An investigation into factors motivating students to enroll in Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology Extension Division

Abstract

In the last four years, Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST) has seen exceptional growth in its student population. This has largely been attributed to the large number of students who enroll into the Extension Division. This Division is charged with the responsibility of making NEGST' s regular program courses available through a different (extension) mode. The purpose of this study was to investigate reasons why this large number of students chose to pursue their studies through the Extension Division. More specifically, the study sought to uncover and understand the motivating factors that influenced the students into making the decision to join the Extension Division. The research was a qualitative study, and data was collected using focus groups. Three different focus groups met and the researcher himself acted as the moderator of the sessions. There were a total number of twelve male and six female students from different parts of the country who participated in the focus group sessions. Data recorded during these sessions were then transcribed, and analyzed. The findings revealed that there were twenty motivators that influenced the student as they wrestled with the question of whether or not to join the Extension Division for studies. These reasons were then categorized under three theoretical constructs namely: Factors related to internal motivators, factors related to external motivators and finally, those factors that were related to the program itself. The study revealed that the interplay of any number of these reasons was ultimately responsible for informing the student's decision to join the Extension Division. Based on these findings, recommendations were made that would help NEGST's Marketing Division target potential students with a greater awareness of their preferences. Recommendations were also made that would help the Extension Division remain sensitive and responsive to the unique needs of the adult learners who made up their customer base.