Life Stories of Older Adults: Learning Aging through Research and Reflection

Grant recipients:

Elena Neiterman and Christine Sheppard, School of Public Health and Health Systems

(Project timeline: September 2018-August 2019)

Project team: 

Elena Neiterman, Christine Sheppard, Saman Husain, Souraiya Kassam, and Vanessa Bach, School of Public Health and Health Systems 

Description

In Winter 2018, students enrolled in Sociology of Aging course (HLTH/GERON/KIN/SOC 352/REC362) completed an experiential research activity followed by personal reflection. For this assignment, students had to interview an older adult, summarize the life story of their interviewee in a written report, analyze it using a theory they learned in class, and provide personal reflection on the lessons learned through this activity. 

The goals of the proposed project are to (a) examine students’ experiences of completing this assignment; (b) determine if and how this assignment enhanced students’ understanding and appreciation of the aging process; (c) identify how students’ program of study shaped their experience with the assignment; and (d) explore which aspects of the assignment work well and which could be improved.

This project fits with LITE eligibility criteria by examining the current instructional approach and identifying the ways to improve it in order to facilitate students’ learning. 

Research Questions

1. What is the impact of this assignment on students’ learning experiences? 
   1. In what ways did this project help students acquire qualitative research skills?
   2. In what ways did this project help students develop a deeper understanding of aging process?
   3. How did program of study (i.e., Health, Gerontology, Kinesiology, Sociology, or Recreation and Leisure) impact students’ experiences with this assignment?
2. Which aspects of this assignment were most helpful in facilitating student engagement with the course material and helping students achieve the course learning outcomes?
   1. Which parts of the assignments were particularly helpful?
   2. Which aspects of the assignment should be modified or improved?

Findings/Insights

Our findings suggest that students found it challenging to recruit an older adult for an interview and struggled with the semi-structured nature of the interview process.  All students found the actual interview process to be extremely rewarding and beneficial for their learning.