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... I now find that, at thirty-nine (39) years of age, this topic has generated an appeal that underscores my chronological progression towards, what has become known as, the "third age". Subsequently I find myself contemplating a shorter period of time for me to reach my "third age" than the time preceding it from leaving full-time tertiary education; as Schuller and Boystyn, (1992 pg iii), uses, "for statistical purposes the age range fifty to seventy-four (50-74)." This personal approach to this assignment is reinforced by Schuller and Boystyn, (1992 pg viii) who state, "third agers already contribute largely to the economy and to society as employees, volunteer carers and citizens. ... " Additionally, for the purposes of this assignment I intend to concentrate on "formal learning" as both defined and operationalised in the Carnegie Inquiry into the Third Age Research Paper Number 3. ...
In this assignment I intend to explore what is meant by the term the third age and how older adult education is both necessary and relevant to the individual, business and societal well-being of the nation because this forms the basis and the backdrop to government attention and intervention. ... In setting the parameters to formal learning I intend to support the proposition that "many of the key issues surrounding the education of older adults apply wholly or to a very large extent to the population as a whole," Schuller and Boystyn (1992 pg 88). Additionally I intend to argue that these issues, in themselves, present peculiar demands on such education that requires additional and innovative responses to the theory, policies and practice of the education of older adults both as an end in itself and to raise "issues about education for society as a whole." Primarily I will argue that the differences surrounding the education of older adults and those of the first and second age learners are of degree and emphasis from global core issues. "If the needs of third agers are to be met, then the needs of Second and First Agers will have to be met differently from how they are now," Schuller and Boystyn, (1992 pg 8). ... Withnall and Percy (1994 pgs 1-2) state that "current statistical evidence suggests that by the year 2021 over 18% of the population will be over 65 years of age and by 2031 numbers are predicted to rise by a further 38%. ... However in addressing what the key issues are affecting older adults a more sophisticated explication of this classification is required. ... " However it is possible to state broad and general issues that provide the backdrop a more detailed examination of these key issues. These include "minimal initial schooling for this current age group, this initial disadvantage not being corrected by subsequent education, and low take-up of engagement in formal education and low training opportunities," Schuller and Boystyn (1992 pgs vii and 3). Consequently this research into the relatively new "field of educational gerontology [provides] a comprehensive statistical picture of participation in education and training by older people," Withnall and Percy (1994 pg 9), whilst reflecting issues about education for society as a whole. Moreover the results outlined in the Carnegie Report regarding issues emanating out of, and relating to, the current participation in education and training, (pgs 8-9) ends by stating that "the important questions are not about whether older people can learn but about the size of the increased demand and - crucially - whether we can act quickly enough and competently enough to meet it," Schuller and Boystyn (1992 pg 45).
From this broad backdrop what follows is an examination of the key issues surrounding the education of older adults, beginning with the theory of educational gerontology primarily because this, as Sherron and Lumsen (1990 pg 6) argues, " is of interest to policy makers.
Approximate Word count = 3131
Approximate Pages = 12.5
(250 words per page double spaced)
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