We have statistical evidence of the importance of the older population, for
instance the latest count tells us that older people outnumber children under
16 in the UK.[Office of National Statistics, 21 August 2008
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?ID=949 ].
Various official tables indicate that there are quite high numbers of older
learners`[aged 50+] across the education sector. In fact, the UK Universities
figure 50+is 15% of undergraduates, and at my largely post-graduate
institution it is about 10%. These older students can be a very successful
learning group.
But what we do not yet have definitive evidence for - other than anecdotal -
is of the relation between learning and well-being or health. Nor do we yet
know how to assess the ability of older adults to learn successfully up to a
very late age. Yet, there are confident assertions about the relationships, and
these are crucial policy issues for the future of our society.
To encourage interest in older learners, who we believe may well become a
whole new learning sector as significantly unique as the primary or secondary
stages, we have started a new master's level module** at the Institute of
Education in which we take a rounded view of the diverse contexts of older
learning. It is delivered by blended learning with the emphasis on peer
collaboration.
As the first programme of its kind, we see it as an important step for
development of educational approaches to older learners participating in
further and higher education.
If you have access to specific evidence that might be of value, and/or you are
interested in the course, please contact me.
Anita Pincas, [log in to unmask]
Senior Lecturer, Institute of Education, University of London
** Issues in Educating and Training Mature Adults (50+)
www.ioe.ac.uk/courses/ietma
|