This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Boshier, R. Articles by Collins, J. B. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

The Houle Typology After Twenty-Two Years: A Large-Scale Empirical Test

University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

John B. Collins

School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia and Canadian College of Health Service Executives, Vancouver, Canada.

More than 20 years ago, Houle proposed that adult learners were goal, learning or activity oriented. His typology aroused considerable interest, because it appeared to be a parsimonious way of classifying adult learners. Various instruments were designed to investigate the structural foundations of the typology and relationships between "orientation" scores and other variables. The most enduring, often used, and psychometrically defensible instrument was the Education Participation Scale which Boshier used during a 1971 search for Houle's typology. During the last decade, the E.P.S. has been used in most parts of the world. In this study, E.P.S. data from 13,442 learners in Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States were combined and subjected to a cluster analysis designed to examine the extent to which Houle's typology fitted the phenomenological reality that exists within adult education participants. Houle's goal and learning orientations were reasonably clear. His activity orientation was evident but only as a forced aggregate of the Social Stimulation, Social Contact, External Expectations and Community Service factors. In some respects this study completed a survey research tradition begun more than twenty years ago. In the future the scope of this research needs to be broadened to test the impact of participation on motivational orientations and to include experimental studies where E.P.S. scores are treated as the independent variables.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.A. Aderinto,, J.O. Akande, and C.O. Aderinto The Part-time Degree Course and its Influence on Nigerian Women's Participation in Higher Education Indian Journal of Gender Studies, February 1, 2006; 13(1): 97 - 111. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Blunt and B. Yang Factor Structure of the Adult Attitudes Toward Adult and Continuing Education Scale and its Capacityt O Predict Participation Behavior: Evidence for Adoption of a Revised Scale Adult Education Quarterly, August 1, 2002; 52(4): 299 - 314. [PDF]

				E. P. Isaac, T. Guy, and T. Valentine Understanding African American Learners' Motivations to Learn in Church-Based Adult Education Adult Education Quarterly, November 1, 2001; 52(1): 23 - 38. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. A. Becker and C. C. Gibson Fishbein and Ajzen's Theory of Reasoned Action: Accurate Prediction of Behavioral Intentions for Enrolling in Distance Education Courses Adult Education Quarterly, November 1, 1998; 49(1): 43 - 55. [Abstract]

				G. T. Henry and K. C. Basile Understanding the Decision to Participate in Formal Adult Education Adult Education Quarterly, June 1, 1994; 44(2): 64 - 82. [Abstract]

				R. G. Bagnall On the Normative Aspects of Adult Education Taxonomies Adult Education Quarterly, December 1, 1990; 40(4): 229 - 236. [Abstract]

				B. W. Pryor Predicting and Explaining Intentions to Participate in Continuing Education: An Application of the Theory of Reasoned Action Adult Education Quarterly, September 1, 1990; 40(3): 146 - 157. [Abstract]

				T. Valentine and G. G. Darkenwald Deterrents to Participation in Adult Education: Profiles of Potential Learners Adult Education Quarterly, March 1, 1990; 41(1): 29 - 42. [Abstract]

				S. B. Merriam Contributions of Qualitative Research to Adult Education Adult Education Quarterly, September 1, 1989; 39(3): 161 - 168. [Abstract]

				C. J. Martindale and J. B. Drake Factor Structure of Deterrents to Participation in Off-Duty Adult Education Programs Adult Education Quarterly, June 1, 1989; 39(2): 63 - 75. [Abstract]

				S. W. Graham The Needs and Learning Preferences of Community College Adults: Implications for Program Planning and Marketing Community College Review, December 1, 1987; 15(3): 41 - 47. [PDF]

				D. E. Clayton and M. M. Smith Motivational Typology of Reentry Women Adult Education Quarterly, June 1, 1987; 37(2): 90 - 104. [Abstract]

				E. J. Furst An Interpretation of the Boshier-Collins Cluster Analysis Testing Houle's Typology Adult Education Quarterly, December 1, 1986; 36(4): 235 - 237.

				G. G. Darkenwald and T. Valentine Factor Structure of Deterrents to Public Participation in Adult Education Adult Education Quarterly, December 1, 1985; 35(4): 177 - 193. [Abstract]