« Activation of education of older people »

By Adyrbekov K.M

Teaching Older Adults

Staff Development Partners Edition

Instructor Guide

THIS MODULE INCLUDES:

1. Expected Staff Cognitive Competencies

2. Expected Staff Clinical Competencies

3. Content Outline including Learning Activities

   1. REMINDER TO INSTRUCTOR: Read activities in Instructor Guide and prepare materials for activities in advance

4. Scripted PowerPoint Presentation

5. 10-item Post Test

6. Resources

EXPECTED STAFF (Cognitive) COMPETENCIES

1. Identify key principles of adult learning.

2. Describe age-related factors that influence learning.

3. Identify effective strategies for teaching older adults.

4. Develop effective educational materials in print for older adults.

EXPECTED STAFF (Clinical) COMPETENCIES

Behaviors	How validated	Novice	Advanced Beginner	Competent	Proficient	Expert
Evaluate the readability index of written learner education materials using any of the readability tools.	Special project assigned to staff member Submission of an improved version of a learner education material at 5th through 8th grade reading level
Critique a website targeted to the older adult population using the principles of adult learning through feedback from older adult learners.	Written project or research study involving older adults evaluating several health-related websites.
Employ the principles of older adult learning in individual and group educational activities	Direct observation of a teaching event with an individual and with a group of older adults
Create teaching materials in electronic, audiovisual, or print formats that take into consideration principles of older adult learning	Samples of project: poster, brochure, pamphlets, website design, flip chart, slides, or transparencies

Competency 1. Identify key principles of adult learning.

1. Only 5% to 11% of what is taught by lecture is retained in the long term. Pure didactic teaching, therefore, is a poor investment in time and energy.

2. The health professional’s personal beliefs and attitudes about being old and a lack of understanding of the older adult population and their ability to learn is a major barrier to teaching the older learner. When planning educational activities for older adults, it is critical to recognize the stereotypes and myths attached to aging, such as being “senile”, “resistant to change”, and unproductive. A better understanding of the principles of older adult learning can be achieved by bridging the fields of medical and cognitive science, adult learning, and communications technologies, therefore, one must take into account the physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities of older adults.

3. Teaching older adults to use computers must take into account the effect of the aging process. Repetition, practice, and practical application, and grouping them with the same age group (older adults) are special considerations when training older adults in the use of computers.

4. Keep in mind the following adult learning principles when designing programs for older adults:

   1. Learning is enhanced when it is immediately applicable to real life contexts.

Adults prefer learning situations that allow choice and self-direction. Teaching should be targeted to what the learner needs and wants to know. They want to be able to apply whatever knowledge they gain today to living more effectively tomorrow. Being performance-centered in their orientation to learning, their learning activities should be organized around competency development.

Allow for as much choice as possible in making decisions during the learning experience. Ask what they already know about the topic, and then create a mechanism for mutual planning to help adults diagnose their needs, for example, the objectives and learning activities can be designed specifically to suit their needs. Share your agenda and assumptions. They will learn more than if they are passive recipients of “canned” educational content.