Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education
Lisa Hollis-Sawyer, PhD (she/her/hers)
Gerontology Program Coordinator
Psychology
Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Laura Donorfio, PhD, FAGHE (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor
Human Development and Family Sciences
University of Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut, United States
Lisa Hollis-Sawyer, PhD (she/her/hers)
Gerontology Program Coordinator
Psychology
Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Caitlin Reynolds, BS (she/her/hers)
Graduate Student
Psychology
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Andrea June, PhD
Professor
Psychological Science
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, Connecticut, United States
Ashley Lytle, PhD (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor of Psychology
Quantitative Social Science
Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, New Jersey, United States
Karen Devereaux Melillo, PhD, A-GNP-C, FAANP, FGSA (she/her/hers)
Professor Emerita
Solomont School of Nursing
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts, United States
This symposium will share a variety of pedagogical approaches designed to foster age-inclusivity and intergenerational learning. The authors will share research and outcomes of different educational designs utilizing intergenerational programming and other approaches to engage older and younger adult learners. The first presentation will explore how intergenerational discussions can be used in the classroom to facilitate collaborative learning among older adults, students, and instructors. The second presentation will discuss the development of a course abroad in Scotland called “Global Aging & Age-Friendly Initiatives,” aiming to promote intergenerational connection and global age-inclusivity. The third presentation will discuss "Between Islands," an intergenerational virtual contact intervention designed to promote creativity and intergenerational connection between younger and older adults while challenging stereotypes about aging. The fourth presentation will explore the experiences of emeriti faculty in engaging online with Introduction to Gerontology students in a novel intergenerational classroom activity. The final presentation will review intergenerational classroom design guidelines to optimize multiple generations' learning experiences, aging understanding/appreciation of others, and age-inclusivity. The empowerment and benefits of these efforts for the life-long learning of the generations involved will be discussed.
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Lisa Hollis-Sawyer, PhD (she/her/hers) – Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago)
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Caitlin M. Reynolds, BS (she/her/hers) – North Carolina State University
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Andrea June, PhD – Central Connecticut State University
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Ashley Lytle, PhD (she/her/hers) – Stevens Institute of Technology
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Karen Devereaux Melillo, PhD, A-GNP-C, FAANP, FGSA (she/her/hers) – University of Massachusetts Lowell