| Abstract: | A national data base was employed for the first time to examine in detail the educational participation behavior of adults 60 years and older. Participation rates, subjects studied, reasons for participation, and locations utilized for learning were found to vary significantly in relation to relative age, educational attainment, sex, race, income, and other participant characteristics. The “old old” and the socioeconomically disadvantaged were much less likely than other older adults to continue their education. What they studied, why, and where contrasted markedly not only with the patterns for adults in general but also with the patterns for other older adults. It is concluded that conventional programming approaches are inadequate for reaching older adults generally, and are particularly inadequate for reaching the old‐old and the socioeconomically disadvantaged. |
