Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine whether continuing education that focuses on service learning could provide older students (over the age of 50) with knowledge and skills that increase their life satisfaction, confidence, and community integration. We also examined whether it could provide them with meaningful and purposeful experiences. We surveyed older students prior to a service-learning program on satisfaction with life, self-esteem, extraversion, life purpose, depression, loneliness, and self-control coping. After completing the service-learning program, we again surveyed the older students, using the same measures one year later. We found that the service-learning program benefitted the students in terms of their self-esteem, loneliness, confidence, and skill development. In addition, we learned that those who were less satisfied with their life prior to the service-learning program made the highest gains in life satisfaction following the service-learning program. We conclude that continuing education that focuses on service learning may be one way to provide older students with meaningful and psychologically beneficial social experiences.
Highlights
Older students, which we define as students over the age of 50, represent a significant and growing market in continuing education, and some researchers have shown there are benefits for older students who participate in continuing higher education (e.g., DiSilvestro, 2013)
Our study examined the benefits to older students in a continuing-education service-learning program that prepared them to work in long-term care facilities as elder clowns
What are the characteristics of older students choosing and completing continuing education service learning, relative to those who do not complete?
Summary
Older students, which we define as students over the age of 50, represent a significant and growing market in continuing education, and some researchers have shown there are benefits for older students who participate in continuing higher education (e.g., DiSilvestro, 2013). One way to meet their expectations may be to provide them with service-learning opportunities, that is, to learn through higher education courses while participating in organized service programs (e.g., assisting in hospitals, schools, non-profit organizations, long-term care). Our study examined the benefits to older students in a continuing-education service-learning program that prepared them to work in long-term care facilities as elder clowns. An elder clown is any individual of any age, who is trained to clown for vulnerable elderly long-term care residents. In elder-clown programs students are trained in aging theory and are taught how to encourage long-term care residents to communicate and interact through laughter, music, acting, and dance (Kontos, Miller, Mitchell, & Stirling-Twist, 2015). Few studies have been conducted on the benefits to the older student of participating in such learning; Warren and Spitzer (2011) report
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