Date of Award

3-19-1997

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Teaching & Learning

First Advisor

Mary Lou Fuller

Abstract

U.S. citizens remain healthy as they live to increasingly older ages. How shall the growing number of older people fill their expanding leisure time? Do they need to engage in learning activities in order to keep their wits about them? Which learning activities do they want? How do they want them structured? Which methods should their teachers use? What type of academic opportunities does higher education provide to older people? What causes the activities available to differ from those desired? Which goods and services do the aged need to help them take advantage of higher education opportunities?To investigate these issues I conducted three, 90-minute interviews with a convenience sample of six men and six women in four age groups: 60 to 69, 70 to 79, 80 to 89, and 90 to 99. I transcribed the interviews, then coded and analyzed the resulting data. The themes which emerged from the data coalesced into five patterns.Pattern 1 consists of learning activities wanted by the respondents. Pattern 2 involves the ways older people would structure learning activities for themselves. Pattern 3 includes academic opportunities available to the 60+. Pattern 4 consists of those factors which influence older learners' participation in educational activities. Pattern 5 includes those products older people need in order to participate in educational activities.In conclusion, older people, higher education, and society gain when older individuals take advantage of higher education opportunities. The themes indicate that if colleges are to attract older students, steps must be taken to increase the older learners' comfort levels as they interact with the college. Specifically, faculty should query older students to determine the most appropriate learning environment, then design classes expressly for older learners. In the classroom, teachers should link new material to their students' existing knowledge base and use their experiences. College administrators must improve parking and accessibility for their older students. Unless teachers and administrators take these actions, older citizens may find the offerings of higher education institutions irrelevant to their needs and the process of attending class much too demanding. Colleges will lose a potential source of students, and older people will miss a vital opportunity for continued intellectual development.

Download

Share

COinS