An Ethnographic Study of the Learning Needs, Strategies, and Networks of African American Adults Age 65 and Over in Rural Texas

This study revealed that rural older Blacks have personal learning and related information needs. The study involved the process of researching the learning initiatives of 14 African American adults who were age 65 and over and residents in rural Texas communities. The study participants provided information about their learning needs and learning support contacts within their communities. A semi-structured interview guide was used to help to gather data about individual learning needs and local resources, and a diagram of overlapping or concentric circles was used to analyze learning connections between the study participants and the people who they trust. This study also explored the obstacles to learning experienced by the study participants and demonstrated how the availability of resources shaped the learning environment and the potential for success of study participants.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Adult, Professional, and Community Education

Grantor

Texas State University-San Marcos

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Townsel, Evelyn Melinda

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ross-Gordon, Jovita M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Chee, Kyong-hee
• Payne, Emily Miller
• Stiegelbauer, Suzanne

• adult learning
• aged
• aging
• barriers to learning
• African Americans
• age 65 and over
• Blacks
• information needs
• learning needs
• learning networks
• older adults 65+
• race
• rural
• rural African Americans
• rural older adults
• social convoys
• social networks
• Texas

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10877/4713

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/4713