Aging Studies faculty Mary Ann Erickson, Associate Professor and Chair, and Elizabeth J. Bergman, Associate Professor, co-presented a resource exchange at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) in Miami, March 9-12, entitled Deepening Discussion about Diversity in Gerontology Courses. Elizabeth Bergman also presented a resource exchange entitled, Innovations in Intergenerationality as a Pedagogical Tool.
Deepening Discussion about Diversity in Gerontology Courses addresses the heightened awareness of the need to pay attention to how individuals react to diversity and inequality. Gerontology faculty at Ithaca College use a variety of resources and techniques to change the presentation of non-dominant groups from a once-a-semester discussion to an ongoing part of our courses. In particular, participants heard about the transformation of an Aging & Social Policy class through a diversity focus, and the integration of discussions of white privilege into a Sociology of Aging class. Along with deeper discussions of difference comes the likelihood of microaggressions in classroom discussion; the presenters provided background resources and shared techniques for guiding discussions with students. Finally, Erickson and Bergman presented resources for discussing whiteness and white privilege in classes.
Innovations in Intergenerationality as a Pedagogical Tool introduces three innovative course-based intergenerational projects conducted in the context of introductory undergraduate aging courses. The Let’s Dream Together project brought together kindergarteners, 5th graders, undergraduate students, and older adults for a series of activities and discussions about hopes and dreams – for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Now in its fifth iteration, the Age on Stage project brought together undergraduate students and older adults in the production and performance of short, original musical plays. The StoryCorps project paired undergraduate students and older adults for a series of discussions, culminating with a recorded StoryCorps piece made using the StoryCorps App and archived on the StoryCorps.me website. Learning objectives, logistical considerations, and outcomes of each project were presented, woven together with an overall review of the pedagogical benefits and opportunities of intergenerational programming.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20170316150744701