The two go hand in hand. I believe that the longer a person stays in school, the more likely they are to continue to learn throughout their lives. I think this is because learning is like anything else; it takes practice to get good at it.
In her article, Merriam (2001) states that Knowles believes that “learners become increasingly self-directed as they mature” (p. 8) This is an easy assumption with which to agree. Maturity can come at any age. If we posit that adults are naturally self-directed learners, then our task as educators or trainers would be simple. Provide learning opportunities and they will learn. Of course this is not the case. Merriam, Caffarella & Baumgartner (2007) point out that adults do not participate in learning activities for many reasons. Time, money and proximity to learning opportunities all play a part in an adult’s willingness to learn.