GROUP 3 RESEARCH

CRITIQUE
How Cultural Values Shape Learning in Older Adulthood: The Case of Malaysia
Maura Lewis
Melissa Harrell
Amber Hurst
Karin Fonseca

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Premise of Study:
Understand the nature of learning in older adulthood in a non-Western culture using the
framework of cultural values
Malaysia used for the study due to blend of Asian cultures: Malay, Chinese, and Indian

Begin study by comparing Western and Eastern or Asian cultural values

Due to the modernization of Malaysia will have a good blend of East and West cultural
values

Western Values:

Eastern Values:

Individual over group

Self reliant
Controlling nature
Task oriented
Independent
Competitive
Autonomy, control, and production are
always valued
Fruitful aging means staying productive and

Being in harmony with nature

Values relationships and cooperation
Age equates with prestige and authority
Reflection and contemplation
Values of the collective, harmony, and
spirituality
Harmony between society and individual
Spiritual and social relationships are
important

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

CONTINUED
SETTING
Southeast Asian country of Malaysia
Includes West Malaysia and East
Malaysia
Study conducted in East/Peninsular
Malaysia
Population = 22 million
6% are senior citizens

Official religion = Islam

Colonized by Portuguese, Dutch, and British
Extremely culturally diverse

Malays = 60%
Chinese = 30%
Indians = 10%
Each group has maintained their cultural
heritage

5 COMMON VALUES IN
MALAYSIAN ETHNIC GROUPS
1. Collectivism
2. Hierarchical
3. Relationship Oriented
4. Face (maintaining a persons
dignity)
5. Religious

RESEARCH PROBLEM
To understand how culture shapes the nature of learning in older
adulthood in Malaysia through a qualitative study.

RESEARCH PURPOSE
To understand how culture defined the nature of learning for older
adults in Malaysia.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What is the participants experience with aging?
What are the participants learning activities?

RESEARCH METHOD
Sample consisted of 19 Malaysian adults older than 60 years of age ( Criterion
age set) from across the major ethnic groups (Malay, Chinese, and Indian) of
Malaysia from various work experience and educational backgrounds.
Data was collected through interviews of one hour in length. All interviews were
audiotaped and transcribed.
The interviews consisted of open ended questions regarding issues, concerns,
and learning activities of this stage of life. The interviews were conducted in
informal settings ( work, home, villages)
Interviews were the primary data source and analyzed using the constant
comparative method created by Glaser & Strauss (1967).
Each research individually analyzed and coded the interviews and then met to
compare analyses. Themes were derived from the analyses to understand the
nature of learning in older adults.

RESEARCH FINDINGS
Three themes emerged from the interviews
Learning is nonformal and embedded in the concerns and activities of everyday life.
Most of the participants did not come from formal education backgrounds but gained learning
throughout life from various outlets. Maintaining health was a major focus of many of the
participants at their later stage in life. Learning is experientially based and embedded more in the
living of everyday life. Learning from experiences is seamless and ongoing.

Learning is communal
Community is a cultural cornerstone in Eastern life. Learning among older adults occurred most
common among a community setting. Learning was important in providing wisdom and
contribution to the well being of the community.

Learning is driven by spiritual or religious concerns

Despite many different religions present in Malaysian culture, the participants all acknowledged
learning in spiritual and religious concerns. Religion or spiritual concerns drove the participants
learning more than personal or material gain.

CONCLUSIONS
With the purpose of understanding how culture shapes the nature of learning in older
adulthood, the researchers studied a group of Malaysians and found that in this culture
learning is non-formal and experimental, communal, and spiritual in nature.
Culture around the world plays a major role in a societys design. This case has used
adult learning to show that there are similarities and differences between adult learning
in Eastern and Western cultures based on the cultural make-ups of all societies.
History is directly related to understanding the reasons why adult learning is not
associated with formal institutions in Malaysia; focus on education is considerably
recent as compared to Western cultures. Since adult learning can be done both formally
and informally, it was shown that in Malaysia there is not a lot of support systems and
programs that allows and encourages adult education. For this reason, adult learning
in this country has been shaped by shared life experiences, personal development,
self-willingness, social contact, and the importance of giving back to the community
and teaching the younger generations.

CONCLUSIONS
The culture of this country indicates how people see adult learning (not accepted through formal
institution), what they value most (quality of life over materialistic pursuits), and that learning happens
naturally (within the frame of their daily activities, social environments, religion, common values, and
beliefs).
It is important to notice that because the Malaysian educational system is quite recent and due to the
evolution in the world, adult learning is happening not only with the interaction with family and friends,
but also through new experiences such as the use of internet, radio, books, newspapers, workshops
where they find areas of interest and seek the learning experience for themselves.
There are other factors to consider, such as an increase in life expectancy, which will indirectly force and
allow for adult learning to rise as elderly people will be productive members of the society during a
longer period of time.
Even though it is predicted and only natural that this study would provide different results for future
generations, it is expected that subsequent generations will share similar values and continue to be
rooted in their society as they shape its culture.

VALIDITY ISSUES
POSITIVE
1.Sample selection criterions were specified and
reasonably explained
2.Use of maximum variation allowed for selection
of gender, and ethnicity in accordance to
population size as well as rural/urban areas.
3.Researchers had no personal relationship with
any of the participants
4.Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed
5.Informal observation provided confirmatory data
6.Constant comparative method was used with
coding data
7.Themes , concepts and analysis of data were
compared by researchers
8.Pattern matching and naturalistic generalization
- the fact that the sample group had different
backgrounds, yet share most common values

QUESTIONABLE/ SUGESTIONS
1. Authors possible bias were not addressed
2. Interpretive validity - Credibility of the
researcher/assistant translator as for training,
experience
3. Translation could be an issue as what was truly said
must be translated accurately
4. No mention of policies and protocols procedures for the
interviews
5. Participant feedback - No mention of participants
reviewing the collected data
6. Other forms of instruments could have been collected to
analyze and compare data
7. Replication - Researchers could have compared other
research with another sample from a different region of
the country
8. The use of triangulation could have been used
9. Extended field work collecting data over an extended
period of time