriers arise from a situation in life at a given time.
Dispositional barriers, such as feeling one's too old to learn, may stem from previous educational experiences or societal pressure that one's incapable of learning. Institutional barriers are found within the educational system itself. These include complex course registration systems and requirements, inconvenient course scheduling, or inaccessible locations. In planning for educational programs for today and tomorrow, it's necessary to understand real needs and potential obstacles in relation to learning endeavors. Through effective and innovative programs, the adult educator can attract the older learner and overcome participation barriers.