6533b852fe1ef96bd12aaabd

RESEARCH PRODUCT

The Teacher's Perspective in Older Education: The Experience of Teaching in a University for Older People in Spain

subject

description

The aim of this study was to explore university lecturers' descriptions of their teaching experience with older students. Twelve teachers of the Nau Gran (a university program for older people [UPOP] in Valencia, Spain) were interviewed. We analyzed their responses to questions about their experience of teaching older adults, the rewarding aspects of that experience and the teaching strategies they used. Teachers described their experience as extremely positive and rewarding, and often contrasted the active, interested, and grateful older students with the relatively passive regular younger students. The teachers also mentioned how they adapted their teaching to suit a more motivated and participative audience in classes for older people.