Abstract
The United States is experiencing an aging of the population, and by 2030, 20% of Americans will be 65 years or older (Federal Interagency Forum, 2010). However, for many helping professions, including social work, medicine, and nursing, student interest in gerontological practice is quite low. One international study found that only 5.4% of the more than 1,000 social work students who were surveyed indicated that working with older people was their primary area of interest (Author, 2014a). Finding ways to improve student interest and break down biases against older adults is essential to improve student interest, and incorporating evidence-based activities that can be incorporated into courses that are offered in an online format are increasingly needed as this mode of instruction continues to expand. The current exploratory study sought to pilot a two-part photo-activity in an online graduate social work practice course focused on working with older adults. Quantitative and qualitative results suggest that the activities helped students’ process their views on aging and older people, and most students reported at least some change in their attitudes. The development of innovative ways to engage students online by repurposing technology that they are already using can advance online pedagogy and facilitate critical thinking.
Highlights
Social work is a diverse field with opportunities to work with many different populations; gerontological practice consistently ranks amongst the lowest preferred practice area (Weiss, 2005)
An international study found that only 5.4% of the more than 1, 000 social work students who completed the survey indicated that they would prefer to work with older adults after graduation (Chonody & Wang, 2014)
An urgent need for helping professionals in gerontological practice is becoming a reality, and educators are searching for ways to increase student interest (Butler & Baghi, 2008; Chonody, 2015)
Summary
Social work is a diverse field with opportunities to work with many different populations; gerontological practice consistently ranks amongst the lowest preferred practice area (Weiss, 2005). In a study of nursing students, working with older people in a nursing home setting was ranked the lowest preferred practice setting, and this did not significantly change from the start of the nursing program (King, Roberts, & Bowers, 2013) These findings are troublesome for helping disciplines given that 20% of the total U.S population is expected to be 65+ by 2030 (Federal Interagency Forum, 2010). In particular young adults, use photography as a way to generate conversations and strengthen connections within the peer group (Van Dijick, 2008) Smart phone applications such as Snapchat or Instagram primarily rely on an image often absent of any text and put forward an idea, a point in time, and/or an element of identity. This cultural shift illustrates the way that old technology is repurposed, and a new means of interaction and community building emerges (Van Dijick, 2008)
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