Ithaca College

Gerontology Institute director John Krout and Peggy McKernan, research analyst in the institutional research department, co-authored a chapter in the Gerontology & Geriatrics Education journal (volume 26, number 4, 2007).

The chapter, entitled "The Impact of Gerontology Inclusion on 12th Grade Student Perceptions of Aging, Older Adults, and Working with Elders," was compiled from data collected from approximately 650 upstate New York 12th-grade students enrolled in a government class that included from five to 10 lessons on aging issues. The research was conducted using funds from a grant administered by the Gerontology Institute.

The chapter highlights findings which suggest that including information on aging in a high school social studies course can lead to more positive student perceptions of aging and general attitudes toward working with older adults.