Aktif Yaşlanma Açısından Hayat Boyu Öğrenme: Üçüncü Yaş Üniversiteleri

Abstract

Growing elderly population has led more researches to be conducted on the subject nowadays both in the world and Turkey. In the scope of active ageing, elderly population are not only encouraged contributing to employment but also to the subjects of health, education, and social life. Considering elderly people's education on this manner, the matter becomes more relevant. In the extent of lifelong learning, elderly people tend to do training services that attract them. Several countries have made revisions and build educational facilities on elderly people education. Subjects as language, religion, history, philosophy, music, and art thought targeting elderly people in Toulouse University in France. This university in France have inspired several countries in Europe and in the world. University of Third age, known as British model in the literature, was founded later in Cambridge in 1981. This study examines lifelong learning term with respect to active ageing. Document analysis method was used in the research. Descriptive approach, one of the comparative education approaches, was used. In this context, Universities of third age oriented on elderly people's education will be analyzed around the world. Frequently mentioned in the literature, French Model of University of Third Age and British Model University of Third Age will be investigated via samples of Comenius University and Melbourne University regarding their activities and structures. Refection University, founded in 2016 in Turkey, will be investigated lastly in this study. Thus, this study reveals both world and Turkish examples of the practices and becomes a guidance for steps to be followed and social policies. Structured Abstract:Introduction: Today, factors such as the rapid developments in the field of medicine and technology, the discovery of new drugs and diagnostic methods, the development of preventive health services, the finding of cures for many deadly diseases have caused social, economic, cultural and demographic changes all over the world. With the decrease in fertility and mortality, life expectancy at birth has increased, the average life expectancy in the world and Turkey has increased and the elderly population has risen rapidly. With the rapid increase of the elderly population, the problems of the elderly have become more visible and new arrangements in social policies in this area have been required. In this context, active aging policies are developed by the World Health Organization and are increasingly important as the population gets older all over the world. Elderly education targeted within the scope of lifelong education is also among these policies. Lifelong learning has become one of the strategic goals of active aging due to the many benefits it provides to the elderly. When we evaluate these benefits, it first provides psychological well-being to the elderly. The old age period brings many problems such as problems in physical health, exit from the labour market, low income, loss of spouse and social status. In this respect, lifelong learning increases the self-confidence, satisfaction and quality of life of the elderly