Education as a factor in the quality of leasure of adults

Cilj istraživanja je ispitivanje povezanosti dva kompleksna fenomena: obrzovanja odraslih, s jedne strane, i kvaliteta njihovog slobodnog vremena, sa druge. Zanimalo nas je da li ta povezanost postoji, u kom stepenu, kao i kakva je ta povezanost. Pritom smo obrazovanje kao činilac posmatrali dvodimenzionalno: kao determinantu i kao konstitutivni element kvaliteta slobodnog vremena. Obrazovanje smatramo značajnom determinantom kvaliteta slobodnog vremena, s obzirom na činjenicu da mnoge obrazovne karakteristike i obeležja odraslog čoveka određuju njegovo slobodno vreme. U tom smislu, u okviru ovog istraživanja, tragali smo za onim elementima obrazovanja koji se mogu javiti i delovati kao činilac kvaliteta slobodnog vremena. Istovremeno, obrazovanje posmatramo i kao sastavni deo kvaliteta slobodnog vremena. Kao njegov sastavni element, obrazovanje čini deo sadržaja slobodnog vremena, pa je ujedno i aktivnost slobodnog vremena po sebi, ali i sastavni deo drugih aktivnosti u slobodnom vremenu. S obzirom na to da čini deo slobodnog vremena, opravdano je pretpostaviti da čini i sastavni deo doživljaja njegovog kvaliteta. Zbog toga smo istraživanjem obuhvatili 520 odraslih ispitanika koji su upisani i participiraju u organizovanim oblicima dokoličarskog obrazovanja, do kojih smo došli preko institucija i organizacija koje realizuju takve programe. U istraživanju, koje je teorijsko-empirijskog karaktera, koristili smo neeksperimentalnu deskriptivnu metodu i podatke prikupili putem tehnika anketiranja i skaliranja, te na taj način došli do podataka o statusu i strukturi fenomena obuhvaćenih istraživanjem i zaključivali o njihovoj povezanosti. Opšti zaključak istraživanja je da su veze između obrazovanja i slobodnog vremena odraslih kompleksne, međuzavisne i interferirajuće. Istraživanje je potvrdilo ranije nalaze andragoških istraživanja obrazovanja i slobodnog vremena, naročito one koji govore o visokom stepenu samopotvrđivanja odraslih u slobodnom vremenu i pridavanju značaja slobodnom vremenu, kao i postojanja potrebe kod odraslih da se obrazuju za slobodno vreme, pa i onih koji se tiču povezanosti postojanja pozitivne veze upravo između obrazovne pripremljenosti za korišćenje slobodnog vremena i samopotvrđivanja u njemu. Takođe, u istraživanju se ističu rezultati koji govore o postojanju pozitivne povezanosti između konzistentnosti željenog i aktuelnog ponašanja u pogledu sadržaja obrazovanja i opšte procene kvaliteta slobodnog vremena, zatim između intenziteta obrazovne pripremljenosti i procene doprinosa obrazovanja samopotvrđivanju u slobodnom vremenu, kao i između nivoa formalnog obrazovanja i procene doprinosa obrazovanja kvalitetu slobodnog vremena. Mogli smo konstatovati da takvi nalazi otvaraju nova pitanja i teme za dalja istraživanja, kako u pogledu drugih relevantnih veza i odnosa, tako i u pogledu produbljivanja dobijenih rezultata i nalaza, dok ujedno predstavljaju solidnu osnovu za unapređivanje andragoške prakse u slobodnom vremenu odraslih.The aim of this study is to examine the connection between two complex phenomena: adult education, on the one hand and the quality of their leisure time on the other. We wondered whether this connection exists, to what extent, and what sort of connection is to be found. In that sense, we approached to education in two distinct ways: as a detrminating factor of leisure quality,: and as a constituent element of leisure quality. We see education as a significant determinant of the quality of leisure, due to the fact that many educational features and characteristics of adults determine their leisure. In this sense, in the context of this study, we searched for those elements of education that can occur and act as a factor of leisure quality. At the same time, we see education as an integral part of quality of leisure time. As an integral element, education is part of leisure content, so it is leisure activity in itself, and at the same time, an integral part of other leisure activities. Given that it represents part of leisure, it is reasonable to assume that education makes an integral part of the experience of its quality. Precisely for this reason, the study included 520 adults who are enrolled and participate in organized forms of leisure education, to which we came across through institutions and organizations implementing such programs. Within the study, which is, in its basis of the theoretical and empirical nature, we used a non-experimental descriptive method and collected data using survey techniques and scaling, which enabled us to collect information on the status and structure of phenomena covered by the survey and come to conclusions about their relationship. The general conclusion of the research is that the relationship between adult education and leisure is complex, interdependent and interfering. The research confirmed earlier findings of andargogical research relating adult education and leisure, especially those which show high degree of self-affirmation in leisure time and the importance placed on leisure, as well as the existent need of adults to educate for leisure, including those relating to positive correlation between the educational preparation for the use of leisure time and selfaffirmation in it. Additionaly, the study emphasized the results which indicate the existence of a positive correlation between the consistency between desired and actual behavior in terms of educational content and general assessment of leisure quality. Also, important results reside in positive correlation between the intensity of educational preparation and assessment of the contribution of education to self-affirmation in leisure. Finally, as the imotant finding we see positive corellation between levels of formal education and assessment of the contribution of education to leisure quality. Overall, we could conclude that these findings open up new questions and topics for further research, both in terms of other relevant connections and relationships, and in terms of deepening the results and findings in this study, while at the same time they represent a solid basis for improvement of adult education in relation to the leisure time of adults