COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an introduction to the field of educational gerontology.
Key issues to be treated include demographic trends, theories of aging,
problems and opportunities in later-life learning, productive retirement,
and educational opportunities for elders. A major goal of the course is
to invite professional educators to explore human aging with an eye toward
improving teaching and/or program development with elder populations.
GOALS OF THE COURSE
1. Introduce educators/hrd professionals to the foundational literature in the field of educational gerontology.
2. Invite educators to think about how the aging of America is affecting education today and will influence educational practices in the future.
3. Examine barriers to learning, motivation, participation patterns, creativity, and other issues related to older learners.
4. Study the phenomena of later-life work and retirement and their implications for education.
5. Confront one’s own personal attitudes toward human aging including the question, “what is successful aging?”
6. Make a contribution to educational gerontology by way of a
service-learning project.
KEY QUESTIONS DRIVING THIS COURSE OF STUDY
1. What is the emerging field of educational gerontology? What issues does it address?
2. Why should teachers, educational administrators, adult educators, and HRD professionals concern themselves with gerontology? How might they serve or improve services to older audiences?
3. What are the specific attributes that characterize older adults as learners? What problems do elders encounter as students/clients/patients?
4. What opportunities exist for continued work in later life?
5. What is the future of retirement as an institution and “lifestyle?”
6. In what ways have educational institutions responded to the needs and interests of older learners? How might we evaluate these interventions?
7. What are my thoughts and feelings about growing older? Why? What images do I have for my own successful aging as a person and professional educator?
8. What are the specific learning needs of older persons in my
local community or workplace? What program design(s) might respond
effectively to these needs?
COURSE READINGS
Cox, Harold (Ed.) (2000). Annual Editions: Aging 00/01. Guilford, CT.: Dushkin
Fisher, J.C. and Wolf, M.A. (Eds). (1988). Using Learning to
Meet the Challenges
of Older Adulthood (New Directions for
Adult and Continuing Education, No. 77).
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Hilton, James. (1935). Goodbye, Mr. Chips. New York: Bantam.
HRD 557 "Course-Pak" of selected chapters and articles
PERIODICALS AVAILABLE AT USM (PARTIAL LISTING)
* The Gerontologist (Portland)
* The Journals of Gerontology (Portland)
* The Journal of Gerontological Social Work (Portland)
* The Journal of Gerontological Nursing (Portland)
* The Journal of Aging and Human Development (Portland)
* Educational Gerontology: An International Bimonthly Journal (Gorham)
* Generations (Gorham)
* Research on Aging (Gorham)
* Geriatrics and Gerontology Education (Gorham)
* Adult Education Quarterly (Gorham)
* Adult Learning (Gorham)
CULTURE OF THE COURSE
1. Gerontology for Educators will be led as a seminar. The principal spirit guiding our experience will be that of collaboration among colleagues, shared inquiry, and working to establish a community of learners. Although this may be a special challenge using the compressed video format, it will be our goal to strive for such a spirit of community and colleagueship.
2. Mike’s roles are to provide guidance and a degree of structure to the seminar, be a resource for content, present a modicum of ‘facts and foundations, ‘ and be an overall accompaniest in the learning process engaged by seminar members.
3. Participants’ roles are to read required and elective material thoughtfully,
willingly share questions and points of view, take leadership of discussions
of content modules in which they have a particular interest, and overall
be enthusiastic and committed adult learners.
PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Read the three required books and course-pak as well as any additional materials which may be useful in pursuing #'s 2 and 3 below. These additional readings will be unique to each member of the seminar.
2. Through the internet, telephone interview, and/or personal site visit, explore an existing educational program for older adult learners (eg., Elderhostel, North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement, U.S.M.'s "Senior College," another university’s Institute for Learning in Retirement . . . ) and provide an overview of that program to the seminar. This exploration may be done alone or in small teams. Findings will be presented in class (there is no written assignment related to this exploration).
3. Again working alone or in a small team, engage a "service-learning" project in one's local community or place of employment. This project will involve a basic assessment of learning needs or interests among people age 55 and older and the preliminary design of a programmatic response to those needs. Prepare a brief (1000 - 1500 words) written summary of both the assessment and program design.
4. Write a brief letter (500 - 750 words) to an older person you know summarizing the “big ideas” about educational gerontology you have derived from this course. Send this letter to the older individual with a copy to Mike.
The final grade for this course will be based
upon the quality of the participants’ educational program exploration (#2
above), service learning project (#3), personal letter (#4),
overall contribution to the discussions in the seminar, and one's self-evaluation.
ACCOMMODATIONS
If you are learning disabled and require special accommodations to succeed
in this course, please contact Mike. All appropriate accommodations will
be granted. In addition, please contact the Student Services Department
of your campus or Regional Center. For information on how to contact
your Regional Center's Student Services Department, please call 1 - 800
- 868 - 7000.
FINAL NOTE
The field of educational gerontology is an expanding galaxy in the ever-widening
universe of aging studies. It is my hope that HRD 557 will be an engaging
and enjoyable exploration into this field. Let’s all work to contribute
to its success as an adult education experience.
SEMINAR OUTLINE
January 22
Introduction of members of the seminar
Review of syllabus
The demography of aging
Video: “How the Body Ages”
February 5
Personal perspectives on aging
Review of major psychosocial theories of aging
February 19 An exploration
of issues in later life learning
Best principles and practices in older adult education
March 4
Weather permitting, this will be a "Live" session with all
members of the seminar meeting in one location (the specific
meeting place will be announced in class - it will probably
be in Augusta). We'll report on the educational program
explorations we've been engaging (see #2 under "Participant
Responsibilities"). We'll also view a Masterpiece Theatre
Production of "Goodbye Mr. Chips."
March 18
Discussion of "Ulyssean Adulthood"
Creativity in later life
Older workers: Problems and opportunities
April 1
Issues in retirement
Video: "Work, Retirement, and Economic Status"
Reminiscence and life review
End-of-life concerns
April 15
This can be a "make-up" day in the event of the need to
cancel an earlier class due to inclement weather.
Work in the field on service-learning project.
April 29
Participants' presentations of their service-learning projects
Course summary and evaluation
Webpage
by Veronica Delcourt-Branch