How learners perceive they construct knowledge as participants in outreach programs

The purpose of this interpretive qualitative research study was to explore how adult learners perceive they construct knowledge in connection to their participation in educational outreach programs, encompassing a continuum of formal, non-formal, and informal learning experiences. The study context involved three world affairs outreach education programs focusing on the changing global order, the Katyn massacre, and Russia. Data were collected through 12 semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed drawing on qualitative methods throughout a period of six months. Findings show that learners perceived the learning process as dynamic. Influencers of knowledge construction included space, past experience, future use, expectations of program, access to information, and context of world affairs. Connectors within the learning process included learners' self-identified starting points and personal reflection. Practical implications for program planners in outreach education include addressing settings involving learners with multiple self-defined needs, intentions, levels of expertise, and learning outcomes.