Senior Citizens Learning Pilot Study
Monday 23 April 2008

President Ferdinand von Prondzynski, DCU President presenting to a study participant, Frances Quinn

On Saturday 19 April, Senior Citizens who took part in the Gateway/Intergenerational Learning Pilot Study where presented with their certificates by President Ferdinand von Prondzynski, DCU President, and Sylvia Meehan, President of the Parliament for Senior Citizens.

The DCU students, who participated in this study, were also presented with Certificate of Participation. This study was funded by Age and Opportunity who actively promote the positive aspects of ageing.

This study has been undertaken by Trudy Corrigan a lecturer in the School of Education Studies who is interested in the benefits of engaging older people in learning opportunities with third level students. The study had a dual purpose: (1) To engage older people in learning opportunities at third level and (2)To enable older people to learn from DCU students especially in the area of new Information Communication Technology Skills.

The School of Communications together with the School of Education Studies participated in this pilot study. This culminated in the students producing a CD titled “A Kinda Short Story”. Marie-Louise O’Donnell, a lecturer from the School of Communication, guided and directed the students in producing their own short stories for radio broadcast through the module “The Art and Craft of Radio.”

This study wishes to explore the potential of learning opportunities between older people and younger school leaving students at third level. The aim is to tap into the wealth of learning opportunities gained from the retired professional, academics and other older people in third level learning.

An older student commented “The DCU students are truly amazing, their stories of college life have awakened in me my desire for further studies at third level.”

The DCU students enjoyed the experience of learning together. “It makes you realize that older people have the same interests as us and they are really motivated to learn. Because of their life experience they have a lot to contribute.”