Effect of experiential learning on the ageist attitudes of higher education students

Abstract

ABSTRACT The university’s social commitment takes the form of educational activities that bring the academic and social worlds closer together. Furthermore, the university has the responsibility and commitment to identify the needs felt by society and address them. This research aimed to determine the impact of an experiential learning methodology for coping with ageist attitudes of university students. Method. The study involved 151 students and 51 older people. The design consisted of three study groups evaluated in the short term and after three years: 51 students participated in the experiential group in an experiential activity of collecting life stories from 51 older people; 50 students performed the same practice as the experimental group but simulated it among classmates. Of the 50 students in the control group, students did not perform any activity with older people. Results. Repeated measures analyses showed that group 1 significantly decreased stereotypes after participation in the experiential activity (p < .001) and after three years (p < .001). Group 2 maintains ageist attitudes both in the short and long term (p > .05). Group 3 significantly increases negative beliefs toward old age in the long term (p > .05). Post hoc analyses indicate significant benefit (p < .001) of experiential activity in group 1 vs. group 2 and control group. Conclusion. This educational approach is not only limited to the acquisition of practical knowledge about the aging process but also actively encourages conscious evaluation and reconsideration of preconceived perceptions.