OLDER ADULTS' PARTICIPATION IN UNIVERSITY CLASSES: COGNITIVE, MORALE, AND FAMILY CORRELATES
Titel:
OLDER ADULTS' PARTICIPATION IN UNIVERSITY CLASSES: COGNITIVE, MORALE, AND FAMILY CORRELATES
Auteur:
Dellmann-Jenkins, Mary M. Papalia-Finlay, Diane E.
Verschenen in:
Educational gerontology
Paginering:
Jaargang 9 (1983) nr. 5-6 pagina's 501-509
Jaar:
1983-09
Inhoud:
The number of older adults taking advantage of courses offered by institutions of higher learning is increasing. Despite this trend in university and college enrollment, educators know little about the reasons why adults aged 55 years and over are making the decision to return to school. This paper describes the results of an exploratory study about: (1) educational motivations of older students; (2) effect of involvement in university classes on older adults' attitude toward aging; and (3) impact of older individuals' participation in university classes on marital relations. Interviews were_ conducted with twenty-one married couples, aged 55 years and older (X = 68.54), with one spouse attending university classes. In order to compute life satisfaction analyses, a control sample was secured. This group consisted of 33 married couples, 55 years and over (X = 70.93), with neither spouse participating in continuing education. Results indicated that older students viewed intrinsic learning goals to be significantly more important than extrinsic incentives (p<.01). Student couples reported significantly more positive attitudes toward growing older than did nonstudent couples (p<.05). Although participation in university classes had only a minimal impact on members' marital interaction, student couples express satisfaction with this effect. Recommendations suggested the construction of assessment measures of older adults' self-initiated versus externally reinforced learning goals. It is advised that pre- and posttest interview schedules be used when determining the impact on family solidarity of older adults' pursual of further learning. Future research is suggested which explores whether participation in continuing education provides skills or information for older persons to adjust to their changing environments which in turn would have an influence on level of morale.
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