VIRTUAL EVENT: What do mature learners look for? Results from a conjoint experiment

Universities are increasingly concerned with how to attract and support mature learners into higher education courses. Mature learners priorities, constraints, work experience, and other commitments are likely to diverge from their 18-year-old peers. 

Qualitative research suggests that mature learners respond to different aspects of a higher education (HE) offer. However, this research generally features small samples of participants, is conducted with current mature learners (usually in institutions that specialise in mature learners) and relies on their self-report of what attracted them to a course. 

Working with the Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education, the research team conducted a conjoint survey experiment with 2500 adults who were not currently studying, and whose highest qualification was Level 3 or below. 

They presented participants with a series of random permutations of HE courses, to assess which features tended to make a course more attractive or preferable.

In this webinar, the speakers will discuss this experiment. They will explore how its findings can inform both an understanding of what matters to mature learners and the design of schemes to support their access to higher education.

CEPEO seminar series

The Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities (CEPEO) hosts a research seminar series where guest speakers present cutting edge research. 

Join policymakers, researchers and practitioners to explore the pressing questions of our time in education policy and equalising opportunities.

Links

• Watch the webinar
• Tweet with #CEPEOSeminarSeries
• CEPEO seminar series
• Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities
• Department of Learning and Leadership

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