TEACHING GERONTOLOGY VIA DISTANCE EDUCATION: VARIETY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Teaching gerontology via distance education is growing in popularity. Yet, many challenges are encountered by those teaching gerontology at a distance; some technological and others pedagogical in nature. Successful strategies for structuring and teaching televised gerontology courses are presented in this paper. Strategies focus on types of teacher preparation, use of pedagogical tools, development and maintenance of rapport with students at remote sites, and ways to improve teaching of distance education classes in gerontology. It is argued that workload and compensation for instructors teaching distance education need to be addressed by administration in order to develop high quality distance education programs.     

Interprofessional Dialogues Within a Senior Mentoring Program: Incorporating Gerontology Students as Facilitation Leaders

Effective health care with older adults requires that clinicians and practitioners are knowledgeable about aging issues and have the skills to work within an interdisciplinary team context. This article describes a Senior Mentoring Program that paired clinical students in medicine, nursing, and a physician assistant program with community-dwelling seniors for regular interactions. This interprofessional education experience included graduate gerontology students as discussion facilitators. Because including gerontology students as Interprofessional Dialogue Facilitators (IDFs) was an innovative aspect of the program, their participation within interdisciplinary groups was analyzed. IDFs monitored a secure internet site where clinical students discussed their experiences with their mentors. Discussion posts by the IDFs were clustered into three major types: amplifying statements that stimulated and furthered dialogue, augmenting posts that integrated specialized content on aging within the discussions, and analyzing comments that helped students reflect on experiences from different perspectives. The advantages of including aging content experts, such as gerontology students, within aging awareness activities like Seminar Mentoring programs are discussed.     

Employment Outcomes of Gerontology Certificate Graduates

Students desiring specialized skills and knowledge in working with older adults frequently pursue gerontology certificates. This paper reports the results of a study of gerontology certificate graduates which examined their educational backgrounds, their employment status, the predictive factors which led to aging-related jobs, and their recommendations for improvement to the certificate program. Certificate graduates came from varying educational backgrounds. Most were able to use their gerontology training, usually by being employed in aging-related work or else by utilizing their skills in other professional capacities. Implications for job placement and curriculum development are discussed.     

THE MULTIDIMENSIONALITY OF EDUCATION,RESEARCH AND TRAINING IN SOCIAL GERONTOLOGY−THE ISRAELI EXPERIENCE

This article examines the multidimensionality of education, research, and training in gerontology through a discussion of the significance and implications of developments in this area based on the Israeli scene. The discussion focuses on the issue of whether gerontology is an academic discipline based on the development of specialized knowledge, along with education and training, in a distinct academic framework, or whether it constitutes part of professional training in a variety of academic fields. The article begins with a presentation of milestones in the development of gerontology in Israel, focusing mainly on social gerontology. It then offers a definition of an academic discipline and of a profession and distinguishes between them by examining the development of curricula in the field of aging in two contexts: social work studies, on the one hand, and specialization in gerontology toward a Master's degree in this area at Haifa and Ben-Gurion Universities, on the other. A model is presented that examines the mutuality among the evolutions in technology, demography, and information, and their significance in the development of standards in education, training, and the dissemination of gerontological knowledge.     

THE INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH,EDUCATION, AND PRACTICE IN GERONTOLOGY: SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

This article focuses on the development of education relating to aging in a specific professional education program: social work at the University of Queensland. A brief outline of features of the aged population and services for the aged in Queensland, an Australian state, is given as a background for describing one approach to gerontology education with the University of Queensland social work faculty. The challenges and tasks of curriculum development in relation to gerontology in a generic undergraduate course are described. Specific training in gerontology at a theoretical and practical level is provided through field practicums in an institution for the aged and proposals to extend this to a community‐based practice research program for the aged are outlined. To give a combined approach to social work, current research programs relating to this program — social policy and aging — are described.     

FUTURE CAREERS IN AGING: INTEGRATION OR SPECIALIZATION?

Career opportunities in aging and related needs for professional training are usually estimated by means of manpower projections based on considerations of supply and demand. Because of certain characteristics of the field of aging, projections specific to gerontology related professions are extremely difficult to make. This article suggests a different approach based on rates of utilization of services by elders, and corresponding opportunities for job development by professionals specialized in aging. A trend towards integration of gerontology into established professional areas is anticipated and favored as best adapted to future employment patterns.     

Teaching Psychological and Social Gerontology to Millennial Undergraduates

Matters of development and generation may create barriers in teaching millennial undergraduates psychological and social gerontology. We introduce strategy to mitigate these barriers by teaching psychological and social gerontology as undergraduate honors courses, augmented with the use of social networking tools. We detail honors programming, critical analysis of extant literature, ethnographic fieldwork to observe the “other” and build rapport, visual image analysis, and use of social networking tools to enhance intellectual and personal engagement. Reflection on our own modifications in course construction and pedagogy in analysis of four years of student evaluation feedback guides suggestions for replication.     

BOOK REVIEW

Curtin University of Technology has a strong commitment to gerontological education and is responsible for the majority of graduate education in this area of Western Australia. This article outlines various gerontological activities at Curtin. With the exception of social work, almost all are carried out in the university's Division of Health Sciences. The article describes the wide range of undergraduate courses in the division that have relevance for gerontology. The two ongoing graduate programs, the multidisciplinary or generalist and the occupational therapy streams, are described in detail, and a proposed center for gerontology is mentioned.     

Oral History in the Classroom: A Comparison of Traditional and On-line Gerontology Classes

In this study, the effectiveness of an oral history assignment was assessed in a traditional gerontology class versus a distance education (DE) gerontology class. Attitudes toward older adults and the aging process were measured before and after students in the traditional (n = 29) and DE (n = 16) setting completed an oral history assignment. Scores were evaluated at posttest for differences between groups. The assignment positively influenced students' attitude toward older adults in both classes. Results indicate that this assignment was as effective in the DE setting as in the traditional setting. Findings suggest that oral history is an effective teaching assignment in a DE gerontology class.     

GERONTOLOGY EDUCATION FOR RECREATION SERVICE MAJORS: MEETING THE DEMANDS OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Due to an overwhelming increase in the population of older Americans in the next 30 years, many professions are preparing to meet the demands of an increasingly older clientele. This research was conducted to assess whether recreation professionals' level of education in gerontology is adequate to meet the demands of older adults in the future. It was found that opportunities for education in gerontology are abundant in many recreation and leisure studies programs. Most recreation curricula have gerontology classes and opportunities for minors in gerontology. Those that were lacking in this area were at least found to cover the topics in courses on lifespan development. However, it remains somewhat unclear how many students are taking advantage of these opportunities.     

Putting educational gerontology principles to the test: a quantitative confirmation of the empowering benefits of liberal arts courses

ABSTRACT

The humanist and critical principles of educational gerontology attribute different goals to education in later life. Self-Actualization is the goal of humanist educational gerontology, while empowerment, emancipation, and social change are the goals of critical educational gerontology. Liberal arts education is dominant in later-life learning. Both the humanist and the critical philosophies of learning in older age claim that this type of education is not empowering. Empowerment is a contested concept that has been defined through a set of constructs ranging from psychological capacities to attitudes and behaviors. In terms of capital, empowerment translates into gains in identity and social capital, operationalized in the variables agency and social and civic participation, respectively. The present study investigated the empowering potential of liberal arts courses using the BeLL survey data of 7,338 adult learners. Through a series of ANOVAs and a regression model, we found that age, gender, educational attainment, the number of courses, and changes in agency are significantly associated with changes in social and civic participation. We concluded that liberal arts education does empower adult learners, especially older adults, women, and individuals with lower educational attainment. Given that goal-related claims in the principles of educational gerontology have been empirically challenged, we recommend a new statement of principles that takes into account the latest developments in the field, as well as learners’ agential capacities and the structural inequalities they face.     

BROADENING MULTIDISCIPLINARY AWARENESS IN GERONTOLOGY THROUGH FACULTY SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

The authors describe the efforts of a faculty development program in gerontology initiated at a private, nondenominational institution in Central New York State. With the help of an anonymously awarded grant covering a three‐year period, nine summer internships involving 11 faculty members were funded. The projects afforded the awardees, none of whom possessed any formal training in gerontology, the opportunity to work among elderly populations. As a direct result of the experience, each of the faculty members began to infuse gerontology into his or her curricula. Suggestions for replicating this program through existing faculty development efforts are made.     

Early Journals and Their Influences on the Development of Gerontology

This examination of early gerontology journals identifies the multidisciplinary backgrounds of contributors, methods of investigation, nascent theory development, and formative themes and controversies. Through use of content, thematic, and critical analyses of second year issues of The Gerontologist, Educational Gerontology, Research on Aging, Journal of Applied Gerontology, and Canadian Journal on Aging, this study highlights the influence of these journals on the formation of the discipline of gerontology. The analyses indicate that education and awareness of ageism, policy planning to address changing demographic patterns, cultural diversity, and disciplinary development were key themes in these early publications. The study also reveals that researchers and scholars in the social sciences and health sciences established the foundations of the discipline. Controversies were evident in various debates about knowledge formation and dissemination. The early journals further included diverse perspectives, theories, research methods, directions, and critiques of issues of age, aging, and the aged.     

TRANSITION,LOSS, AND GROWTH: PROCESSES OF POSITIVE ADAPTATION

Positive adaptation to the transition events of later life is a neglected area in the literature of gerontology and educational gerontology. Drawing on the literature of social and clinical psychology, gerontology, adult development, and adult education, as well as on original research findings, this paper formulates a model for viewing the transitions and losses of the aging process as opportunities for growth and self‐enhancement. Major categories of social‐psychological transition events are reviewed; the social‐psychological resources that aging individuals bring to these events are summarized; and three processes of adaptation to transition (grieving, stress management, and learning) are discussed in terms of their relevance to the problem. The usefulness of reflective learning as an adaptive strategy particularly appropriate to the later third of life is emphasized. Implications for further research and applications to practice are presented.     

发展中专教育走内涵发展之路

目前，中专教育遇到了前所未有的困难，但也存在着发展机遇。本丈针对中专教育如何走内涵发展之路提出了一些粗浅见解，与关心中专教育发展的同仁们共同探讨。     

Young Word Learners’ Interpretations of Words and Symbolic Gestures Within the Context of Ambiguous Reference

Early in development, many word‐learning phenomena generalize to symbolic gestures. The current study explored whether children avoid lexical overlap in the gestural modality, as they do in the verbal modality, within the context of ambiguous reference. Eighteen‐month‐olds’ interpretations of words and symbolic gestures in a symbol‐disambiguation task (Experiment 1) and a symbol‐learning task (Experiment 2) were investigated. In Experiment 1 (N = 32), children avoided verbal lexical overlap, mapping novel words to unnamed objects; children failed to display this pattern with symbolic gestures. In Experiment 2 (N = 32), 18‐month‐olds mapped both novel words and novel symbolic gestures onto their referents. Implications of these findings for the specialized nature of word learning and the development of lexical overlap avoidance are discussed.     

THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF HOWARD YALE McCLUSKY TO AN EVOLVING DISCIPLINE OF EDUCATIONAL GERONTOLOGY

The development of interest, knowledge, and professional involvement in educational gerontology has been evolutionary. Knowledge from various disciplines has contributed to this development. Howard Mc‐Clusky, professor emeritus of adult education and educational psychology at the University of Michigan, has made many valuable contributions. His advocacy of limitless human potential throughout life has included work toward the development of knowledge about adults as learners and corresponding instructional needs. McClusky's development of a “theory of margin” has facilitated an understanding of the need to balance in the later years those stresses and demands (load) on a person with his or her coping resources (power). He also has provided insights to program developers regarding the importance of time perceptions and differences in how learning needs are categorized. He calls for intergenerational approaches to older adult instruction efforts and provides some optimistic hope for the future of educational gerontology.     

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION: RESEARCH,POLICY AND PRACTICE PERSPECTIVES Edited by Laura B. Wilson and Sharon P. Simson

A unique development program was designed to assist faculty in integrating gerontological concepts in selected undergraduate courses. The disciplines of social services, human performance, psychology, nutrition, audiology, and nursing were targeted for the program. The faculty development program took place in four phases over a 17‐month period. In Phase 1, faculty members studied theoretical concepts in gerontology relevant to their academic discipline. During Phase 2, faculty members obtained practical experience in gerontological settings to complement the knowledge gained in the first phase. In Phase 3, the faculty developed instructional units for their courses based on their Phase 1 and 2 experiences. During Phase 4 the faculty pilot tested, implemented, and revised the curricular materials. In addition, Phase 4 included opportunities for each faculty member to develop a research agenda for the continued study of gerontology. As a result of knowledge gained in the project, 10 faculty members developed SO instructional units, which were integrated into existing undergraduate courses. Approximately 300 students demonstrated significant gains in knowledge in gerontological concepts during the first semester of implementation. It is estimated that continued use of the modules will result in more than 800 students per year being exposed to gerontological concepts.     

TEXTBOOK REFERENCE TO THE OLDER POPULATION

The terminology used to refer to the population aged 65 and over in introductory sociology and social gerontology textbooks was examined and the issue of ageism was raised in relation to labels used in beginning textbooks. Analysis showed that in 20 sociology textbooks the most common referent was “old people,” while in 13 gerontology textbooks it was “elderly.” Despite an expressed preference for the term “senior citizens,” very few sociology books used that term whereas about two‐thirds of the gerontology books used it. In the beginning sociology books, discussion of elderly was most often found in the topical chapters that dealt with stratification or inequality. While there was no commonly accepted best term of reference, a number of textbooks did address the question of terminology and the difficulty of finding suitable language.     

PROGRAM EVALUATION: MEETING THE APPLIED RESEARCH EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF MASTER'S LEVEL STUDENTS IN GERONTOLOGY

The research education offered by a master's gerontology program should focus on the career and academic goals of the student population as determined by the nature of the particular program. The purpose of this article is to describe how the Master's of Arts (M.A.) gerontology program at UNCC addresses the research methods needs of its students through a two-course series. The basic research educational needs of the students are addressed in a brief discussion of the first course. The primary focus, however, is on this program's inclusion of a second course on evaluation research. Evaluation research is described as an effective way to address the applied research needs of the students of UNCC M.A. gerontology program, through heightening awareness of accountability to investors of services for older adults, linking both the generator and consumer roles of research, and inculcating a philosophy of professionalization essential to the professional development of the students.