Motivation to Learn Among Older Adults in Taiwan

This study analyzed the survey on adults administered by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan in 2008, and logistic regression analysis showed a close relationship between learning motivations of older adults. The finding revealed that the higher age or the lower education attainment of older adults, the lower their learning motivation. The investigation of environmental factors showed that developing a comprehensive learning model boosts the participation of older adults. The study considered both individual and environmental factors, and it found being relatively young, female, and lonely had higher learning motivation. Also, the learning styles involving group activities and online learning stimulated the learning motivation of older adults.     

研究范例:关于老人对远程教育需求的研究

一项能受到社会广泛关注的远程教育研究课题应该切合社会和人们的需要.本文介绍由作者主持的<香港老人的学习活动、年龄和专长、元认知知识的研究>这一课题的过程和经验教训,包括研究课题的选择、文献的收集和综合、研究的设计和方法、研究的过程、论文的撰写和交流、以及经验和教训.根据这一研究的主要成果所撰写的论文,于2002年在印度新德里召开的十五届亚洲开放大学协会年会上荣获了"最佳论文奖".本研究的主要经验是,成功的远程教育研究离不开严谨的研究设计、方法和过程,有效的研究工具也应基于本地的实情专门开发,同时,研究的结果能对远程教育的发展和实践具有指导作用.本研究的教训是,如果照搬西方的某些能力测量量表,不仅浪费研究经费,而且浪费大量的人力.本研究也同时说明,开发适合我国成人和老人的学习能力的测量量表成为急需.最后,本文附录了这项研究采用的问卷表,供同行们参考或修改使用.     

The International Network for Older Adults

Conclusion Although funds were not available to bring members of the Older Adults Network to the World Assembly of Adult Education in January 1990, there was, among the delegates, considerable interest in the subject and several meetings were arranged. The thing that struck me most was not how different were our situations, coming as we did from every corner of the earth, but how many problems and concerns we had in common.With the second Network Newsletter, sent out in the spring of 1991, questionnaires asked for brief details of schemes which involved older people in projects that were, in some way, conservational. They could be involved in conserving language, mythology or history. They might be working to improve and save their environment. The aim is to establish a small but useful register of such projects in sufficient detail to encourage contact and replication by others. For this purpose, small grants are being made available from the money given by CIDA. Slowly but surely, the Older Adults Network is gathering information about positive actions being taken to ensure that older people, in all countries, have the skills and opportunities they need to continue as fully participating citizens. With the rapidly increasing number of older people in all our countries, this small beginning will, hopefully, be a foundation on which much important work will be done in the years to come.     

The Development and Validation of the Physical Self-concept Scale for Older Adults

Physical self-concept plays a central role in older adults’ physical health, mental health and psychological well-being; however, little attention has been paid to the underlying dimensions of physical self-concept in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new measurement for older adults. First, a qualitative study (Study 1) was conducted that included semistructured interviews and a focus group discussion. The second study established an initial instrument. Through item pool generation, content validation assessment, factor analysis, and item analysis (n = 187), the Physical Self-Concept Scale for Older Adults (PSCS-O) was produced containing 18 items and six dimensions. Finally, in the third study (n = 233), the PSCS-O showed adequate factorial stability and the initial certerion validity. The PSCS-O were able to explain 49.2% of the variance in older adults’ well-being. In addition, Ability to Live Independently, which was introduced as a new factor by the PSCS-O, was the strongest predictor of the older adults’ overall subjective well-being. In conclusion, the preliminary results from this study demonstrated that this new instrument, the PSCS-O, has sound psychometric properties. The PSCS-O may be a suitable and useful instrument in the study of physical self-concept in older adults in the future.     

The University of the Third Age in the UK: An Interpretive and Critical Study

This pilot study examined the vulnerability of older women with regard to their personal finances. It looked at what resources and coping skills they currentlyuse, and what strategies might be implemented to assist these women in maintaining or improving daily management of their money. Three tools were used to examine the current patterns of daily use of money of a sample of noninstitutionalized women (n=23): focus groups, individual interviews, and written surveys. Findings include the need for education in budgeting and planning, availability of resource people to answer questions regarding financial paperwork, and the value of networking for peer education. Reminiscence was found to be valuable in opening up the taboo topic of money and exploring early learned behavior regarding the daily use of money. Locus of control was found to be achieved with financial independence. Implications for future research and financial education are explored.     

我国老年教育政策的逻辑演变——基于历史制度主义视角

用历史制度主义的分析范式,检视老年教育政策的历史变迁与逻辑演变,是解读老年教育政策的一个新视角。改革开放以来,我国老年教育政策从初步探索到体系逐渐形成,呈现多元化和特色化的发展趋势。通过历史制度主义分析框架,采用扎根理论编码方式,梳理我国老年教育政策文本,审视我国老年教育政策的逻辑演变,可以发现,老年教育政策的发展受到教育实践定位、宏观制度环境、内生动力机制、教育发展理念、主导强化机制和关键时间节点的影响,在路径依赖和制度变迁两个方面表现出较为明显的特征。未来我国老年教育政策应完善制度体制,保障老年教育政策的运行;关注老年人需求,注重老年教育资源的有效开发;抓住关键节点,精准定位老年教育的发展方向;科学调整布局,加强老年教育内部的组织管理,促进老年教育政策体系的完善。     

The Importance of Object Memories for Older Adults

The memories of treasured objects are essential in giving life meaning. In the process of development in later adulthood, most changes involve significant loss including loss of physical and mental ability, loss of family and friends, and loss of possessions. Objects and their associated memories are especially important in maintaining an internal working model of self. This study explores the roles and functions of object memories in the lives of elders in a residential home. An interview process is used to examine the functions and memories of objects for elderly men and women. These objects and memories became the means of communicating the substance, meaning, and justification of a life history. Good long-term care facilities are places where the elderly are respected and allowed and encouraged to have personal items.     

Youthful Ideals of Older Adults: An Analysis of Children's Drawings

Over the years, disparities have continued to emerge about what factors influence children's views of older adults. The purpose of this study was to gain further understanding regarding youthful ideals of aging through an analysis of children's drawings. After completing their drawings, the children were interviewed to provide a better understanding and to give clarity of the drawn images. The sample included 141 children ages 8–12 from different Boys and Girls Clubs of America across the United States. Overall, the children produced a generally positive image (84.8%) with most drawing a family member who was happy, healthy, active, and with positive physical characteristics. Significant differences were found between the genders as the girls drew more positive images than the boys; however, no significant differences existed between children from different races and ages.     

Physical Self-Concept,Possible Selves,and Well-Being Among Older Adults in Taiwan

Possible selves is an important self-related construct for older adults' health behaviors and well-being. This study examines the relationships among older adults' current physical self-concept, possible selves, and physical activity participation, and it examines the mediating effect of possible selves on the relationships between physical self-concept and well-being. One hundred and sixty-three community-dwelling older adults (M _age = 70.91, SD = 6.39) in Taiwan completed the survey packet assessing physical self concept, possible selves, health-related qualities of life, and life satisfaction. Bivariate correlation analyses showed that older adults' possible selves were positively related to physical self-concept and moderate physical activity participation. In addition, the link between older adults' physical self-concept and psychological well-being was mediated partially by possible selves. The results show the significance of using the construct of possible selves to examine and promote older adults' physical activity/exercise behaviors and psychological well-being.     

台湾地区数字化学习发展对大学教学过程影响之探析

随着信息化社会的发展,台湾地区的大学在相关政策推动下导入数字化学习,对传统教学过程产生了影响。主要表现在学习环境时空限制的解除、教学模式的创新、学习评量的多元化、学习者的学习自主性及学习成效的提升。另外,师生关系的改变、网络职能与道德的提升也是不可忽略的。     

Education and Older Adults at the University of the Third Age

This article reports a critical analysis of older adult education in Malta. In educational gerontology, a critical perspective demands the exposure of how relations of power and inequality, in their myriad forms, combinations, and complexities, are manifest in late-life learning initiatives. Fieldwork conducted at the University of the Third Age (UTA) in Malta uncovered the political nature of elder-learning, especially with respect to three intersecting lines of unequality—namely, positive aging, elitism, and gender. A cautionary note is, therefore, warranted at the dominant positive interpretations of UTAs since late-life learning, as any other education activity, is not politically neutral.     

菲律宾民族发展特征的历史考察

菲律宾的民族起源和民族发展与东南亚和东亚民族发展有紧密的联系,但同时又显露出与这个区域其他民族文化的一定区别;与其他亚洲相邻的国家相比,菲律宾民族在发展中很大程度上受到欧洲和美洲殖民者文化的影响,但这些并没有深刻地影响到菲律宾民族的独具风格的文化的本质;不能否认宗教（如基督教和伊斯兰教）的因素在菲律宾民族形成过程中所起的重要作用;菲律宾人是民族文化融合的典型例子;必须注意到华人在菲律宾民族形成过程中所起的作用;现代菲律宾民族正在向形成一个统一民族的道路上逐渐推进。     

复杂性科学视域中的大学发展规划

复杂性科学提供了一种全新视角来审视大学发展规划。大学作为一个复杂系统,决定了大学发展规划相应具有复杂性特征。这种复杂性特征,一方面表现为大学发展规划所涉及的性质、环境、目标、过程等要素无不具有复杂性;另一方面,大学发展规划作为一个特殊系统,其自身也具有非线性、不可还原性、自组织性、偶然性、动态生成性等复杂性特征。中国大学发展规划存在着绝对理性模式、计划管理倾向和缺少必要弹性等简单思维。为此,从复杂性科学出发,大学发展规划应超越线性,体现非线性;关注策略,策略优于程序;通过“涨落”,促成“涌现”;告别绝对理性模式,树立有限预测观。     

Using Personal Narratives for Curriculum Development about Substance Abuse and Older Adults

This article reports on a project to sensitize graduate social work students taking courses in substance abuse to the needs of older adults. Graduate social work students at a major urban school of social work in the Northeast were recruited and trained to interview older adults with a history of substance abuse problems regarding their life experiences. The authors developed educational vignettes based on the interviews and curriculum units based on these vignettes to be incorporated into the substance abuse curriculum. The challenges and rewards of engaging students in the process of developing educational vignettes based on older adults lived experiences are also discussed.     

Preparing for the Silver Tsunami: The Demand for Higher Education Among Older Adults

Over the next decade, Baby Boomers will be reaching retirement age in large numbers and the U.S. will be undergoing one of the most significant demographic shifts in its history. This demographic shift has important implications for the role of higher education as a provider of lifelong learning and for the changing composition of postsecondary institutions. Using data from the 2005 National Household Education Survey, the results of this study informs the higher education community about this emerging student market segment as a way to help us better respond to older adults?? demand for formal learning in postsecondary institutions.     

多元文化视阈下的台湾高校原住民招生政策及启示

1987年,台湾政治“戒严”解除之后,台湾社会逐步由一元向多元化趋势发展.在这一背景下,台湾当局进一步改革与完善高校原住民招生政策.探讨与研究多元文化视阈下的台湾高校原住民招生政策,对于大陆高考民族政策的改革与发展具有一定的借鉴意义.     

International University Education: An Australian Perspective

This paper attempts to explore the effectiveness of UK universities' websites. The area of branding in higher education has received increasing academic investigation, but little work has researched how universities demonstrate their brand promises through their websites. The quest to differentiate through branding can be challenging in the university context, however. It is argued that those institutions that have a strong distinctive image will be in a better position to face a changing future. Employing a multistage methodology, the web pages of 20 UK universities were investigated by using a combination of content and multivariable analysis. Results indicated ‘traditional values’ such as teaching and research were often well communicated in terms of online brand but ‘emotional values’ like social responsibility and the universities' environments were less consistently communicated, despite their increased topicality. It is therefore suggested that emotional values may offer a basis for possible future online differentiation.     

台湾高校通识教育课程发展及启示

通识教育现已成为高校教育改革的重点内容,通识教育目标的实现要以通识教育课程为依托。台湾是为数不多的较早开展通识教育的地区,经历了萌芽、发展、普及与深化4个历史时期,具有丰富的理论与实践经验。文章从通识教育课程模式、通识教育课程设置、通识教育课程实施及通识教育课程评鉴4个方面,对台湾高校通识教育课程的发展现状进行概述,以期为大陆高校通识教育改革提供借鉴。     

台湾地区大学整并政策与实施状况分析

台湾地区大学整并政策是在为了追求最佳规模效应,竞争有限的资源,调整大学结构,进而提高大学运作效率的初衷下出台的。台湾当局通过经费支持等措施推进大学整并工作的开展,并主要以校内整合与校际整合两种方式进行,以公立研究型大学为重点。但从其整并的实施来看,也存在着一些值得注意的问题,比如最适规模、特色化、机构认同等。