Increased longevity is a worldwide phenomenon placing emphasis on the need for preparation for life's later years. Today's children will be the older adults of tomorrow. A resource that can help to educate them about aging and prepare them for the long life ahead is early children's literature (Preschool-Primary). This literature can provide…

This article describes an innovative model for teaching gerontological social work that has been introduced into the social work methods curriculum in the Department of Social Work at a college in northern Israel. The basic concept of the model is to create an alternative learning environment by including older persons as full participants in the…

This article describes the goals and methods of the international Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) movement in higher education, and WAC-enriched learning approaches that the author used in teaching a social work gerontology practice course and a sociological theories of aging course. The author's in-class, low-stakes, nongraded writing…

The article explores paradigms for approaching course content to be studied in the classroom. These paradigms, or global views about what is of interest or importance and ways of knowing, relate to key questions in gerontology, such as what is the relevant domain/content to be studied, what is the central level of analysis or action, what are…

The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative teaching method in which American undergraduate students were asked to write haiku-a Japanese poetry form-about the lives of nursing home residents. Drawing on both their own experiences and May Sarton's novel "As We Are Now", class members created poems about institutionalization that…

This article discusses and describes how to use film as a creative, powerful, and effective technique for teaching social work with older adults at both the undergraduate and graduate levels of education. An analysis of student responses about the effectiveness of this teaching pedagogy is presented. The findings support the idea of using film as…

Discusses problems such as hearing or vision impairment for which teachers of adult students may have to compensate. Stresses that such problems do not diminish the learning capacity of older students. (EKN)

This article describes the design, development, and successful implementation of a hybrid distance education course on adulthood and aging. The focus is on the pedagogical and technological transitions made in converting a traditional course into an interactive television course (iTV). The course was taught a total of three times, first as a…

Imagining what one will be like as an older adult can be a difficult task at mid life, let alone during young adulthood. Yet, pondering senescence has positive benefits for young adults with respect to their future physical, financial and social well being. This article describes an exercise used with more than 300 introductory-level gerontology…

This article presents a teaching methodology for free radical theory and discusses the role of antioxidants in human health. Free radicals are a normal byproduct of respiration, which allows the body to use oxygen, liberate energy, and dispose of harmful substances. The body's antioxidants and nutritional antioxidants quench most of the free…

Provides school counselors with resource materials for use in developing classroom guidance strategies to help students deal with attitudes toward aging. Describes use of classroom simulation activities and provides guidelines for selecting simulations and adapting commerical materials. Offers ideas for using a simulation of aging experience. (JAC)

Areas of concern for health educators who work with older Americans are addressed, including: (1) the nature of the aging population; (2) their health status and needs; and (3) impact of federal policies on their care. Health educators should dispel stereotypes, focus on wellness, and advocate consumerism. (PP)

Academic exchanges between the U.S. and other countries around the world are increasing and teaching students abroad is part of this trend. China is in its initial stage of developing gerontology education and is in great need of new concepts and ideas for dealing with its rapidly aging population. This paper discusses the challenges and rewards…

Literary texts are cultural artifacts revealing a society's values and attitudes; reading literature about elders and old age can change readers' ageist attitudes. Beginning with these assumptions, I discuss ways of teaching cross-cultural aging in undergraduate literature courses, using Chilean texts paired with American texts. Students learn how…

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…