The role of higher education in supporting active aging: examining the experiences older adults and higher education students in integrational learning

Abstract

The primary goal of initiatives supporting intergenerational collaboration is to promote acceptance between different age groups (Kaplan et al., 2017) and to support active aging (Aláez et al., 2022). Higher education institutions play a crucial role in facilitating these initiatives (Corrigan et al., 2013). This study aims to examine intergenerational learning experiences within the context of higher education. The research was conducted in the fall of 2022 as part of an international consortium partnership, which primarily aimed to explore opportunities for supporting active aging. he study explored the reflections of university students (n = 6) and older volunteer participants (n = 8) involved in the intergenerational learning project, focusing on the skills they believed they developed during intergenerational learning, as well as the factors that facilitated or hindered the process. Focus group interviews were conducted with both age groups, and discourse analysis was performed to synthesize the data (Krzyzanowksi, 2015), paying particular attention to the nature of the interactions.

The analysis of the inductive elements presented and their related interactions revealed differences between the two age groups, as well as agreements and disagreements within the groups. Both age groups reported progress in areas of cooperation and compromise, with younger participants particularly emphasizing the potential to apply these skills in other contexts. Additionally, both age groups reflected on the challenges encountered during the project, which mainly manifested in communication difficulties. However, certain participants highlighted attitudes toward the project, age differences, and varying work ethics as significant differences. Instructor facilitation was emphasized as a supportive factor, particularly by younger participants, who unanimously stressed its importance. In discussions on the long-term sustainability of intergenerational learning, the potential for integrating it into university courses was also raised during the focus group conversations.