International Perspectives on Older Adult Education

Abstract

Aims & Scope"Lifelong Learning" has become a central theme in education and community development. Both international and national agencies, governments and educational institutions have adopted the idea of lifelong learning as a major theme in the coming years. They realize that it is only by getting people committed to the idea of education both life-wide and lifelong that the goals of economic advancement, social emancipation and personal growth will be attained.The Lifelong Learning Book Series aims to keep scholars and professionals informed about and abreast of current developments and to advance research and scholarship in the domain of Lifelong Learning. It further aims to provide learning and teaching materials, serve as a forum for scholarly and professional debate and offer a rich fund of resources for researchers, policy-makers, scholars, professionals and practitioners in the fi eld.The volumes in this international Series are multi-disciplinary in orientation, polymathic in origin, range and reach, and variegated in range and complexity. They are written by researchers, professionals and practitioners working widely across the international arena in lifelong learning and are orientated towards policy improvement and educational betterment throughout the life cycle.More information about this series at

Preliminary effects of a WeChat‐based educational intervention on social participation among older adults in a community

“…living independently in a community (Seah et al, 2019), by providing them with knowledge and skills that promote their healthy attitudes and behaviours to participate in social activities (Raghupathi & Raghupathi, 2020;WHO, 2012). In this context, the United States promotes the social participation of older adults by providing timely educational support, including increasing the awareness of social participation, analysing their own participation resources, improving their ability (including knowledge and social skills) to participate socially to enhance self-awareness, self-efficacy and social networks, as well as bringing further opportunities for participation and interaction to older adults (Findsen & Formosa, 2016;Xu & Ma, 2021).…”

The promotion of active aging through older adult education in the context of population aging

“…Educational efforts should focus on maintaining effectiveness while avoiding negative effects on quality of life and health among older adults. However, because of the unique nature of OAE, the knowledge base and comprehension of each older adult learner varies considerably ( 33 ); traditional teaching methods cannot be applied to OAE. Currently, most regional OAE institutions use the university education model, without considering the life and educational statuses of older adults; this reduces the effectiveness of OAE and does not support long-term implementation of OAE.…”

“…In Korea, OAE is not limited to general courses; there have been suggestions of additional courses concerning the social welfare system, health and healthcare, civics, and the economy ( 35 ). In Peru, the existing curriculum does not meet the real needs of students from a wide range of educational backgrounds ( 33 ); few universities have academic educational programs for older adults ( 33 ).…”

Education and socialisation in later life: The case of a University of Third Age in Portugal

“…In Portugal, as in other countries, U3As have been assuming an important role when it comes to older adults' learning and education (Fragoso, 2014). Soon after the creation of the first university in France (1973) and supported by national self-organised movements and civic initiatives, the first U3A was established in Portugal in 1976 (Guimarães & Antunes, 2016) to address the lack of educational opportunities for older adults (Jacob, 2005). In recent decades, in Portugal but also in worldwide level, there has been a proliferation of these educational institutions.…”