Page 18 - IJPS-9-3

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

7. Conclusion: Now what? hardships, they spared some precious time for the interviews.
We also want to acknowledge the U3A’s administrative
Although far from inventing the wheel, this paper team, who facilitated the data collection process.
addressed existing dichotomies in understanding
individual and structural barriers to older adult learning Funding
across situational, dispositional, and institutional levels. It
shed light on the relatively underexplored barriers arising This paper was partially funded by the European Union’s
from social interactions among older learners at a U3A. It Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the
proposed a new definition of these barriers, at least within Marie Skłodowska-Curie (Grant No. 754285).
the scope of this study, as (un)intended consequences
to (inter)actions between institutional agents (learners, Conflict of Interest
teachers, and administrators) — a perspective afforded The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
via Giddens’ structuration theory and its concepts of the
duality of structure, latent and manifest functions of actions, Author contributions
but also reflexivity. The latter’s significance is clarified Conceptualization: All authors
in this conclusion as a tool for mitigating unintended Formal analysis: All authors
consequences and further examining latent functions to Methodology: All authors
actions enacted by older learners and other institutional Writing – original draft: All authors
agents, including so-called personal preferences, teaching Writing – review and editing: All authors
methods, curricula, and protocols.

Embedding barriers in a structurationist perspective Ethical approval and consent to participate
calls for continuous reflexivity over one’s actions, attitudes, Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional
and beliefs and those of others within the U3A. Here, end- Review Board, the American University of Beirut, Lebanon
of-term or exit evaluations (Hachem & Vuopala, 2016; (case# SBS-2020-0219) and the Swedish Etikprövning,
Silverstein et al., 2002) may not change much, as institutional Sweden (case# 2019-05121). Each participant signed an
agents tend to responsibilize others instead of thinking of online consent form.
themselves as part of the problem and the solution. If older
adult learning, and hopefully so, aims to empower older Consent for publication
learners, partially responsibilizing them and other agents at
U3As is needed, unless the point is to treat them as clients Consent was taken from participant before sit for an
and consumers of educational experiences ceaselessly. interview.
Therefore, if U3As and HEIs strive to become age-friendly, Availability of data
they must create continuous educational channels and
opportunities for dialog to increase reflexivity over barriers Not applicable.
and promote self- and social questioning on the interplay
between individual actions and their significance on the References
structural level and their active role in inducing personal Bjursell, C. (2019). Inclusion in education later in life: Why older
and structural change. adults engage in education activities? European Journal for
Finally, future studies should examine how all Research on the Education and Learning of Adults, 10(3):215-230.
institutional agents simultaneously experience barriers. https://doi.org/10.3384/rela.2000-7426.rela20192
The present study faced the limitation of solely examining Boulton-Lewis, G., Aird, R., & Buys, L. (2016). Older Australians:
the perspectives of older learners, whereby those Structural barriers to learning in later life. Current Aging
teachers and administrators remain missing, even if Science, 9(3):188-195.
reported second-hand. One exciting research endeavor is https://doi.org/10.2174/1874609809666160506122131
investigating how institutional agents mitigate the barriers
to older adult learning. Finally, apart from targeting older Brady, E.M., Cardale, A., & Neidy J.C. (2013). The quest for
learners, applying a structurationist perspective with non- community in Osher lifelong learning institutes. Educational
participant older people is another possible way forward. Gerontology, 39(9):627-639.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2012.734147
Acknowledgments
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic
The authors of this paper express gratitude to the study analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health,
participants from the U3A in Lebanon. Despite their 11(4):589-597.

Volume 9 Issue 3 (2023) 12 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.375