Research on epistemological models of older adult education: the need of a contradictory discussion

Since the 1950s in the USA and a bit later in Europe, researchers have started publishing results of systematic research on the learning of older adults. Some have also contributed to constructing theoretical definitions within this theme of research. The perception of older adults as potential learners is a widely shared paradigm. However, there is much variation in disciplinary approaches and suggested outcomes for practice. A qualitative analysis of nine models of older adult education allows us to identify the nature of these differences and highlight what this means for research in Education Sciences. The analysisd authors are from seven different countries and three continents (North-America, Europe and Australia). This article should be regarded as a preliminary synoptic summary, leading to point the need of a contradictory epistemological reflexion for going further. In fact, this comparative analysis makes it obvious that research in this emerging field, by crossing “education” (learning) and “older adults”, is in its pre-paradigm stage of development. This means that even rudimentary points like the definition of the public are not yet fixed and largely accepted. The absence of shared paradigms makes it impossible to compare or transfer results from research works. The systematic construction of a common topic needs a solid base of academic knowledge.