Careers in aging: how job-seekers search for and how employers advertise positions in aging-related markets

Given its rapidly-aging population, the U.S. needs a workforce that is informed about and capable of meeting the diverse needs of older adults. Students pursing gerontology education may feel unsure of career opportunities as they enter a job market with traditionally clearly-defined disciplinary backgrounds. The goal of this study was to explore how people currently employed in an aging-related job searched for positions, and how this compared to phrasing used by employers to advertise job openings across several aging-related fields. A web-based survey was administered to employees in aging-related positions, and a search of four job-seeking websites to collect and analyze aging-related job postings was conducted. Most (63%) currently working in the field of aging reported finding their jobs through referral from a friend/colleague or through job search sites or job boards. Out of 493 relevant job postings identified, only 175 of the postings (35%), preferred or required applicants to have some type of aging-related knowledge, skills, training, or prior experience. There may be consequences to not specifically recruiting applicants with aging-related backgrounds: job seekers with qualifications in aging may look for other positions that expressly call for their specialized skills or knowledge, and quality of services and care may be different when provided by persons without such training.     

The Teaching of English in Puerto Rico: One Hundred Years of Degrees of Bilingualism

The bilingual policies of the University of Puerto Rico are described in the context of bilingualism in Puerto Rico as a whole, given that the second language, English, was a relatively recent imposition coming after several centuries of thorough Hispanization. Although Puerto Rico is profoundly Hispanic in terms of both language and culture, its people understand the need to be proficient in English. Thus the University of Puerto Rico is taking many steps to make sure that its students become proficient in both Spanish and English. A number of programmes are described, and the results in terms of improved knowledge of English, in particular, are detailed.     

Self-concept as a function of intelligence and creativity in gifted Israeli children

The relationship of creativity and intelligence to self-concept was examined in Israeli children (N = 159) of superior intelligence (mean WISC IQ = 140) across a wide age range (Grades 4–8). The instruments were the Wallach & Kogan Creativity battery, a group intelligence test and the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. It was concluded that for children of superior intelligence, differences in creativity level were far more implicated in personal-social adjustment than were differences in intelligence level.