Improving Acheivement and Attainment in Education
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The University of Strathclyde is conducting research into intergenerational engagement, focusing on benefits for both older adults and children. Their initiatives include an intergenerational mentoring network and an 8-week school project aimed at improving attitudes and skills through engagement with different age groups. Ongoing studies aim to assess health, cognitive, and social outcomes from intergenerational programs and adapt their approaches based on findings.
Improving Acheivement and Attainment in Education
- 1. 1 University of Strathclyde: Our Research into Ageing and Intergenerational Engagement Dr Louise Nicholls School of Psychological Sciences & Health Generations Working Together Annual Conference, March 2019 @LNichollsStrath @StrathAgeing • We're in the UK’s top 20 universities for research intensity • Strathclyde is an Age Friendly University in a WHO Age Friendly City! • One of our strategic themes is "Lifelong health & wellbeing" University of Strathclyde • What do we mean by ‘intergenerational’? • Can involve a variety of age groups, contexts, activities (most people think about children visiting nursing homes!) • Will vary according to the aims of the project. Intergenerational Work Intergenerational Work • Strathclyde’s Intergenerational Mentoring Network (based in School of Education): - Mentoring of young people (primarily older children) to challenge inequalities in education and employment - weekly or fortnightly meetings to support participation and retention in higher education (Wilson et al., 2014) - Also now working in two Glasgow primary schools to help young children’s literacy
- 2. 2 • Strathclyde’s Centre for Lifelong Learning (follow @StrathclydeAFA) - Recently conducted an 8-wk intergenerational project in schools - “Sharing Childhood 2” (SACHI2) - Based on foreign language learning - Appeared to enhance attitudes to older adults, and increase children’s skills - Working with European partners to produce ‘best practice’ guide Intergenerational Work • Engagement/’use it or lose it’ hypothesis (e.g. Schooler, 2007) • Correlational evidence of engagement effects is limited (are the ‘busy’ people just better able to engage in the first place?) • Experimental evidence shows potential benefits of increased social and intellectual engagement (Stine-Morrow et al., 2008) • Helping to inspire new research investigating the range of potential benefits of intergenerational engagement • One recent theory highlights that the older brain can benefit from interventions that bring social and cognitive engagement (Reuter- Lorenz & Park, 2014) Theoretical Background Example Evidence • A primary school-based intergenerational project showed benefits in older adult participants’ attention skills, particularly for those who had shown initial declines (Carlson et al., 2008) • There were also increases in brain volume after 2 years (Carlson et al., 2015) • Older adults’ reported social and physical activity found to increase (Parisi et al., 2014) • Observed benefits also extend to the children and schools (e.g. Fried et al., 2013) • Our own pilot study is first aimed at establishing and testing a protocol for implementing primary school-based intergenerational engagement • We will then seek to adjust the protocol if required, and then deliver a larger-scale programme that can fully test the range of outcomes Scientific research takes time…
- 3. 3 Thank you! l.nicholls@strath.ac.uk @LNichollsStrath @StrathAgeing Louise A. Brown Nicholls A school-based intergenerational engagement programme in West Lothian Anna Krzeczkowska PhD student at the School of Psychological Sciences and Health University of Strathclyde • To enhance brain functioning and thinking skills • To enhance health and wellbeing; • To increase social networks and support; Aims of intergenerational work • Significant improvements found in: cross-age attitudes (Darrow et al., 1994); health and wellbeing (de Souza et al., 2007); thinking skills (e.g., working memory, executive function; Carlson et al., 2008); physical activity (Tan et al., 2006) • Significant decreases found in: Levels of loneliness (Gaggioli et al., 2014) Depression (Hernandez et al., 2008) • Limited evidence of the impact of IG programmes on cognition; • Only few studies met the criteria for high quality research; • More homogenous evidence is needed. Systematic review of IG programmes
- 4. 4 • Gold standard of intergenerational work; • Intensive 15 hours/ week engagement; • Improvements in: – cognitive, physical and social function (Fried et al., 2004; Tan et al., 2006); – reading abilities amongst pupils and school climate (Rebok et al., 2004). • But: 15 hours very intensive, and participants receive a stipend Experience Corps® Our aims are to: 1) Assess the programme and research protocol 2) Gain pilot data of health, social and cognitive outcomes of lower-dose engagement 3) Adjust the programme if necessary, then carry out large- scale, full trial Pilot trial measuring… • Social outcomes (attitudes, generativity) • Cognitive outcomes (memory, concentration, attention, processing speed) • Health outcomes (physical activity, sleep quality, depression, loneliness) • Subjective experiences of intergenerational engagement • School climate and classroom behaviour Outcomes Methodology • A pilot randomised, controlled trial • + Qualitative research (diaries research and focus group) • 6 month programme, 8 hrs/wk • baseline, then follow-up months 3 & 6 Design • 60-85 years • Screened for health & PVG clearance • 50 volunteers (target) • 2 groups: intervention & control Participants
- 5. 5 Intergenerational programme in West Lothian in Practice https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland- 46664990/old-and-young-come-together-to-learn Where we are now… • Systematic review being finalised (watch this space!) • Pilot trial ongoing • Continuing to recruit healthy older adult volunteers (60-85 years) in or around West Lothian (final cohort 2019-2020) • Qualitative research during next 6 months Email: anna.krzeczkowska@strath.ac.uk https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anna_Krzeczkowska Thank you