Integrated Studies in Gerontology

This course is designed to provide you with the opportunity to synthesize and integrate the learning experiences acquired in gerontology and to evaluate the research and current topics relative to this area of concentration. In order to achieve this objective, you are required to write an extensive literature review and create/conduct a two hour workshop for gerontological professionals on a specific topic related to aging and older adults. As both of these tasks require an intensive effort, work on these projects must begin as soon as possible.

Teaching and training are the two most common consultive activities (primarily encompasses the dissemination of information, concepts, and/or skills). As such, you need to develop the skills necessary to present effective training workshops. While you have done short presentations in previous classes, rarely will you be asked in the future to give a 5 to 10 minute presentation (other than perhaps during a meeting at one's place of work). More likely you will be brought in to speak to a group or present at a conference. These presentations typically last an hour or longer. Thus, you will conduct a two-hour mini-workshop as part of the class requirement.

When the consultant's strategy is educational, four assumptions must be addressed.

If these assumptions are not met, the workshop will most likely fail to be successful and/or fail to meet its objectives.

  1. The training will bring about needed change in the trainee's performance or knowledge base.

  2. Trainees have the necessary ability/motivation to learn new concepts/skills and apply them.

  3. If the trainees are part of an organization, the organization supports the acquisition and incorporation of the new information, skills, and/or technology.

  4. The training will result in the agency and/or individuals becoming more effective.

Common Methods

Fifteen characteristics of effective training designs

  1. Collaborative planning - match goals and design to trainees, agency, and trainer

  2. Relevance - based on need's assessment

  3. Uniqueness - designed to fit the needs of the agency (avoid "prepackaged" workshops)

  4. Flexibility - ability to change content and method if the need arises or agency/trainee needs change

  5. Alternate methods - to accomplish varied objectives or accommodate learner differences

  6. Clarity - make sure that all of your advance information concerning goals, needs, trainees, etc. is accurate

  7. Voluntary participation - trainees who don't want to be there are resistant to learning

  8. Careful sequencing of learning tasks - go from basic/simple to complex, listening before negotiation, etc.

  9. Pacing - watch for signs of fatigue, boredom, overload (tardiness, yawning, talking, etc.)
  10. bring up pacing issues for discussion and get feedback

  11. Learner comfort - be aware of physical, social, and/or psychological conditions
  12. may want to include icebreaker activities

  13. Supportive group norms - build group norms and social rewards fro experimentation, responsibility taking, expressing differences, etc.

  14. Readiness - do they have the skills necessary for the new educational activities?

  15. Learner activity - encourage active participation

  16. Feedback loops - discussion, tests, surveys, playback of video tapes, etc.
  17. should be ongoing and part of final process

  18. Leader support - co-trainers often increase program effectiveness


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Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have or to arrange a time to discuss your topic prior to the second week of class