All Ireland Society for Higher Education
| Name: | Bunyan , Karen |
|---|---|
| Email: | kbunyan@wit.ie |
| Institution: | Waterford Institute of Technology |
There is a wide gap in the educational attainment levels of younger and older people in Ireland (Irish Equality Authority, 2002, p.61), perhaps more so than in many OECD countries, due to past deficiencies in the Irish second level system. However, it is now widely accepted that older adults have special educational needs (Elmore, 1999, p.12), which must be respected and reflected in education (Irish Department of Education and Science, 2000, p.13). There are well-documented barriers that affect older adults in returning to learning. Psychological factors such as feeling out of place among younger students or fear of competition with younger students may be a barrier to learning (Scala, 1996, p.761). Scala (1996, p.761) also found that significant proportion of older adults returning to learn reported academic difficulties and difficulties in adjusting to study. The purpose of this paper is to explore the group dynamics in the age diverse learning classroom in an `access to higher education course' run in the Waterford Institute of Technology. This paper will explore the factors that promote and inhibit successful learning experiences for this diverse group and different learning styles and subject interests in the age diverse classroom. The perceptions of younger and older adults groups towards each other will also be investigated. A qualitative methodology was used, focusing on the learner's voice. Focus groups were utilised to document and reflect the experiences of the learners. This paper offers a number of recommendations when dealing with age diversity in institutional learning, particularly since older learners have been seen as the next target group for Access initiatives.
(Abstract ref: #34.)