Page 17 - IJPS-9-3

International Journal of
Population Studies Barriers to learning at a U3A in Lebanon

most importantly, impede its age-friendliness (Montayre rates. It disrupted efforts to maintain a class protocol by
et al., 2022). U3A’s administration and teachers alike, transforming
Second, although the study’s results compare such barriers into structural dilemmas, especially when
straightforwardly to previous research on learning barriers, learners complain about teachers’ inadequate classroom
social bias and the inability/unwillingness to socialize management skills. Simultaneously, interactions
require particular attention, for they have not been emanating from late arrival provoke administrative
sufficiently explored compared to other types of barriers. reproach of tardy learners, which, according to them,
The study’s findings indicate other ways older learners sounds infantilizing. Here, arriving late leads to disturbing
impact later life’s social and learning experiences and the teaching and deviating from the class protocol; both
can render them less than rosy on the social level. Many are unintended consequences of driving to the U3A in
learners enjoy a rich social life outside their involvement one’s car. At the same time, upholding the class protocol
in older adult learning and do not necessarily exhibit the by the administration has the unintended consequence of
need to widen their social networks. However, forming infantilizing older members, who may instead decide to
persuasive groups of friends and enacting personal agendas skip the session altogether.
burdens the social experience in older adult learning with Moreover, individual preferences (language of
(un)intentional rejection and exclusion (Brady et al., instruction, preferred teaching style, and interest in
2013). On the one hand, this leads to learners giving up subjects) that also seem like individual preferences cannot,
on the possibility of making friends. On the other hand, in reality, be separated from the institutional context
rejection seems to embed non-conscious forces that work where they occur. These encompass decisions regarding
on the strings of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, the course offerings, the language of instruction, and
including sexual orientation and religious beliefs (Formosa, delivery modes, in which administration and teachers
2006; McAllister, 2018; Patterson et al., 2016). This bias is have the most considerable say. The following cascade of
even noteworthy in the context of the relatively culturally barriers is illustrative. The choice of language is often cited
diverse and open Lebanese society. as a barrier relating to the individual level of proficiency
Third, applying the concept of duality of structure in the language of instruction. Meanwhile, this allegedly
(Giddens, 1984) to the barriers that older learners individual barrier affects how interesting the curricula are
experience allows for a new perspective on conceptualizing perceived, primarily since scientific subjects are taught in
and mitigating said barriers. This perspective transcends foreign languages, and Arabic is used for the humanities at
the otherwise conventional analysis of individual the U3A. In the end, turning an individual preference into
versus structural factors distributed across a typology a problem that teachers and administrators could solve at
of situational, dispositional, and institutional barriers. a time when their actions to promote specific languages
Findings showed that learners, teachers, and administrators in some subjects have the unintended consequence of
are all involved in (re)producing barriers (un)intentionally excluding learners deficient in course languages.
by acting or refraining from acting. Consequently, Similarly, individual choices, decisions, and behaviors
fragmenting individual and structural barriers may not allude to some form of bias, as with the social experience
capture the complexity of their origins, their repercussions, of informants within this study. In this case, bias is more
and, subsequently, ways for undermining their causes. or less intentional since it aims to avoid contact with
The following examples reveal the complexity of particular learners, but its structural effect on the U3A level
barriers to the point that, even if they originate on an seems less so. Exclusion occurs when some older learners
individual level, they transmogrify into a common are not welcome to join groups of friends, for whatever
institutional barrier. As such, the personal barriers reason, or even are on the receiving end of mockery linked
metamorphose into a problem for involved institutional to how peers perceive their identities. Indeed, exclusionary
agents, not only cascading barriers for other agents but also forces are set out, including prejudice visible at the
becoming fertile grounds for reproducing such barriers. structural level when specific groups of older learners are
For instance, the barrier of campus accessibility manifests underrepresented at the U3A. Even when learners from
in congested traffic and parking spaces. Seemingly, these non-dominant profiles attempt to enroll, existing social
are encountered by individual learners on their way to the bias threatens their ability to thrive. Often, new members
U3A from a significant distance. On not finding a parking are unfamiliar with existing rules and ways of being with
space, they arrive late to sessions, disturbing other learners which other learners are acquainted; their exclusion at the
and disrupting ongoing classroom teaching. In addition, U3A by individuals reinforces exclusionary forces, where
late arrival or even skipping classes reduced participation prejudice occurs at the institutional level.

Volume 9 Issue 3 (2023) 11 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.375