Instructional Techniques and Environmental Considerations in Family Life Education Programming for Midlife and Older Adults

Instructional Techniques and Environmental Considerations in Family Life Education Programming for Midlife and Older Adults* We review the theory and practice of education with midlife and older adult populations and empirically address two theoretically guided research questions: (a) What are older adults' preferences for instructional strategies and techniques in programs? (b) What environmental considerations (e.g., lighting) do older adults perceive as important in influencing their attendance, participation, and satisfaction with programs? Data were collected from and compared among 264 adults representing four age groups: 50-64 (midlife), 65-74 (young old), 75-84 (old old), and 85 and over (oldest old). Recommendations for family life education practices with older adults are addressed. Key Words: educational gerontology, environment, family life education, instruction, older adults. Current demographic trends suggest that members of the "baby boom generation" (i.e., those born between 1946 and 1964) are making the transition into later life in large numbers (Morgan, 1998). Compared with other age groups, baby boomers are generally considered one of the fastest growing cohorts in the United States. Midlife and older Americans (i.e., aged 50 and over) are part of a unique demographic phenomenon called the "50-50-50 principle," which refers to the fact that every 50 seconds another 50 baby boomers celebrate their 50th birthdays (Gonyea, 1998). Demographic projections estimate that by 2030 the number of people aged 50 and over will reach 127 million (about 36% of the population; U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). These projected trends indicate that the baby boom generation will dominate the elderly population. An operating principle among family life educators is that individuals of different ages have different needs in terms of family life education programs (Arcus, Schvaneveldt, & Moss, 1993). As a rapidly growing cohort, older adults pose two specific challenges to family life educators: (a) understanding how cognitive and physiological development influence environmental considerations associated with program design and implementation, and (b) understanding what instructional approaches are needed to be effective in affecting older adults' participation and learning. Arcus (1993) advocated that older adults receive more attention from family life educators seeking to establish and address the educational needs and learning environments of older populations. She suggested that a significant educational gap in the field of family life education is the narrow focus on the study of individuals and families, with limited attention being given to the educational principles influencing them across the life span. Furthermore, Arcus and Thomas (1993) suggested that little consideration has been given to the specific characteristics of family life education audiences. Educational programs specifically targeted for older adults began after 1950 as an extension of existing adult higher education programs (Hiemstra, 1998). In characterizing adult education over the past 20 years, there has been a notable increase in the number of educational programs for older adults, with these programs moving beyond recreational activities. Programs are offered in a variety of settings, are experiencing increased participation rates, and often are focusing on contributions to life and self-fulfillment (Manheimer & Moskow-McKenzie, 1995). Some of these existing programs could be loosely characterized as a category of family life education (e.g., as defined by Avery & Lee, 1964, or Tennant, 1989); however, as previously stated, there has been limited attention given to the specific family life education needs of older adults through these programming efforts (Arcus, 1993). The main purpose of family life education is to build strengths within families by helping individuals and families "learn about human growth, development, and behavior in family settings throughout the life cycle" (National Commission on Family Life Education, 1968, p. …