INTERVIEW DATA EXPLICATION
5.3 Socio-academic integration
descriptions of strategies they used to cope with the DL context also emphasize and uphold the idea of learner autonomy and independence (Rowntree 1992; Merriam 2001; Aylward 2001).
The DL context tree node covered the participants‘ reasons for studying through DL, their perspectives on their experiences in the B.Ed. programme, lack of self- confidence in doing university education among adult/second chance learners, the impact of learning in isolation and the strategies for coping with those aspects. Adult learner experiences in this tree node prompted me to analyse participants‘
experiences with socio-academic integration before anything else. I got convinced by participants‘ experiences that socio-academic integration should be part of the planning for adult learners to enter into DL programmes. For instance, an adult requires approval from family members to join a learning programme in order to prevent potential conflict that often arises when s/he occasionally isolates him/herself while studying and when s/he incurs financial expenditure towards the programme. Hence I discuss socio-academic integration and financial requirements tree nodes next.
Failure to cope with multiple responsibilities of work, family and study, Inability to stand own ground in the face of retrogressive pressures, and Poor self-organisation and time management.
Most female participants faced different gender related challenges with a bearing to their traditional responsibilities within the family. For example, a senior teacher from later intakes that delayed but completed the programme said, ―-at home--I had to cook for the family, wash for the family and study and attend to the children‖
(DT7A:434) in addition to her teaching job. Another female senior teacher from later intakes without previous DL experience and was in third year said, ―-it‘s unbearable-- I am working. I am a mother. I am also a student--assignments will be due‖ (DT1C:370). This teacher had pressure resulting from incapacity to cope with the pressure of multiple roles in DL. Having come from conventional education where studying is given its own time without interference from other activities, it was difficult for her to juggle the several responsibilities of work, motherhood and student with due assignments. This required proper time management on her part. A widowed school head from earlier intakes that had unimpeded completion of the programme also said, ―I had to do my assignments in the office-- At times I spend the whole night—writing assignments-- family needs were ignored‖ (DT7V:433).In fact, a female senior teacher from later intakes that was still on the programme regretted joining the DL programme as she said, ―-the past three years have--been hectic. I have abandoned my social life‖ (DT7C:431).
A head of department that delayed completion and was still on the programme raised the challenge of undue interruption of studies by visiting extended family members.
In Shona traditional thought and culture where she belongs, extended family visitors usually just come unannounced. It is expected that they be given the best respect, entertainment and attention to show ‗unhu /ubuntu‘ and that they are always welcome. Unfortunately, the rural uneducated folk attach so much importance to
those values that they take precedence over all other things. In such a case, a daughter or sister in law that gives priority to other personal activities that exclude recognition of the visiting relative may be misconstrued by the extended family as ignoring or indicating the undesirability of the visitor in the home. Hence, some DL students failed to balance their social with academic obligations in a situation where they had to go for contact tutorials and at the same time there were visitors to entertain in the home. Consequently the head of department said, ―-- the student may fail-- to withstand the pressure that they get from the relatives when they visit-- some of them could fail to attend-- tutorials‖ (DT7P:434).
A male school head that had unimpeded completion of the B.Ed. programme also said studying through DL was interesting but multiple responsibilities were challenging because, ―I was employed. I had --to read, go to church and also to look after my family‖ (DT1ZV:377).The multiple roles challenge in DL extended beyond the family. It also affected adults who failed to integrate their work commitments with their studies. That challenge depended on one‘s capacity to manage time in different roles. A school deputy head from later intakes that delayed but completed the programme said, ―It was very hard--I was a class teacher, an administrator-- had to mark the books--teach-- I had to be called for all meetings‖ (DT7E:432).
5.3.1 Strategies for coping with socio-academic integration
When I asked interviewees the strategies they used to cope with the challenges of socio-academic integration in DL they gave:
Social contract with family and employer, Planning,
Time-management, and Communication.
A school head with previous DL experience that had unimpeded completion of the programme emphasized that he succeeded because he established a tripartite social contract among himself, his family and the employer. He urged other adult learners thus,
first thing-- make sure that the family understands that you are on a-- programme--to afford you support socially and educationally, --at work, the teachers--and the district education officers should understand that this man is now on a programme that requires-- their support (DT7BV:431).
A teacher from earlier intakes without previous DL experience that also had unimpeded completion of the programme used communication with the family to his advantage. He said, ―I used to work-- with my spouse and family members soliciting for their support‖ (DT7Z:432). On the issue of visiting extended family members interrupting studies, the head of department in later intakes said that, ―the students need to explain to their relatives that they are students-to be understood by the extended family‖ (DT7P:434). This in line with what Kember (1995) says that students with positive attributes proceed down the positive path and are able to integrate socially and academically because they are supported by those whom they interact with in life.
Six of my participants shared the view that planning was an effective strategy to cope with socio-academic integration in DL. A female senior teacher who had previous DL experience , delayed but completed the programme said that the best way to cope with multiple commitments and DL was to, ―Plan on how you are going to do your household work--your studying and how you are going to cope at your place of work‖ (DT1A:380). A deputy head from earlier intakes with previous DL experience and unimpeded completion of the programme also said that, ―I made sure I--stick to my timetable--I realised that we needed to-- scale down -- social demands‖
(DT7B:431).
Using a timetable as a planning and enforcement tool was echoed by many participants as it ensured commitment to study and making provision for other activities. For instance, while a senior teacher would always, ―sleep late, in order to cope with the assignments as well as to read‖ (DT7C:432), a head of department would, ―study early in the morning‖ (DT7R:433). A school head who had unimpeded completion of the programme also stressed commitment to the use of the timetable when he said, ―If you are a head-- a teacher--finish up with your work-- then concentrate on your studies‖ (DT7ZV:436). There were also others from multi- shift schools who said, ―-when I am off session at school, I could concentrate --on my studies‖ (DT7P:435).
Central to adult learners‘ strategies to achieve socio-academic integration was mutual understanding within the family. That understanding was also necessary between the adult learner and those at her/his place of work. On further reflection, it dawned on me from some participants‘ sentiments that meeting the financial requirements of the DL programme was also a family matter. It was unlikely that an adult would register in a programme unless s/he sought the cooperation of the family on its funding. Thus I discuss the financing of the programme next as it is directly linked to integration of the family with adult learning in DL.