Motivation and Study Habits of Working Adults: A Case Study of Masters Students in Open University Malaysia

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Motivation and Study Habits of Working Adults A
Case Study of Masters Students in Open University
Malaysia

• Loo Sze Wei,
• Tuan Fatma Sulaiman,
• Wardah Mohamad
• Zorah Abu Kassim

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Objectives
• Methodology
• Findings
• Implications

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Introduction

• Post Graduate Programmes of FBM
• Student profile
• Continuous initiatives to enhance programme
  learning experience
• University administrators
• Students
• Academicians

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Objectives

• To explore
• what motivates working adults to continue with
  their studies
• what are their study habits?

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Methodology

• Approach
• Case Study using open-ended questions
• Exploratory research
• Sample
• OUM masters students from the Faculty of Business
  and Management

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Findings - Motivation

• Main factors for enrolling into OUM masters
  programmes
• Self-satisfaction
• Self-improvement
• To improve life quality
• To expand professional network
• To inspire their children
• To have a better job prospect
• To have higher academic qualification
• To increase earning power

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• Excerpts from the students responses
  Self-esteem and aspiration for a better life
• "I am frustrated with my last supervisor who
  tended to look down on other people"
• "Self-confidence, self-improvement for betterment
  and self-satisfaction are my motivation drivers
  to study.
• Successful people around me do give me a vivid
  picture on the importance to learn and improve as
  much as I can in life.

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• Excerpts from the students responses as a
  strategy to motivate children, gaining confident
  and knowledge
• "I enrolled in the Masters programme because I
  want to enhance my knowledge in management from
  experienced lecturers. I also gain new and
  up-to-date information ....from research and
  reading....furthermore it makes me more
  confident. Besides that I also want to inspire my
  children to work hard and be smart and for them
  to realise that it is very important to be
  knowledgeable".

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Findings - Study Habit

• How?
• Participating in group discussion
• Attending seminars
• Concentrating in seminars
• Doing more reading and revision
• More reading for qualitative courses doing more
  exercises for quantitative courses
• Answering past exam questions

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Findings - Study Habit

• When?
• Study at night
• Whenever there is free time
• Weekends
• Study routine
• Most following study routine by time or by topic

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Excerpts from the students responses study
habits How?

• Staying up late at night or reading books and
  notes
• I believe very much in group study / discussion
  which is really effective to me
• Be attending seminars, reading and did all the
  researches and assignments given

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Excerpts from the students responses study
habits When?

• At night after office every day, and including
  weekends.
• Every day between 8 till 12 at night

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Excerpts from the students responses study
habits Study routine?

• Monday to Friday, study at nights or early in the
  morning, get some rest on Saturday and study 2-3
  hours on Sundays after spent time with family
• 2 main topics per week

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Implications

• Learners
• Academics
• University administrators

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Future Research

• Thank you