Learner autonomy among older adults: a vehicle for lifelong learning and life satisfaction / Ng Siew Foen, Razimi Zakaria and Mohd Baharim Mayidin

Malaysia currently has about 3 million senior citizens, and the number is rising. UN statistics show that Malaysia is likely to reach "ageing nation" status by the year 2035. As the elderly constitute an increasing proportion of Malaysia's population, it is pertinent to address their needs and concerns, which have direct impact on their well­being and quality of life. This study examined the relationships of life satisfaction, learner autonomy and selected demographic variables of older adults in the State of Kelantan, Malaysia. A convenience sample of 111 adults, age 50 or older, was selected to participate in this survey. T-tests, ANOVAs and Pearson Correlations were utilized to determine the relationships of the demographic variables to Learner Autonomy Profile Scores and Life Satisfaction Scores. The findings reveal that ethnicity, education level and living area correlate significantly and positively with the learner autonomy profile scores of the respondents. Only education level was found to significantly and positively correlate with life satisfaction. In addition, results of this study indicate that there is a significant and positive relationship of learner autonomy profile scores and life satisfaction scores. Implications for practice as well as recommendations for further study and public policy emphases are discussed.