AN ASSESSMENT OF MOTIVATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS PROMPTING UNIVERSITY GRADUATES TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION AT TULSA JUNIOR COLLEGE

Scope and Method of Study. The purpose of this study was to assess the motivational characteristics and specific needs of university graduates who chose additional continued education at Tulsa Junior College. The problem addressed by this study was the lack of information or understanding regarding motivational characteristics of university graduates who continue their education at a junior college. The population of the study consisted of 1,519 university graduates enrolled for the Spring semester of the 1983-1984 academic year at Tulsa Junior College. A sample population of 105 university graduates responded to a questionnaire intended to gather information about reasons university graduates returned to college.;Findings and Conclusions. The university graduates surveyed were men and women actively involved in family life and career development. These men and women, in their early twenties and thirties, had graduated from a university with a minimum of a bachelor's degree. After approximately six years of employment, these university graduates realized their educational areas of interest were no longer in demand. They found technical skills were necessary in a career to be competitive in the job market. Reasons why university graduates returned to college were: (1) "career change," (2) "enjoyment of learning," and (3) "increase skills." Young adults were not the only university graduates returning to college. There were many older adults who were continuing their education. These older adults were seeking courses of study to help them make a career change.;The Chi Square test of statistical significance was used to determine any relationship between the selected variables. If the Chi Square test of significance revealed a relationship, the Cramer's V was utilized to determine the strength of that relationship.