This qualitative case study seeks to examine older adult learners' views toward technology use and their motivation, needs, and experiences while enrolled in the eMajor online Organizational Leadership bachelor's degree program offered by the University System of Georgia (USG). The research will investigate what motivates students to enroll in and advance through a degree program and their present technological competencies in relation to online learning management systems. The case study will also strive to identify the demands of older adult learners and the influence online learning has on their drive for program completion. Qualitative data were collected from twelve older adult learners, 45 years of age and older, from one eMajor collaborative program at three partner University System of Georgia institutions through semistructured virtual interviews. The four themes that emerged from the interviews, program, degree, instructor influence, technology, online learning, and needs and experiences helped answer the guiding research questions. The study's results revealed how older adult learners perceive the use of technology in higher education to increase academic achievement, learning comprehension, and course tasks. The current study sought to further assist higher education administrators and leaders understand older adult learners' needs and motivators and how to better support these learners in an online environment
","abstract_html":"<p>This qualitative case study seeks to examine older adult learners' views toward technology use and their motivation, needs, and experiences while enrolled in the eMajor online Organizational Leadership bachelor's degree program offered by the University System of Georgia (USG). The research will investigate what motivates students to enroll in and advance through a degree program and their present technological competencies in relation to online learning management systems. The case study will also strive to identify the demands of older adult learners and the influence online learning has on their drive for program completion. Qualitative data were collected from twelve older adult learners, 45 years of age and older, from one eMajor collaborative program at three partner University System of Georgia institutions through semistructured virtual interviews. The four themes that emerged from the interviews, program, degree, instructor influence, technology, online learning, and needs and experiences helped answer the guiding research questions. The study's results revealed how older adult learners perceive the use of technology in higher education to increase academic achievement, learning comprehension, and course tasks. The current study sought to further assist higher education administrators and leaders understand older adult learners' needs and motivators and how to better support these learners in an online environment</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Hayes, Jennifer Angela"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Teacher Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Jennifer M Lovelace","Dr. Richard Rogers","Dr. Aaron \"Chip\" Reese"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-08-22T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-08-22T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:45:08Z","subjects":["Academic Motivation","Collaborative Program","eCampus","eMajor","Older Adult Learner","Online Learning","Education","Educational Leadership","Higher Education Administration"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/475","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Jennifer M Lovelace","Dr. Richard Rogers","Dr. Aaron \"Chip\" Reese"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Hayes, Jennifer Angela"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-01-17T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Teacher Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Academic Motivation","Collaborative Program","eCampus","eMajor","Older Adult Learner","Online Learning","Education","Educational Leadership","Higher Education Administration"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/475"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This qualitative case study seeks to examine older adult learners' views toward technology use and their motivation, needs, and experiences while enrolled in the eMajor online Organizational Leadership bachelor's degree program offered by the University System of Georgia (USG). The research will investigate what motivates students to enroll in and advance through a degree program and their present technological competencies in relation to online learning management systems. The case study will also strive to identify the demands of older adult learners and the influence online learning has on their drive for program completion. Qualitative data were collected from twelve older adult learners, 45 years of age and older, from one eMajor collaborative program at three partner University System of Georgia institutions through semistructured virtual interviews. The four themes that emerged from the interviews, program, degree, instructor influence, technology, online learning, and needs and experiences helped answer the guiding research questions. The study's results revealed how older adult learners perceive the use of technology in higher education to increase academic achievement, learning comprehension, and course tasks. The current study sought to further assist higher education administrators and leaders understand older adult learners' needs and motivators and how to better support these learners in an online environment
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Case Study Exploring the Motivating Factors and Needs That Influence Older Adult Learners’ Decisions to Enroll and Persist in One University System of Georgia eMajor Collaborative Program"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Jennifer M Lovelace","Dr. Richard Rogers","Dr. Aaron \"Chip\" Reese"],"dc:creator":["Hayes, Jennifer Angela"],"dc:date.available":["2023-01-17T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This qualitative case study seeks to examine older adult learners' views toward technology use and their motivation, needs, and experiences while enrolled in the eMajor online Organizational Leadership bachelor's degree program offered by the University System of Georgia (USG). The research will investigate what motivates students to enroll in and advance through a degree program and their present technological competencies in relation to online learning management systems. The case study will also strive to identify the demands of older adult learners and the influence online learning has on their drive for program completion. Qualitative data were collected from twelve older adult learners, 45 years of age and older, from one eMajor collaborative program at three partner University System of Georgia institutions through semistructured virtual interviews. The four themes that emerged from the interviews, program, degree, instructor influence, technology, online learning, and needs and experiences helped answer the guiding research questions. The study's results revealed how older adult learners perceive the use of technology in higher education to increase academic achievement, learning comprehension, and course tasks. The current study sought to further assist higher education administrators and leaders understand older adult learners' needs and motivators and how to better support these learners in an online environment
"],"dc:identifier":["https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/475"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:subject":["Academic Motivation","Collaborative Program","eCampus","eMajor","Older Adult Learner","Online Learning","Education","Educational Leadership","Higher Education Administration"],"dc:title":["A Case Study Exploring the Motivating Factors and Needs That Influence Older Adult Learners’ Decisions to Enroll and Persist in One University System of Georgia eMajor Collaborative Program"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Teacher Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:45:08Z"}