Centre for Policy on Ageing



Learning in later life: oldering or empowerment? — a third-age researcher's interpretation of some voices of third-age learners
Author(s)	Mary Brown
Journal title	Generations Review, vol 15, no 4, October 2005
Pages	pp 8-12
Source	(Editorial e-mail address) gr@ageing.ox.ac.uk
Keywords	U3A ; Universities ; Residents [care homes] ; Adult Education ; Participation ; Qualitative Studies.
Annotation	A small-scale study of learning in later life, involving in-depth interviews with three diverse sample groups (Open University students, members of the University of the Third Age, and learners in care settings) suggests that such learning can be empowering. While motives for, outcomes of, and meanings attached to, learning varied between groups, such learning can be seen as resistance to "oldering" - a Foucaultian concept, explaining how ageism is accepted by society, including by older people themselves. Such resistance was most evident among members of U3A and least in care settings. However, even there empowerment seemed a possibility. Meanings attached to learning differed between groups, suggesting an old person's way of knowing and of learning. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-051122202 A
Classmark	V5A: V5: KX: GP: TMB: 3DP
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.