A Qualitative Study of Adult Learners’ College Life Experience with Degree Course

This study aimed to examine adult learners' college life experience with degree courses.The study selected 8 participants by purposive sampling and carried out an in-depth interview with them.This study analyzed the interviewees' responses using evidence theory, a part of the qualitative research method.Then, the study performed open coding through which forty five concepts, sixteen subcategories, and six categories could be drawn out, axial coding through which a central phenomenon could be worded as 'second maturation' and a paradigm model of adult learners' degree course-related college life experience was found out, and selective coding through which a core category could be stated as 'flapping to be reborn' and adult learners' college life experience related to degree course was largely divided into two styles, goal-orientation and reality-orientation.This study focuses on adult learners' college life experiences, not their lifelong education systems.Specifically, the research investigated what experience the learners had regarding degree courses during college life and what styles of that experience were.The author hopes this study provides basic information for making policies supportive of adult learners' college life under lifelong education systems.