For over three decades, there has been considerable discussion about the development of gerontology education in the United States. A debate about accreditation is a logical outgrowth in this evolution. The dialogue about accreditation raises some important questions and gives gerontology an opportunity to further define itself. Accreditation…

A telecourse on "Growing Old in a New Age" had three components: television program, printed support materials, and faculty participation. Formative evaluation and pretesting helped shape the final product. (SK)

A survey of six universities offering doctoral programs in gerontology identified enrollments, costs, graduates' employment, and faculty characteristics. Not all offer a mix of specialties; none requires internships. Respondents agreed on the need for additional doctoral program development, but funding and faculty availability limit growth. (SK)

Presents a continuum of service learning projects in higher education that has four dimensions: amount, duration, and type of experiences; degree of student choice; type and amount of supervision; and amount of internal/external oversight. Offers considerations for faculty involved in organizing, managing, and evaluating service learning projects.…

Describes master's level specialization in gerontological counseling. Discusses development of the program, curriculum, and program evaluation. Describes program characteristics, including development of the specialization, features of specialization (coursework, practicum and internship, certificate program), and student recruitment and…

Focus group and survey results were used to create a continuing education outreach program in gerontology. The model includes aging knowledge and interpersonal and organizational skills. Core areas included the structure, contexts, theories, and concepts of aging; stability and change; ethics; scholarship; and practice. (SK)

As state budget allocations for higher education decrease, "specialty" programs such as gerontology must continually demonstrate their productivity. State and private universities increasingly rely on student credit hours (SCH) or tuition generated, which is making it difficult for many gerontology programs to expand. The School of Aging Studies…

Gerontology instruction at the college and university level is analyzed in light of various developments, major issues confronting the field, and specific needs of faculty and administrators. Chapters discuss: growth of interest in aging and gerontology; growing awareness of the aging in higher education; the literature of gerontology education;…

In response to growing needs of older citizens, the University of Pennsylvania and the Office of Aging of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare developed a three-year gerontological program. A series of faculty seminars was planned as part of the first-year program, after an initial survey of all Pennsylvania institutions of higher…

This paper presents in outline form the following issues in developing programs in gerontology: getting started, support on campus, getting information, purpose of programs, organizational models, and multidisciplinary and multipurpose programs. (Author)

Objectives, administrative organization, and activities of the Senior Alumni Association of the University of Toronto, which consists of members at least 60 years old, are described. The programs of the association are self-sustaining and generated from fees charged for its continuing education courses. Surplus funds generated by these fees are…

Surveyed Virginia's colleges (N=23) to ascertain how financial resources, administrative support, and community interest might influence development of programs for older learners. Results indicated that general demand and administrative support were most positively related to growth while inadequate financial resources and cost to participants…

The University of Southern California's gerontology faculty development program sought to enhance gerontology programs by preparing two to three faculty members from each of several college campuses in Southern California to become core committees that would facilitate an organized sequence of gerontology instruction within their institutions. All…

This paper describes the changes in American society which are initiating the need to develop programs aimed at new audiences with diverse needs and interests. The reaction of continuing education units to these needs is discussed and the importance of an interdisciplinary approach is emphasized. The authors describe their use of the Education…

The education and training of persons working in the field of aging is of vital importance to improving the quality of services available to older persons. A statewide training needs assessment was conducted in Illinois to set priorities for the funding of state educational programs and to improve the linkage between providers of aging services…