Keyword: adult education

ABSTRACT: This study examines whether Big Five personality traits are associated with Korean adults' participation in non-formal adult education and their self-directed behavior at work. Personality has long been linked to learning and performance outcomes, yet its role in adult learning participation has rarely been examined with nationally representative, internationally comparable data, and almost never in the Korean context. Using the Korean public-use file from the second cycle of the OECD Survey of Adult Skills (OECD, 2024; N = 6,198), which for the first time included a short-form Big Five measure (BFI-2-XS), this study estimated weighted logistic and linear regression models with Fay's balanced-repeated-replication variance estimation. Openness to experience and emotional stability were positively associated with participation in non-formal education in the preceding twelve months (N = 5,766), net of education, employment status, parental education, age, and gender. Conscientiousness showed a positive association that approached but did not reach conventional statistical significance (p = .053). Among currently employed respondents (N = 4,268), conscientiousness, openness, and extraversion were each positively and significantly associated with self-directed work behavior, defined as the frequency of planning one's own activities and organizing one's own time. These findings extend dispositional theories of adult learning to the Korean context and suggest that human resource development interventions may benefit from attending to individual differences in personality alongside the structural and institutional barriers that have dominated prior explanations of Korea's comparatively low adult learning participation.

ABSTRACT: This study examines the relationship between digital learning inclination and lifelong learning participation among Korean adults through generational and educational level analysis. Using data from the Korean Educational Development Institute's 2024 Individual Survey on Lifelong Learning (N = 30,829, ages 25-79), this research analyzed relationships between age, educational attainment, digital learning preferences, and participation rates through an ecological analysis approach using aggregated cross-sectional survey data. Digital learning inclination was operationalized using proxy indicators including learning media preferences, informal digital learning participation patterns, and information access pathways. Korea's overall lifelong learning participation rate was 33.1% in 2024, declining from 44.6% (ages 25-29) to 24.1% (ages 70-79). Educational attainment emerged as a critical moderating variable, with university graduates showing participation rates (40.4%) that were 17.8 percentage points higher than those with middle school education or less (22.6%). The Digital Learning Inclination Index revealed a five-fold difference between the youngest (81.2) and oldest (16.1) age groups, with age 50 emerging as a critical threshold. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between age and educational level (χ² = 1,847.3, p < .001) and moderate correlations between digital learning inclination and participation rates (r = .52, p < .001). The findings highlight the necessity for digital literacy support policies tailored to specific generational and educational characteristics. This study provides a replicable methodological framework for contexts where comprehensive digital competency assessments are unavailable, offering valuable insights for policymakers and educators in nations facing similar demographic transitions and digital transformation challenges in adult education systems.

ABSTRACT: This longitudinal study examines the volatility and crisis resilience of adult lifelong learning participation in South Korea over an 18-year period, elucidating complex dynamics that transcend simple linear growth patterns. Drawing on nationally representative data from the Korean Survey of Lifelong Learning Individual Participation (KEDI, 2007-2024) covering 99,327 adults, this study applied crisis-response analytical frameworks to elucidate participation fluctuations. Empirical analysis revealed significant volatility with participation rates fluctuating from 29.8% (2007) to 33.1% (2024), experiencing peaks of 41.7% (2019) and dramatic declines during the COVID-19 pandemic (40.0% to 28.5%, 2020-2022). While generational and regional disparities demonstrated convergence during stable periods, they exhibited expansion during crises, revealing differential vulnerability patterns. These findings challenge prevailing assumptions about linear progress in lifelong learning development and underscore the critical importance of building crisis-resilient adult education systems.