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Christine is an instructional designer, educator, and writer with a particular interest in the social sciences and American studies.
When you hear the term student, who do you picture in your mind? A teenager? A young adult in their 20s? What about someone over 50, or over 70? Lifelong learning refers to the concept of continually expanding knowledge throughout the lifecycle. Adult learners can participate in the process of lifelong learning through a variety of educational methods. As a lifelong learner, a person can be a student at any age.
The demographic with the biggest impact on whether an older adult participates in education is gender. Older women, of a variety of economic backgrounds, are more likely than men to turn back to formal schooling. Socioeconomic status also affects whether a person tends to access education. Since education costs money, this influences whether a person will take advantage of programs in their area.
Think of your own situation and how you are able to afford to access this course. What if you had less resources, even though you still had a desire to learn? As an older adult, it might be harder to find the funding for education that may not pay itself off in the future like learning at a younger age can.
Already having a higher socioeconomic status makes it more likely that a person will continue to invest in education. Yet, since the gender gap in educational pursuits at older ages is wide, a woman with less financial resources is still more likely than a man with more financial resources to pursue education. Research is not entirely clear as to why this might be.
Since connecting with like-minded others is one desire of those seeking education, perhaps the trend is self-perpetuating. If you knew you would be the only man or woman in a class of people of the opposite gender, this might affect your desire to pursue that opportunity (though not necessarily, of course). There are three cohorts of people that make up the current older age ranges: Depression era (born in 1928-1935), War Babies (born in 1936-1945) and Baby Boomers (born in 1946-1964).
Those who are already the most educated are the most likely to continue their education later in life. Of the three cohorts, the Baby Boomers are the most likely to have the highest education level, and therefore, are most likely to return to educational opportunities. The youngest within that group are the most likely of all to have a high level of education. If this trend continues, many of us will continue to be lifelong learners well into our older years.
The biggest barriers to education in older age are health problems and caregiving for someone else. Yet, women are the most likely to be caregivers and still tend to participate in education into older adulthood. The drive to continue learning is very strong for many people. Just by watching this video, you are an example of this drive to learn and to use education to better your life. Older adults have a similar drive, but often learn for somewhat different reasons.
What fuels the drive to participate in education at this later stage of life? A primary reason for many is intellectual stimulation. In addition, educational environments provide opportunities to connect with other people and be social. Still others pursue education to improve their skill set and even change careers.
For those who did not have a chance to fulfill a goal earlier in life, education can provide a chance to revisit past hopes and dreams. It is also a chance to reinvent oneself and create a new path forward. The pleasure of learning new things and connecting with others who enjoy this process can bring meaning into one's life and offer health benefits by regularly engaging the brain intellectually and socially.
As your mind is absorbing this information, you are creating new pathways in the brain. Doing so can help keep the brain more vital as you age. Even though cognitive decline cannot always be prevented, whatever age you are now, if you continue to learn throughout your life, you will be investing in your future in more ways than one.
Grants are available to community centers, colleges and universities wishing to offer programming to older adults, so a set of classes has emerged in many programs designed for non-traditional students, specifically those over 55 or older. Other countries around the world have implemented their own programs as well. For instance, the University of the Third Age, based in the United Kingdom, offers a network of learning groups that provide classes for the pleasure of learning, without the typical testing and homework.
Beyond the classroom, programs such as Road Scholar, originally designed mainly for seniors, offer access to educational tours and travel opportunities. Many older adults also participate in traditional educational programs designed for any age, such as GED and degree programs, and even online tools such as the Study.com lesson you are accessing right now.
At any age, a person can be a lifelong learner, continually expanding knowledge throughout the lifecycle. Older adults choose to learn later in life for many reasons, including a desire to gain new skills, the chance to pursue past dreams, the opportunity to connect with other people, the benefit of intellectual stimulation and the sheer joy of learning.
Lifelong learning helps the brain to function well throughout life and is particularly valuable for older adults. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to the opportunity to engage in further education. Health problems and caregiving may interfere. A person's finances can also be a barrier, since the investment in education may not pay off financially as it can for younger people.
The most likely demographic to participate are women. Even though those with a higher socioeconomic and educational background are also more likely to pursue education, women of various socioeconomic and educational levels are still the major group involved. Since previous educational attainment influences whether someone continues on learning later in life, the most educated cohort of current older adults, the Baby Boomers, will be most likely to pursue educational opportunities.
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Gerontology for Teachers: Professional Development31 chapters | 310 lessons
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