SIG3 - Learning in Later Life

Terms of Reference

1. To connect practitioners and researchers in later life learning to enable them to share their expertise and skills.
2. To generate ideas concerning ways to encourage more adults into later life learning.
3. To take into account the complexity of learning in later life by adopting a multi-disciplinary approach to include perspectives from e.g. educational research, psychology, gerontology, sociology, neuroscience and political science.
4. To incorporate comparative studies, especially those connected to social policies, whilst acknowledging demographic change and the heterogeneity of older populations.
5. To hold an international symposium in 2018 with later life learning as one of the main themes.
6. To advocate for later life learning to be one of the foci of UN Agenda 2030.
7. To inform governments, longevity and seniors’ associations of policy and strategies for action.

 Members

• Brian Findsen, NZ (Convenor) - Professor of (adult) education
• Thomas Kuan, Singapore  - Sec-Gen and in-coming President of EAFAE (East Asia Federation for Adult Education); Founder, U 3rd Age (Singapore)
• Lawrence Tsui, Macao - Elected Exco member of ICAE for 2 terms (1991-1999), East Asia; Coordinator and Exco member of ASPBAE (1986-1999), President of East Asia Forum for Adult Educators (EAFAE) from 2008- 2012 and currently Hon.       President of EAFAE.
• Dr Alexandra Withnall, UK - Associate Fellow, Centre for Lifelong Learning, University of Warwick UK
• Bernhard Schmidt-Hertha, Germany - Convenor of the Network on Education and Learning of Older Adults (ELOA)
• Dr. Archanya Ratana-Ubol, Thailand - Assoc. Prof.; Head, Department of Lifelong Learning, Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University; Founder member of U3A-Thailand
• Sajjan Singh, India -  Medical doctor and Founder of Chinmaya U3A, Rewa India
• Dr Hsiu Mei Tsai, Taiwan - Professor, The National University of Chung Cheng, Taiwan
• NamShun Kim, South Korea - President, Lifelong Education Institute of Gyungbuk Province, Korea; Prof. Daegu University, Korea
• Barry Golding, Australia Federation University Australia
• Brendan O’Dwyer , Australia - Communications and Media Director, Council on the Ageing (COTA)
• Dayong Yuan, China - Institute of Vocational and Adult Education, Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences (BAES)
• Peter Kearns, Australia - Member, PASCAL International Observatory Board
• Denise Reghenzani-Kearns, Australia - Lifelong learning practitioner, researcher, policy maker
• Robin Webster, Australia 
• Xia Qing, Annie, China - Dongcheng Community College in Beijing, China
• Xiagmei Jia, China - Director of Community Education Department in Xicheng Community College, Beijing
• David Instance - OECD in the education sector
• Chris Duke, UK and France [ex officio] - Honorary Professor, RMIT University; Secretary General of PIMA

Publications

Cultivating Age-Friendly Institutions for Older Adults: Insights from Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Network in the United States  [1]- Craig A. Talmage, Richard C. Knopf, Jack Hansen, Kevin M. Connaughton and Steven P. Thaxton

Towards good active ageing for all in a context of deep demographic change and dislocation [2] [2]- Peter Kearns

Policy for Good Active Ageing in Australia: Progress and challenges [3] - Peter Kearns

The Value of Nostalgia Therapy for Fourth Age Learners with Dementia [4] - Peter Kearns

Educational opportunities for older adults in the United States [5] - Sandra von Doetinchem