Dr Rick Swindell Co-founder of U3A Online Educational Initiatives for the Elderly *

Dr Rick Swindell

Co-founder of U3A Online www.u3aonline.org.au

Educational Initiatives for the Elderly

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What I’ll talk about

• Successful Ageing

• Some international and national educational initiatives for the elderly

• Virtual learning programs and ideas

U3A Online

World U3A

Wikis

Constituency research

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• Healthy Ageing

• Successful Ageing

• Ageing Well

• Active Ageing

• Productive Ageing

The lifestyle

choices we

make

Ageing population - greater responsibility placed on older people everywhere to maximise their

chances for independence

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Active mind and active body

“Successful Aging” (Rowe & Kahn 1998)

Essentials for Successful AgeingSuccessful Ageing

Follow sound health-related

advice

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Physiological benefits of exercise for elderly well documented

The Foresight Project

“Learning must continue throughout life. This can have a direct effect on mental health and well-being across all age groups, and has particular promise in older people.”Beddington et al. The mental wealth of nations. Nature, vol 455, Oct 2008, 1070-1060.

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cardiovascular, strength, balance, stretching

Improve blood flow to the brain

Help stimulate release of factors critical to brain

growth





advice

Engage with life



Social networks

Death of loved one, caregiver, incapacity, retirement etc etc

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advice

Engage with life



Social networks

Do interesting things

Many later life learning

organisations are “Successful

Ageing” organisations

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Some major later life learning initiatives

• North America

• France

• UK

• China

• Hong Kong

• Internet-based

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Elderhostel

Educational travel since 1975

Nancy Merz-Nordstrom – Director: Elderhostel Institute Network (EIN)

USA and Canada

1988

Elderhostel Information Network (EIN)

Must entice baby boomersShort courses 1-5 weeks; personal

enrichment; weekends and evenings;

93 university-based programs in 39 states

Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes

(OLLI) - 2002

Lifelong Learning Institutes (LLI)• Started 1962; now 1000+ programs

• Volunteer teachers/administrators• University/College based

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France

Universités du Troisième Âge (UTA) “The French Model”

(university based)

1973

Many European countries, Quebec, other countries

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UK

• Community-based (not university)

• 700 groups; 200,000 members

• Subject networks – members share courses

• “The British Model” (Self-help U3As)

1981

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China

1980s - army, big companies, mines, universities, etc

28,000 organisations with > 2.3 million members

• < 1% of 300 million older people

Jean Thompson – 2004 AIUTA Congress Shanghai

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Courses short-term or 1-3 years. Seven categories:

• health care

• physical exercises

• study courses, (eg literature, history, geography, languages)

• skills (eg computer skills, finance, cookery, gardening)

• arts (eg calligraphy, painting, music, dancing)

• hobbies, (eg travel, photography and stamp collecting)

• political topics

Social contact valued equally or more than new knowledge

Curriculum*

Teaching

Expert teachers - nominal salary; assisted by volunteers

Teaching - relaxed and flexible, to suit students' needs

• Central Radio/TV University to set up special courses

• Discussion groups – current events

• New text books in cooperation with national publishers

• Study tours

• Exhibitions, competitions

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Hong Kong Elder AcademiesDr. Leong Chi Hung, Peter Wong & EC Secretariat

• 78 EAs primary and secondary schools

• 2008 – 7 tertiary institutions

• Compulsory health courses + electives (academic, arts, sport)

• Intergenerational harmony emphasis (young people volunteer)

2007 – Labour and Welfare Bureau & Elderly Commission

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Australia/NZ 1984: 270 self-help groups

2008: India Society of U3As;

2010 Symposium

Japan 1960s:

UAs

Republic of SA 2000: 14 self-help

groups

North America: 1962: LLI; Elderhostel

France: 1973 UTA; AIUTA 1975

China: 1980s UAs

Summary: Major Educational Initiatives for the Elderly

UK: 1981 self-help

U3As

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• Divorce

• Relocation

• Poor transport

• Death of a loved one

• Illness/Incapacity

• Being a carer

In later life, participation threatened by:

U3A Online – a virtual U3A open to all older people

Many older people become isolated

(even in large cities)

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A virtual U3A for isolated older people everywhere

Cooperative ventures with similar online organisations

U3AOL Project Goals

Funded 1998 IYOP project

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www.u3aonline.org.au*

Cooperative ventures (eg TAT)

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I am partially blind with limited short sight. I am extremely grateful to U3AOnline as I now have an interest at home - am happy working on my own and life has again a meaning.

Comments from isolated participants

I care for my wife who has Alzheimers. Have done so for the past 8 years.

I’ll go as far as to say that being totally absorbed in my most recent online course has saved my sanity this year.

I am the primary carer for my frail mother who at nearly 100 needs full time care now. Being able to access a service like

this is one way to feel less isolated from the world outside.

I love "virtual meeting" people from other regions, walks of

life, with different viewpoints

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http://worldu3a.org/World U3A*

• Intergenerational

• Research possibilities

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Wikis - a free Internet tool for collaboration

a wiki is …

• a web page that can be easily changed by all members

• ideal for U3A members to share ideas

• very easy to set up and modify

• free

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http://redlandsu3a.pbwiki.com/*

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http://u3amusicgroups.pbwiki.com/*

Send email to [email protected] to get email copy of Signpost sent each month

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How to set up your own wiki

1) Click Research/Reports from drop-down menu

2) Download and print 18 page document

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Constituency Research

Research by older people with older people

Some U3A examples

• 1990-1994: a virtual U3A by telephone

• 2002-2006: A voice worth listening to

• 2008/09: Australian and NZ research study

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Summary

• 5 elements of Successful Ageing

• Isolated seniors are everywhere in the community. Internet-based learning programs improve their quality of life

• Later life learning programs as models of Successful Ageing

• Cooperative projects through the Internet

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Hong Kong Elder Academies are successful ageing organisations.

Conclusion

EA participants are invited to join the world-wide community of older learners, teachers, researchers and innovators

U3A OnlineWorld U3A

Others …

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Dr Rick Swindell Co-founder of U3A Online Educational Initiatives for the Elderly *

Documents