本研究旨在瞭解高等技職校院進修部成人學生持續學習歷程，並建構成人學生持續學習初步理論模式，研究問題包括：（一）高等技職校院進修部成人學生準備進修前的考量為何？（二）高等技職校院進修部成人學生的校園經驗為何？（三）影響高等技職校院進修部成人學生學習的外在因素為何？（四）高等技職校院進修部成人學生持續學習的初步理論模式為何？

本研究採用質性研究方法，以台北市都會區某技職校院的進修部成人學生為研究對象，根據性別與主修、年齡及婚姻等標準，採立意取樣，選取十二位「25歲以上」的成人學生作為研究參與者，以深度訪談為主要的資料蒐集方法。本研究以長期進駐、研究參與者檢核、三角檢証、同儕檢核、反例個案分析、厚實描述、撰寫反思日誌及撰寫訪談手札等方式以確保研究的信實度。

本研究結論如下：
一、高等技職校院進修部成人學生參與進修的考量是「情境」、「支持力量」及「參與動機及心理」，而進修是「參與動機及心理」受「情境」及「支持力量」影響的結果。
二、高等技職校院進修部成人學生的校園經驗：
（一） 進修衝擊生活轉變，是自我的「危機」，也是成長的「契機」
（二） 同儕關係及課業學習經驗是持續學習的關鍵
（三） 校園環境與服務規劃忽略成人學生特性，影響學習感受及學校認同
三、影響高等技職校院進修部成人學生學習的外在因素：
（一） 外在非預期事件衝擊學習，抗拒可能性與因應方式影響持續
（二） 民間企業不友善的職場環境，對進修者口惠而實不至
（三） 女性有母職者鑲嵌在家庭照顧責任下學習，配偶及家人協助為持續要素
四、高等技職校院進修部成人學生持續學習的初步理論模式
根據研究發現，成人學生持續學習歷程分為三個階段：準備進入學習、穿越及持續學習。在「準備進入學習」階段，影響成人思考參與進修的因素包括「參與動機與心理」、「支持力量」及「情境」。「情境」及「支持力量」會影響「參與動機與心理」，此三者為自變項，會進而影響入學後的「自我」及「外在因素」。
「穿越學習」階段的影響因素，包括入學後的「校園環境與服務」、「自我」、「外在因素」、「課業學習」經驗及「校園人際關係」。成人學生入學後，「自我」會受到「校園環境與服務」及「外在因素」影響，此三因素為第一層的中介變項；「課業學習」與「校園人際關係」彼此相互影響，此兩因素為第二層的中介變項。第一層中介變項會影響第二層中介變項，並進而影響「學習結果」。
「持續學習」階段顯示，學習結果會影響成人學生的持續決定，而學習結果則包括學業成績、自我成長、專業知能及校園人際關係品質四方面。除了學習結果會影響成人學生的持續決定之外，學習歷程中「外在因素」的變化也可能直接影響持續決定。
最後綜合上述結果，提出未來高等教育促進成人學生持續學習的建議，以提供國家政策及學校實務應用之參考，並對未來研究提出進一步建議。

The purpose of this study was to explore the persistence process of adult students at the division of continuing education in an institute of technology in Taipei Metropolitan area and to formulate preliminary theoretical model of adult student persistence. The research questions included: 1) What were the considerations (motivation and psychology, situation, support) of adult students before attending the continuing education program? 2) What were their experiences in the college campus ? 3) What were the external factors outside the institution that affected the adult student persistence? 4) What was the preliminary theoretical model of adult student persistence?
The qualitative method of semi-structure in-depth interview was used for the research. The participants came from one institute of technology in Taipei Metropolitan Area. Twelve students aged above 25 years old, according to their academic major, age, gender and marital status, were purposively chosen for the study. The trustworthiness was established by developing trust relationship with participants, and using of prolonged engagements, peer debriefing, triangulation, member check, negative cases analysis, thick description, and self-reflectivity.
The findings of this research are as follows:
1.The considerations of adult students before attending the continuing education program are “participate motivation and psychological status,” “situation” and “support,” and the “participate motivation and psychological status “ is influenced by “situation” and “support.”
2.The college campus experiences of adult students include：
A) Returning to school has a great impact on their lives, which are both “crisis” and “growth opportunity.”
B) Both peer relationships and academic learning experiences are the key factors for their persistence.
C) The design of the campus learning environment neglects the needs of adult students, which affecting their feelings and commitments to the institution.
3. The external factors outside the institution that influence on adult students’ learning are：
A) The unpredictable external events impact their learning, and the coping possibilities and methods affect adult student persistence.
B) Unfriendly working environment impacts their learning.
C) Because of the family responsibilities, the support from spouse and families are important factor for mothering students.
4. Based on the findings of the research, a preliminary theoretical model of adult student persistence is formulated.
The model includes three stages which are termed as “preparing to move in learning,” “moving through learning” and ”persistence.” The stage of “preparing to move in learning” includes three elements. The first element is “participate motivation and psychological status,” which includes: participate motivation and psychological status. The second element is “situation,” which are timing, the employer’s attitude, institution location, and the selection of academic major. The third element is “support,” which includes: families, friends and employers. As the arrow indicates “participate motivation and psychological status “is influenced by “situation” and “support.” These three elements are independent variables, and affect “self” and “external factors” in the “moving through learning” stage.
The stage of “moving through learning” includes five elements: “campus environment,” “self,” “external factors,” “academic learning experiences” and “social networks on campus”. These five elements can be divided into two levels of mediation variables. The first level of mediation variables includes: the “campus environment,” “self” and the “external factors”. The second level of mediation variables includes: the “academic learning experiences” and the “social networks on campus.” Interaction exists between the “academic learning experiences” and the “social networks on campus.” The first level of mediation variables affects the second level of mediation variables. The second level of mediation variables affects “learning outcomes” in the stage of “persistence.”
The stage of “persistence” includes one element and named “learning outcomes.” The “learning outcomes” of the adult students affect their determination to persist or leave the institution. The learning outcomes are: grade performance, personal growth, professional skills and the quality of social networks on campus. In addition, the arrow indicates the first level of mediation variable “external factors” outside the institution affect adult students’ determination to persist.
Based on the results and findings of this research, recommendations for practice and further research are presented.

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