This study aims to discuss the relationship among social support, self-efficacy and learning motivation of aboriginal adult learners. A questionnaire survey method is adopted in the study. The participants are 390 aboriginal adult learners entering technical and vocational colleges and schools for recurrent education in Northern, Southern, Central and Eastern Taiwan; The research tool is composed of four parts including “Personal Information”, “Social Support Scale”, “Self-efficacy Scale” and “Learning Motivation Scale”. After the statistical analysis of questionnaire data is performed, we obtain the nine conclusions as follows:
1. Aboriginal adult learners receive high-level of social support, especial in emotional support.
2. Degree of social support of aboriginal adult learners is significantly related to their marital status instead of variables including gender, ages and occupation.
3. Aboriginal adult learners have a fair level of self-efficacy.
4. Degree of self-efficacy of aboriginal adult learners is related to gender and age instead of occupation and marital status.
5. Aboriginal adult learners reach upper intermediate level of learning motivation.
6. Degree of learning motivation of aboriginal adult learners is related to gender and age instead of occupation and marital status.
7. Social support of aboriginal adult learners has a positive correlation to learning motivation.
8. Self-efficacy of aboriginal adult learners has a positive correlation to learning motivation.
9. Aboriginal adult learners’ background variables, social support and self-efficacy have predictive power to learning motivation, besides, self-efficacy functions as a mediator.
Based on the conclusions, this study proposes the following suggestions:
I. Suggestions for aboriginal adult learners
(I) Aboriginal adult learners are advised to actively obtain social support and facilitate self-efficacy to strengthen learning motivation.
(II) Gain the social support of the unmarried to strengthen learning motivation.
(III) Extend the interpersonal network of female and younger individuals to facilitate self-efficacy.
(IV) Strengthen the self-efficacy of female and younger individuals to heighten learning motivation.
II. Suggestion for government authorities and undertaking schools
(I) Government authorities should provide more of social support to aboriginal learners to inspire their learning motivation.
(II) Schools are advised to inspire aboriginal adults to learn positive thinking in order to facilitate learning motivation.
(III) Schools can strengthen learners’ self-efficacy through learning activities.
(IV) Schools are advised to provide more of learning convenience to learners to facilitate learning motivation.
(V) Schools should actively provide information and resources of social support.
III. Suggestions for future studies
(I) Incorporate instructors in Aboriginal education and aboriginal education institutes in research subjects.
(II) Add research variables.
(III) Add open-ended questions to have a better understanding of subjects’ thoughts and opinions.