The educational affinities of old age and youth

Too much emphasis on ‘growing old’ in our society has apparently been undermining the attitudes of late‐life learners to ‘keep growing’. By focusing on the planning context and client system components of basic programme planning, this paper explores the paradox that older adults and younger adults are too often segregated in their educational pursuits. While adult educators may be well aware of the older adult potential to learn, an unnecessary bias toward separate programming for younger and older learners precludes intergenerational learning and reinforces stereotypes about ageing processes. Through a discussion of recent gerontological findings, this paper provides support for future efforts toward educational integration of adults of all ages.