LE3 .A278 1999

1999

Brown, Margaret

Acadia University

Master of Education

Masters

General

Education

A review of the available literature indicates that adults are returning to the classroom at a phenomenal rate, with over 40 million in the United States alone. My personal experience in the Bahamas convinces me that even in developing countries, adults are indeed returning to the classroom, the majority being women. This study attempted to provide answers to the question: Why do some Bahamian women working outside the home, with families and other social responsibilities, return to the classroom? Following a recruitment process, three Bahamian women volunteered to tell of their decision to return to the classroom and how their personal and professional lives were affected as a result. Each of the women was interviewed for approximately 70 minutes, with the aid of eight semi-structured questions. The findings indicated that these Bahamian women were remarkably similar to women in industrialized countries like the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. They returned for economic and job related reasons. The credentials had to constantly be updated so that the women could remain employed and competitive in the work-place. The implications of the findings to education practices in the Bahamas are discussed.

The author retains copyright in this thesis. Any substantial copying or any other actions that exceed fair dealing or other exceptions in the Copyright Act require the permission of the author.

https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3009