Unusual suspects for Age-Friendly University (AFU) intergenerational classroom exchange: A classroom case study in...

Area of Science:

• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Forensic Science Education
• Gerontology in Education

Background:

• Ageism persists, necessitating broader intergenerational contact in higher education.
• Traditional aging curricula have utilized intergenerational activities to promote age inclusivity.
• Extending intergenerational exchange across diverse academic disciplines is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of intergenerational classroom activities on student learning in a forensic science course.
• To assess students' perceptions of intergenerational exchange as an educational asset in non-aging focused subjects.
• To align with the Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative's goals for intergenerational teaching and learning.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of an intergenerational activity within a forensic science course.
• Older adults from a university-based retirement community (UBRC) co-created a mock crime scene scenario.
• Students engaged with older adults in analyzing evidence from the mock crime scene.
• Post-activity surveys assessed students' perceived learning gains and attitudes toward intergenerational interaction.

Main Results:

• Student responses indicated a positive impact on content learning within the forensic science curriculum.
• The intergenerational experience enhanced students' perceived value of diverse classroom interactions.
• Older adults actively contributed to the learning process by developing and facilitating the crime scene activity.

Conclusions:

• Intergenerational activities can effectively enhance content learning in diverse, non-aging focused university courses.
• Integrating older adults into academic settings fosters valuable learning experiences for students.
• The Age-Friendly University (AFU) model can be successfully applied across various disciplines to combat ageism and enrich education.