Rural men’s experience of returning to study in human services and social sciences
Keywords:
rural, men, returning to study, human services, social sciences, experienceAbstract
This article discusses the narratives of twelve participants who shared their experiences of returning to study as mature-age men. The majority of the participants came from small rural farming communities where the expectation from their family and friends was about finding employment, preferably working on the family farm, not about continuing with education. Significant life events such as family illness also impacted on decisions in relation to further study. The narratives reveal a complex composition of societally gendered expectations, family expectations and individual expectations that influence boys’/men’s identities as learners no matter their age. Questions remain in relation to how mature-aged men can be engaged to consider education as an available option. Tertiary education for the participants in this research clearly had positive outcomes in relation to familial relationships and wellbeing.
References
Alston, M. and Kent, J. (2008) The Big Dry: The link between rural masculinities and poor health outcomes for farming men.
Journal of Sociology, vol 44, no.2, pp. 133-147.
Archer, L. Pratt, S.D. and Phillips, D. (2001) Working-class men’s constructions of masculinity and negotiations of (non) participation in higher education. Gender and Education, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 431–449.
Cai, L. (2009) Effects of health on wages of Australian men. The Economic Record, vol 85, no.270, pp 290-306.
Chapman, J., Cartwright, P. and McGlip, E.J. (2006) Lifelong Learning, participation and equity, Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
Charmaz, K. (2006) Constructing grounded theory: A Practical guide through qualitative analysis, London, Sage.
Cleary, P., Brodie, J. MacFarlane, K., Brown, F., Gallacher, J. and Boyd, V.(2007) Motivation and attainment in the learner experience (MALE): Final Report. Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning, Glasgow Caledonian University. Retrieved in September 2009 from http://www.westforum.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33&Itemid=25
DEEWR (2008) Review of Australian higher education, Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations, Canberra, A.C.T.
Foskey, R. and Avery, A. (2003) Older rural men - Learning for change. Published in the Communities of Learning; Communities of Practice Conference Proceedings of the 43rd Annual National Conference, Adult Learning Australia, University of Technology, Sydney, 27-30 November. Retrieved in September 2009 from http://www.ruralfutures.une.edu.au/publications/3. php?nav=Conference%20Paper&publication=13
Golding, B., Brown, M. and & Foley, A. (2009) Men’s learning and wellbeing research. University of Ballarat. Retrieved in September 2009 from http://www.bsl.org.au/pdfs/Barry_Golding_Brown_Foley_paper09.pdf” www.bsl.org.au/pdfs/Barry_ Golding_Brown_Foley_article09.pdf
Golding, B. and Rogers, M. (2002) Adult and community education in small and remote towns in Victoria: A Report to ACFE Board Victoria, Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE and La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria.
Healy, K. and Lonne, B. (2010) The Social work and human services workforce, University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology and the ALTC, Canberra, A.C.T.
Karmel, T. (2011) As clear as mud: Defining vocational education and training. Adelaide, NCVER
Kenway, J., Kraack, A. and Hickey-Moody, A. (2006) Masculinity beyond the metropolis. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Marks, A. (2000) Lifelong learning and the “breadwinner ideology”: Addressing the problems of lack of participation by adult, working-class males in higher education on Merseyside. Educational Studies, vol. 3, accessed in September 2009 from http://www. informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=t713415834~tab=issueslist~branches=26” l “v26” n _top, Issue “http://www. informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=g713415889” n _top3.
Merriam, S.B. (1988) Case study research in education: A Qualitative approach, San Francisco, California, Jossey-Bass..
McGiveny, V. (2004) Men earn, women learn: Bridging the gender divide in education and training. National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, Leicester.
Merrill, B. (n.d) Gender, class and adult students: Learning a student career and changing identities. Retrieved in September 2009 from http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/cll/about/news/esrea/abstracts/merrill_article.pdf
Quinn, J., Thomas, L., Slack, K., Casey, L., Thexton, W. and Noble, J. (2006) Lifting the hood: Lifelong learning and young, white, provincial working-class masculinities. British Educational Research Journal, vol. 32, no. 5, pp.735-750.
Stewart, J. Cartner, M. and Gibson, K. (n.d.) Addicted to ACE: Exploring the experiences of adult learners. Retrieved in September 2009 from http://www.aare.edu.au/03pap/mah03094.pdf” www.aare.edu.au/03pap/mah03094.pdf
Stone, C.M.M. (2009) The Second chance journey …or… “How did these oldies get to be uni students?”, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney
Strauss, A., and Corbin, J. (1990) Basics of qualitative research: Groundedtheory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Theodore, H. and Lloyd, B.F. (2000) Age and gender role conflict: A cross-sectional study of Australian men. Sex Roles, no. 42, pp. 1027-1042.
Thompson, A. (n.d) Men, masculinities and flexible working. Retrieved in September 2009 from http://faos.ku.dk/pdf/ iirakongres2010/track1/56.pdf/
Townsend, R. (2011) So we think they’re ready for university? Barriers, needs and supports for mature age individuals accessing higher education. New Community Quarterly, vol 9, no.3, Issue 35, pp.24-28.
Townsend, R. (2009) Adult and community education as sites for the development of social capital in a culturally diverse Australian society, PhD Thesis, Victoria University.
Woodin, T. and Burke, P.J. (2007) Men accessing education: Masculinities, class and choice. The Australian Educational Researcher, vol. 34, no.3, pp.119-134.
Woodward, R. (2000) Warrior heroes and little green men: Soldiers, military training, and the construction of rural masculinities. http://0-proquest.umi.com.alpha2.latrobe.edu.au/pqdlink?RQT=318&pmid=28923&TS=1284100452&clientId=20828&VInst
=PROD&VName=PQD&VType=PQD” Rural Sociology. vol.65, no. 4; pp. 640-658.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2013 Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Advances in Social Work & Welfare Education by Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research (ANZSWWER) is licensed underCC BY 4.0