A great step forward in upskilling for older workers?

Interesting and potentially exciting news at the end of 2012 that a group of established UK learning institutions are joining forces to enter the world of MOOC provision. For the uninitiated (which, until reading this article, included me) MOOCs are ‘massive open online courses’ – training courses that typically free, conducted online and open to anyone who wants to participate

In 2013 12 UK universities will be getting together to form a new company that will offer the online courses – under the brand name of FutureLearn Ltd. The universities are: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Anglia, Exeter, King’s College London, Lancaster, Leeds, Southampton, St Andrews and Warwick, along with UK distance-learning organization The Open University (OU).

Several U.S. universities including Harvard and MIT are already involved with MOOCs as are a few other UK universities but this will apparently be the first large group to set up a dedicated MOOC business located in the UK.

Details of courses and operations are yet to be finalised but the OU said FutureLearn will be open to students in the UK and internationally. It will:

• bring together a range of free, open, online courses from leading UK universities, that will be clear, simple to use, and accessible.
• draw on the OU’s expertise in delivering distance learning and pioneering open education resources to underpin a unified, coherent offer from all of its partners.
• reimagine class-based learning rather than trying to replicate it online – using the potential of digital technologies.

Commenting on the development, Martin Bean, the Vice Chancellor of The Open University said: “MOOCs represent an enormous development in higher education, one that has the potential to bring about long-lasting change to the HE sector.” 

The potential role of MOOCs in ongoing learning and upskilling, particularly for older workers is theoretically vast and could be a key tool for helping people stay in work for longer. Let’s hope that this is borne in mind by those designing and marketing the courses.

Read more at http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/13/12-u-k-universities-forge-moocs-alliance-futurelearn-consortium-will-offer-uni-branded-open-online-courses-starting-next-year/

Older learners – a new source of revenue for UK universities?

If it is to be believed that where the US goes, the UK will follow, academic governors ought to be paying heed to a recent article published in the US.

It suggests that many retirees are settling in towns that boast major universities. One survey of people 55 to 75 years of age found that more than half had a favourable view of retiring to a university town, and that in response a large number of campus communities have put out the welcome mat.

Retirees are attracted by the chance to take courses, find volunteer work at the universities, and enjoy the cultural activities that are part of the academic scene.

In the UK increasing numbers of older people are participating in the Open University and the University of the Third Age as well as enrolling in degree courses at mainstream universities. The question of the extent to which specific “third age” programmes should be designed for older people is open to debate but certainly a more positive drive to openly recruit more mature+ students could be a profitable move.

To see the full story:

http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/senior-citizens-attracted-to-campus-settings-1259893.html

The reality of 21st century Isolation?

In June, the UK charity Friends of the Elderly ran a social experiment – ‘Isolation Week’ – that saw ten volunteers aged 22 – 50 years experience social isolation as if they were themselves an isolated older person. This involved the individuals being confined to their own homes for a whole week during which they were not allowed any human contact.

The participants also used special equipment such as gloves and vision-impairing glasses to let them experience the effects of physical ageing. Their experiences were recorded on video diaries, twitter, blogs and daily questionnaires. The final questionnaire gave them a chance to reflect back on what they had learnt from the whole experience.

In less than a week, the majority of the participants started describing experiences and feelings similar to those described by housebound older people. They felt lethargic and tired, struggled to find motivation to do things or get out of bed, became ‘uncharacteristically’ emotional, weepy and lost concentration. The days seemed to drag on with nothing apart from the tasks to break up the monotony. Several participants mentioned feeling abandoned by friends and society.

All mentioned boredom and some felt that this triggered further negative feelings, while others talked about the difficulties of combating boredom and the frustration and anger this often resulted in. They dealt with this by giving themselves tasks, e.g. housework, cooking and doing the laundry. They read books, watched films, played computer games and wandered around their house/flat. One person even mentioned counting the tiles in their bathroom! A couple of people got drunk to try and numb the feelings of abandonment, but concluded that this did not solve the problem.

However two of the volunteers seemed to cope better with the isolation than the other eight. Although they also experienced boredom and problems with motivation, they focused on what they were able to do rather than on what they had no control over. One used yoga and meditation to combat negative feelings and the other planned and prepared elaborate meals and used the time to enjoy hobbies and other activities that external pressures would normally not allow. A third volunteer also mentioned ‘getting on with an enjoyable task’ that they had not had time to do previously as a positive experience. However, all three admitted that they did not enjoy the prolonged isolation from human contact.

In itself this study tells us nothing new; we know intuitively that most people dislike and do not cope well with isolation (hence using solitary confinement as a punishment).  But it does raise the interesting question of how much the advent of social media will contribute to overcoming such problems for older people in the future. In this study participants were not allowed to speak to anyone on the phone or communicate in a two way conversation via the internet. Yet with the increasing use of the internet and webcams by people of all ages – alongside texts and emails – it is difficult to imagine why the older people of the future should, in general, be as socially isolated as those of the past.   

It was also interesting to note that those who managed best were those who had interests and activities that they could do. A warning surely that with impending old age we must all develop coping mechanisms in terms of finding ways to occupy ourselves and things we are able to do rather than just holding up our hands and assuming we are powerless.

It should be recognised that this social experiment could not mimic the true reality of socially isolated housebound older people with few resources. However, the week did illustrate in the words of one of the volunteers ‘how easy and quick it is to become isolated and feel out of society’.

Further information can be found at www.isolationweek.com

Old Masters?

The Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC) seems a useful and worthwhile organization focusing on matters relating to the living arrangements of the older generation.  However I was disturbed to hear about their Over 60s Art Awards which (to quote their website) “have been encouraging and celebrating the remarkable wealth of talent, creative energy and enthusiasm among amateur artists aged between 60 and 100+, since 1995”.

Why on earth do they feel it necessary to have a special art award for people aged over 60? If the rationale is that those in this age group are so much better than younger people (by virtue of their long years of practise) thereby making this some sort of Artistic Masters Championship then maybe there might be a point. If however, as it seems, it is simply to underline that yes, poor old dears can still hold a pencil, brush, charcoal or camera and turn out something that passes for art, then it’s downright insulting.

Surely art is an arena where age simply continues to add to expertise?  This being the case shouldn’t the good folk at the EAC simply be encouraging older artists to go and knock the socks off the judges in mainstream competitions?

How can we ever hope to overcome ageist stereotyping if it is still being reinforced in ways such as this by those who should know better?

For more information see www.eacartawards.org.uk

Goodbye 9 to 5 – on TV

Following on from my previous blog, this week I tuned into a new TV programme “Goodbye 9 to 5” aimed at those over 55 who have retired or are about to retire.

It can be found on “Information TV” (Sky 166 or Freesat 402) and is put together by Chris Gosling who runs the firm Serious Leisure TV from East Anglia. The programmes are low budget but very interesting and professionally put together, and obviously now need all the visibility they can get as they roll out their schedule.

55 is an interesting age to choose but we can fully understand why. There will be those who have retired and will appreciate the leisure aspects and also the injustices that some in retirement will have to face but there are many for whom retirement is not yet an option and those people will be looking for content of a differing nature. Advance notice of issues to come show that Chris is well aware of this and we look forward to watching the content develop.

Furthermore, there is also a networking site to back it up which is actively seeking feedback and suggestions from people regarding the direction the programmes should take – and even, maybe, the possibility of contributing to the programmes at some future date. Check it out and sign up at http://goodbye925.ning.com/.

We wish this venture every success and look forward to seeing it progress.

Mexico opens University for the Elderly

Interesting news that Mexico, where by 2010 10% of the population will be over 60, has just opened a University for the Elderly. The move is in recognition of the fact that, according to the accompanying news release, “the elderly in Mexico remain largely marginalized”.

Whilst this appears a great move and definite marker for the fact that the over 60s have the capacity and interest to learn, one hopes that the underlying tenet isn’t one of creating a playground for the old – albeit on a higher intellectual plain than most of the “beneficial” activities created for the good of the elderly.

Fortunately the curriculum appears reassuringly solid: maths, French, economics, finance and accounting, history, philosophy, law, music appreciation and IT skills. Alongside this will be special courses on topics such as emotional intelligence, the psychology of the elderly, violence and depression, self-esteem and free time management.

Certainly a case of watch that space. If the Mexican University delivers all that it might it could represent a valuable role model for other countries to follow. In the UK we have the University of the Third Age about which little is heard, and toward which one suspects, little status and respect is granted. It could do more. If nothing else we need such institutions to drive the prominent message that older people can learn, still have value and can look forward to an interesting and stimulating period of later life.

November Newsletter – Introduction

While everyone about us is deep in economic doom and gloom, here at in my prime we believe there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful. First of all, one of the great advantages of being this age is that we have, to a degree, seen it all before. Having lived through previous economic crises without witnessing universal melt-down we realise that it’s part of a natural cycle for these things to happen and that life will go on regardless of whatever crunches, squeezes or downturns occur. That’s not to understate the situation of people of any age who are now facing real hardship as a result, particularly those who have been made redundant, but for the majority of us it’s more a case, as the saying goes, that “into each life a little rain must fall”. Though sometimes, unfortunately, that rain doesn’t come at the best of times.

Although it seems a heavy price to pay we also take heart from the fact that as times get hard economic necessity is increasingly encouraging all of us “back to basics” in terms of such skills as cooking, sewing, walking, cycling and growing our own produce. We are starting to take green issues much more seriously too now that saving energy and preventing waste are necessities rather than “nice to haves”.

Relatively, we have much to be thankful for: as in my primers we no longer have to face the emotional angst and financial challenges of the young and are fortunate to be much better placed than the elderly, many of whom must face economic difficulties on what is often a very tight budget with very few options in terms of how they might improve their situation or their ability to cope with it. As new research from Age Concern shows, not only is economic hardship a gruelling day-to-day reality but social isolation is equally prevalent with over a million elderly people reporting that they often or always feel lonely. Fortunately that’s something that each and every one of us can do something about quite easily if we only make the effort – both to offer companionship to the elderly and to work on building and maintaining our own social networks now to cushion us in old age.

Reasons to be cheerful? We could go on – but hopefully you get the point – although we’re all constantly assaulted by media hype about the sky falling in, it’s important to look at what’s positive about the situation; there really is plenty to be upbeat about. Not least the wonderful Cheri Lunghi flying the flag for older women on Strictly Come Dancing alongside the inimitable John Sargeant. With the two of them as wildly differing role models there is hope for us all…

Hands around the world

We are constantly amazed and impressed by the range of activities that in my primers embark upon both at home and abroad and the huge amount they contribute to society as a result. This month we feature details of a project in Uganda which is not only improving the situation of an entire community but, on a personal level, is enriching the lives of the volunteers who participate in the project. Jenny, one of the project volunteers, tells her story:

“This time last year I decided to join a project team going to the village of Siriba in Uganda in January 2008 for the charity Hands Around the World. The purpose of the project was to build a classroom block next to Siriba’s existing primary school and so provide space for vocational training (carpentry, brickwork, tailoring) for youngsters who have completed primary education (often a few years later than in the UK) but whose families cannot afford the costs of secondary school.  In fact a large number of the youngsters are orphans who have come south in recent years to escape the ongoing rebel activity in the north of the country – they have almost nothing except the goodwill of extended family or complete strangers who have taken them in.

Well, the January 2008 project team worked with local volunteers to build the classroom block and now it is now being put to some use.  But it isn’t fully complete or equipped yet and also the classrooms of the existing primary school are in a dreadful state - partly through lack of funds and partly because they are used by four or five times as many children as originally intended.  They desperately need substantial repairing and one block needs a roof!

So what’s happening now? Currently Hands Around the World is recruiting a small team from Hertfordshire to go to Siriba in August 2009 for four weeks.  The team will raise funds for the project and travel to Siriba to work alongside volunteers from the local community.  If you or anyone you know may be interested in a challenging and life-changing experience  all ages are being considered, as well as all levels of building experience (although building and DIY skills are extremely useful!).  Volunteers will also need to have enthusiasm for fundraising during the first half of 2009 – as a team and/or individually.”

For more information about the charity and its projects visit the Hands Around the World website (www.hatw.org.uk) or email Jenny (jennifer@jwiles4.wanadoo.co.uk) for details of the information and team selection day planned for Sunday 23rd November in Harpenden, Hertfordshire.

Pipe and slippers anyone?

Much as we admire and applaud what people such as Jenny (above) and many like her are doing in later life to selflessly help others whilst also taking heroic steps to develop their own personal boundaries, we recognise that such exploits aren’t for everyone.  As you know we fervently believe that the in my prime generation is in no way OLD and none of us should be slowing down, giving up, giving in, or feeling we’re past it because of outmoded ageist attitudes (our own as well as those of society at large). But sometimes the role models of those who are achieving incredible things in later life can make the rest of us feel a bit inadequate. Okay, so maybe we could run a marathon or trek in the Andes if we really put our minds to it – but what if we don’t actually WANT to?

Heartening news then from a study conducted by Keele University and King’s College London showing that most members of what they call the baby boom generation have modest ideas for their retirement. While some plan substantial projects, particularly in relation to travel or using second homes, most people’s ideas for spending time after retirement retain a traditional pattern – watching television and films, playing records or going for long walks.

According to researcher Dr Rebecca Leach, “Findings from the study indicate that most have fairly modest aspirations, hoping at best to maintain current lifestyles and activities provided health and finances permit them to do so. The range of lifestyles is greater than would have been the case with previous generations but there is little evidence of ‘alternative’ models of consumption. Many of those questioned professed a critique of materialism, yet demonstrated ambivalence about this in practice.”

The research reveals that “baby boomers” are a diverse group, varying considerably depending on wealth, class and education. Only a minority – 41 per cent – of those interviewed identified with the term “boomer” and most- 70 per cent – regarded age as unimportant in terms of their personal identity. Almost without exception, they told the researchers that they felt younger than their actual age. Boomers regard themselves as being more like their children and younger people than like their parents and older generational groups and, say the researchers, “see ageing as something that requires managing but is not overly problematic.”

So the overall message seems to be that you don’t need to embark upon heroic deeds or even do things differently to show people that you’re young in spirit. It just seems to go with the territory. Hold fast to that fact on those days when, for whatever reason, you just feel old…

Book of the month

If not now, when – living the baby boomer adventure

by Esther Rantzen, published in hardback by Headline Springboard (July 2008).

(paperback version to follow early 2009)

In her typical style, Esther Rantzen exhorts her fellow baby boomers not to go gently into old age and provides practical advice on how to do it. It’s never too late to take up hang-gliding, swim with dolphins and a host of other things.

Rather like Marmite, you either like or loathe the somewhat opinionated, Esther-knows-best approach but her heart’s always in the right place.

To order this and other similar books click here.

Get ahead: get a shed

Although the popular image of later life is of older people living in houses that are much too big for them, like most stereotypes, this often doesn’t reflect reality at all. Particularly once we retire we may find we don’t have nearly enough room for hobbies, starting a business, or just sitting quietly out of the way of the normal household bustle. You may not have thus far realised it but July 7^th marks the start of National Shed Week and with it the award of the title of “Shed of the Year – 2008” carrying a grand prize worth £500 from Garden Buildings Direct.

But you’ll have to hurry – entries to “Share your Shed” have to be in by 8th June. There are a possible 16 different categories of shed in which you might enter the competition, showing just how serious and complicated a business this is. As well as the more recognisable categories, there are “Pub shed”, “Tardis”, “Unique” and “Weird”, still leaving room for an “Other” category. Currently a mainly British affair, it is hoping to open its doors more widely in the future. For more, take a leisurely stroll to www.shedblog.co.uk

Book of the month

Grow your own family tree

by Alan Stewart, published by Penguin ( May 2008 )

There’s no doubt about it, for some reason as we get older many of us start to wonder more about where we came from and who our ancestors were – all part, no doubt, of the process of realising we may now be amongst the oldest members of the family and thus the repository of knowledge about our family history. Today, thanks to the internet, tracking our ancestors has now become a much more readily accessible interest, reflected in the popularity of such programmes as the BBC’s Who do you think you are? and intermittent news stories about people who have tracked down relatives and ancestors they previously knew nothing about.

In this clear and easy-to-read guide Alan Stewart, one of Britain’s most renowned voices on family history, details what you need to trace your roots. Offering a concise and comprehensive summary of how to locate and use a range of records, there’s information from births to burials, including how to access census records, free online databases and even military information. It also includes many case studies and real-life examples showing vividly how others have traced their family stories, along with a plethora of helpful timelines, tips and pictures.