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Abstract
The intergenerational project began in 2013/14 aiming to integrate older and / or senior citizens
into ICT classes - Information and Communication Technologies with 10th grade students of
vocational courses taking place at EPBJC Bento de Jesus Caraa Vocational School, in Seixal, and
envolvement of two institutions AURPIPP Association of Retired Pensioners and Elderly of Paio
Pires and UNISSeixal - Senior University of Seixal. The current article benchmarks the assessment
carried out by the two groups of students, the role of experience in working with the elderly
people of AURPIPP held at the same school year during the 2nd and 3rd quarters in IT
Management and Reception Courses. Yet the best results are confronted with the experience held
by the group of IT Management students and the senior citizens of UNISSeixal.
Keywords: Intergenerational learning; older citizens; senior citizens.
Introduction
Since its beginning in 2013/14, several attempts were carried out with the implementation of the
intergenerational learning project at EPBJC - Bento de Jesus Caraa Vocational School Seixal,
resorting to various groups, either of students or older people and/or of senior citizens. After the
first experience shared with the students of 10th year ITM class (Information Technicians
Management) and AURPIPP, the Project designated as Encounter of Different Generations in a
Classroom, suggestions regarding interaction also of older people with another group of
students were made by means of some slight adjustments and benchmarking results between the
groups of students. In this way it was possible to integrate the older people with the students
under the same framework upon their presentation of topics and/or web content development in
their websites, however, the themes should not be dealt entirely by the older people, instead,
interaction should develop from there. (Carmo & Sousa, 2014, p. 636).
We compared these first two experiences, with the objective to develop our understanding of
intergenerational learning with the older people at day-care centers.
In order to substantiate this point of view, some of the results attained by the older people can
also be compared with the results attained by the senior citizens, the analysis arising from
projects with groups of older people with more autonomy, as in the case of the UNISSeixal
students (Carmo & Sousa, 2014, p. 635).
In both situations, the perspectives of adolescent students are analysed based upon: positive
aspects; negative aspects; suggestions and experience assessments.
Theoretical Framework
Ageing Population
According to Census 2011 of the National Statistics Institute (INE, 2011), evolution in the last forty
years clearly shows ageing trend, according to each census of the last decades.
Evolution of the Portuguese population structure (in %)
Age \ Census
1981
1991
2001
2011
0-14 years
25,5
20
16
14,9
15-64 years
63,1
66,4
67,7
65,9
65 + years
11,4
13,6
16,4
19,1
The older people have a percentage range from 11.4% recorded in 1981 up to 19.1% of last Census
in 2011, showing a growth variation of 7.7%.
65 + years
Although the World Health Organization (OMS, 2002) consider people over 60 years "the oldest",
in Portugal, according to the European Social Survey (ESS), old age is perceived to start after 65
years, which coincides with the proposal of Serro (2006 in Carneiro 2012), suggesting that the
term 'Seniors' should be considered for men and women over 65 years, relieved of formal
professional activities, who maintain their faculties, who are independent, healthy and active,
covering in terms of age, three decades, 65 to 95 years.
There are still three sub-types of elderly men and women:
(i) Very dependent elderly, over 85 years, and with dependence resulting either from natural
ageing or due to illness, including terminal cancer (Serro, 2006, p. 132, in Carneiro et al, 2012, p.
33).
(ii) Dependent elderly, with dependence resulting mainly from chronic illness that requires ongoing
medical treatments.
(iii) Independent elderly, those who maintain their faculties, but are inactive 'clinging to the false
slogan: As a retiree, I am not obliged to do anything' (Serro, 2006, p 132 in Carneiro et al, 2012, p.
33.).
So, in the same way, we propose considering the term "seniors" for the healthy and active elderly,
and just "elderly" for people who in their old age are inactive and dependent.
Active Ageing
In the late 90s, the term 'active ageing was adopted by the World Health Organization. Designed
to transmit a more involving message regarding 'healthy ageing' it reckons that, besides health
care, other factors affect the ageing methods of individuals and population" (Kalache et Kickbusch,
1997 in OMS, 2005, p. 14).
"Perspective of an active ageing throughout the life course recognizes that older people are not a
homogeneous group and that the diversity among individuals tends to increase with age. Develop
interventions to create supportive environments and promote a healthy choice are deemed of
great importance in all life stages (OMS, 2005, p. 15).
Intergenerational Programmes
In 1999, the International Consortium for Intergenerational Programmes (ICIP) defines intergenerational programmes as "vehicles for an intentional and ongoing exchange of resources and
learning among older and younger generations to [achieve] individual and social benefits" (HattonYeo & Ohsako, 2001).
Years later, Martinez and Conde (2005) and Hernandis (2009) in the International Consortium for
Intergenerational Programmes (ICIP), define intergenerational programmes as "means for a
particular and ongoing exchange of resources and learning between older generations and younger
ones in order to achieve individual and social benefits.
According to Mates project (Pinto, 2009) intergenerational practices seek to bring together
people with a purpose, through mutually designed activities that they benefit from each other and
promote a better understanding and respect between generations (Pinto, 2009, p.20).
Intergenerational programmes are deemed as proposals for Active Ageing and a response to the
ageing population, benefitting both the intervening generations.
The Intergenerational project that began in 2013/14 with an ongoing development process until
the present date, and a view to learning developments between teenagers and older generations,
has as framework to the initial question "Will the encounter of different generations in a
classroom, with students from secondary - vocational schools, and, older generations, promote
intergenerational cooperation and maintain the generations more connected?
Specific objectives for teenagers are:
- Increase and / or enhance the feeling of solidarity towards older generations;
- Contribute to develop a sense of social responsibility;
- Provide knowledge of past generations;
- Enrich learning with knowledge of past life situations;
- Increase students self esteem;
- Encourage students feelings of usefulness, to treat relationships with the elderly like an asset;
- Increase respect towards the older people;
- Help understand the historical origins of the older people;
technologies;
technologies;
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purpose is to "develop the ability to integrate knowledge from different subjects, approach these
knowledges of students life experiences and apply them with a better understanding of their
action on the contemporary world." (Rocha et al, 2005, p. 4). The encounter between generations
in the classroom helps this understanding of the world. Several explored work contents integrated
in ICT subject are based on life experiences.
According to the subject ICT programme itself, collaborative learning processes are intended to
promote the acquisition of social and emotional skills, help develop cognitive skills, "Relevance
given to these considerations are found in a methodological environment for which the
programme was designed. This is to create learning conditions in which cognitive skills are
stimulated simultaneously with the socio-affective, giving equal importance to the conveyed
knowledge and processes. "(Rocha et al, 2005, p. 4).
The data registered in one of the ICT modules, "databases" (Module 2) relates to the process meetings, thematics under development, scheduling, materials, contents to be used for website
building, etc. The other "web pages" (module 3) shows the work presentation and the defined
content organization in the groups, structured websites, using wix.com and / or HTML formatting
tool.
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From the experience with the two classes we registered the different results and assessment of
each of the classes. On analysing these results, we reflected on what were their origins and causes,
on one hand, the difference in approach with both classes and on the other the difference in
students own class learning profile. Both situations contribute to the discussion which encourages
guidelines implementation of intergenerational learning in the classroom when implemented for
older people attending day centers.
Finally, the results of the implementation on the day care center (AURPIPP) are compared with the
implementation, in the same school year between the group of 10th year ITM class and UNISSeixal
Senior University of Seixal. These contribute to deepen the conclusions that resulted from the
implementation of the two groups and AURPIPP.
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While in the first case the work theme depended on older people, in the second case, it was
developed by groups consisting merely of adolescent students, integrating older people in groups
of adolescents after the work had already been started, by continuing to connect with the life
experience of the older people and / or, only, by integrating the older people in the group and
continuing to develop the theme chosen by the students.
Conseqently, in the first case, 12th year ITM / AURPIPP, the working method was different owing
to the fact that it was the older people to set the tone for the development of Web sites. The
working themes were based on the biography of the older people, personal or private aspects of
their profession and / or occupation in day care, thus enabling the development process of the
website. The process was carried out during the 2nd period.
In the second case, 10th year Reception / AURPIPP, the shape was equally different because the
students had previously developed (during the 2nd period) a working theme that they would
eventually wind up sharing, integrating older people in the group (in the 3rd period), by continuing
the work also from the perspective of the elderly.
Intergenerational experiences
The first, 10th year ITM - Information Technicians Management and AURPIPP Association of
Retired Pensioners and Elderly of Paio Pires, was established with 25 students and 8 older people,
organized into 8 groups, each one with one older person and with 3 or 4 students.
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The project involves the 10th year class of the vocational course Information Technicians
Management and is part of the programme of Information and Communication Technology subject
(ICT) with 100 hours distributed throughout the school year. The subject comprises three modules
(spreadsheets with 33 hours; databases of 34 hours and web pages of 33 hours).
The intergenerational component is developed in the two modules, that of databases and the web
pages to operate simultaneously. With the first, databases are developed to register the classes,
planning and execution of the project; with the second, web pages, thematic web sites are
developed where the working groups are shown and structure of the contents displayed /
proposed by the older generations.
It should be noted that in either situation, students are orientated in each of the groups in the best
way in order to continue working with the elderly. Particularly in the first situation where the
theme depends on the older people, it has to be based on something that older people can share
with the students and consequently develop the web site through several researches (texts,
images, videos), that is also shared with the older people.
Regarding grouping composition: the first, IT Management, consists of 6 female students and 20
male students, totalling 26; the second consists of 13 female students and 12 male students,
totalling 25 students. In both classes most students are under the age of 18 years.
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The school community and its management bodies (Director, Pedagogical Council and Educational
Guidance classes, besides approving the project, engage in the logistics management of same,
either in time management, by combining the availability of institutions and people involved or in
providing more adequate rooms to receive people from older generations on weekly basis.
8 older people from AURPIPP, between the ages of 56 to 87 years also participate in the project,
one man and seven women, mean age being 77 years. In general, they are older people with a high
degree of dependence and reduced mobility. With regards to qualifications, there are 2 people
without any formal education, 4 with 4th standard, 1 with the sixth standard, and one with the 12th
standard. However, it should be pointed out that the integration of a 56 years old lady is justified
by the higher degree of dependence mainly psychological / psychiatric which falls within the range
profile of the older people with high dependence, population between 65 and 95 years of age. In
contrast with the youngest, just one of the ladies, aged 87 years with 12th standard education
appears to have a higher degree of autonomy, in regards to mobility as well as health wise.
According to classification done by Serro (2006 in Carneiro 2012), 7 of the day care people fall
within the category of dependent older people - "whose dependency results mainly from chronic
illness that requires constant medical treatments" (Serro, 2006, p. 132 in Carneiro et al, 2012, p.
33). A person is considered a senior citizen when disconnected from formal professional activities,
but maintains the capacity of independence by being physically active.
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8 people, between the ages of 60 and 80 years from UNISSeixal who participated, were all active
female students from the Senior University of Seixal. The themes were developed together with
the students based on their professional experience and their classes at UNISSeixal. The class that
participated with UNISSeixal was the 10th standard ITM, during the 3rd period, after the
experience with AURPIPP held in the 2nd period.
Besides the class attendance of Intergenerational learning experiences in the classroom, everyone
participated in the moment of assessment, presenting their works in a public session, witnessed by
students from other classes, representatives of EPBJC and UNISSeixal or by AURPIPP.
The 2 tables below demonstrate the work themes successfully managed by the classroom:
The themes that were developed in the first situation, 10th standard ITM / AURPIPP:
8 groups
25 students 6 (F) 19 (M)
8 elders 7 (F) and 1 (M) 77 Yrs.
Biography; violence; baptized
Makeup
Crochet
Minas de So Domingos - Corte de Pinto
Various life experiences
Corks Cork
Travels
Lace Revenues; thematics
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The themes that were developed in the second situation 10th year RT / AURPIPP:
9 groups
25 students 13 (F) 12 (M)
7 Elders 6 (F) e 1 (M) 75 Yrs.
http://jotlog.wix.com/projectointer
Pringles
Music, fashion, opinion, preferences;
Electronic Games / Traditional Games (only group of students)
Soccer
Fashion / Old time Fashion
Economy and Diabetes / Prevention
Bullying / What I can do
Grafitti
http://www.Facebook.com/intergeracionalidade (2 students
selected photos and posted design)
After the session of project presentation, participants answered the questionnaires on the project
objectives fulfillment and their assessment. Below is a summary of the assessment from the
students point of view of the two classes involved, from Bento de Jesus Caraa Vocational School.
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From the aspects referred to as positive more than three students mentioned each of the following
(seven) aspects: Knowing ancient lifestyle; Patience; Understand and respect the elderly;
Understand our future; Learning; Sympathy of the elder woman; It was very good for the elderly.
Almost half the class did not mention anything or any positive aspects.
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The students are very critical regarding to what did not go well: five reported that there was lack of
interest; five said that there was a lack of communication; four referred to the disability or lack of
subject by the elderly and the difficulty in developing the theme. Only two state that all went well
and one indicates socialisation. The main concern is that almost half of the students (9) reported
that nothing went well.
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In what regards suggestions, they also have a very negative perception for the development of the
project, six say "no to working with the elderly," 2 "swap elderly," 1 make work more interesting
and only 1 states would enjoy working more with the colleague as she is friendly and intelligent.
Disinterest was met somehow by more than half the class who did not have any suggestion.
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The set of 8 positive aspects were reported in a total of 21 times: Interaction; It went well and was
productive; Knowledge/understanding; Patience/concentration; Learning; Improves social
relationship; Solidarity; Enliven the memory of the elderly. Some people also referred to games
and 8 students did not indicate any positive aspect.
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In relation to what did not go well, eight of the students said it went well, six mentioned the
following points: absent colleagues and poor attendance; somethings; having changed group; lack
of information. 9 students answered none or l do not know.
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Regarding suggestions, most of the students, 15, did not answer or did not know what to suggest.
Nevertheless, 8 students refer 6 different suggestions: Field trips; Greater interactivity or dynamic;
Work with children; More time together; More similar activities; the teacher's suggestions.
The comparison between these two classes clearly shows that the 2nd class, that of Reception,
presents not only a greater number of positive and a smaller number of negative aspects but also
has suggestions that are worth considering. Overall they exhibit greater satisfaction with the
experience.
It is also clear that the theme to develop can be counterproductive, when depending entirely on
the older people.
To measure the assessments, students were asked to rate on a scale of 1-10 the result of the work,
where 1 equals very bad and 10, very good.
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The graphic fairly distributes the students in the class, under clearly different situations, among
those who did not enjoy at all and those who enjoyed it very much, it also shows that up to half of
the 1 to 5 scale when adding 45.8%, 6 to 10 is left with 54.2%. Although most students classify the
experience as positive, half the rating is very close as to being negative.
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Regarding the 10th year RT class we can see that most students classify the experience as positive,
with only one clearly classified as negative and 7 students who rate with 5, in line with the positive
results. According to the same comparison, dividing the scale from 1 to 5, we have 34.4% of
students classified as negative and the remaining 66.6% classified as clearly positive, concentrating
56.5% of the classification 8 to 10 Very Good (more than half the class).
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Comparing this rating with the positive / negative aspects pointed out by the students, it is clear
that the experience with the 10th standard RT class proves to be more interesting than the 10th
standard ITM class.
The 1st aspect to highlight is the fact that in the Reception class, the elderly were following the
development of web works from a theme that had been previously chosen and performed by
groups of students.
The 2nd different aspect that we could point out is exactly this, the classes have different course
profiles, while the 10th standard ITM class profile is dedicated mainly to technology issues, and
therefore requires less interpersonal contact, the 10th standard RT course involves more
humanistic issues and demands greater contact with people.
The 3rd aspect to be noted is the predominance of boys in 10th standard ITM class in contrast to a
more balanced 10th standard RT class, where the number of girls is higher than the boys.
Responding to some of the assessments made by the 10th standard ITM class, the group of people
was replaced and a third intergenerational learning experience was held, developed together with
ITM students and UNISSeixal, the seniors being responsible for the topics and resulted in the
following assessment:
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The assessment made by students, shows a clearly positive trend this time, despite the fact of the
students (2) who continue to figure with their very negative experience in which they participated.
However, analysing from 1 to 5 we have a percentage of 35%, while 6 to 10 have a percentage of
65%.
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Compared to those of AURPIPP, it is important to point out the evolution of the assessment with
the IT Management class, how they worked with people who not only felt the responsibility
towards the development of the theme but were also conscientious and active people.
In the first case, it only worked partially because most of the older people were not so active, they
did not have the ability to orientate and develop the theme in web pages by adolescent students.
When comparing the best assessment carried out with the older people, the 10th Standard RT class,
shows that even with the seniors, the assessment made by 10th Standard ITM class fell slightly
below 65% against 66.6%. Comparingly just the evaluation of 8 to 10, shows 35% for the 10th
standard ITM class against 56.5% of the 10th standard RT class.
Once more it is important to point out, as 1st aspect, the fact that it is an ITM Class with a different
profile than that of the RT class; as 2nd aspect, the fact that the ITM Class consequently developed
the work with the older people at the day center (2nd period), new work with the Seniors of
UNISSeixal (3rd period). The resistance put up by some students to engage in the project fell short
of all expectations.
Conclusions
With regards to the first experience, 10th standard ITM / AURPIPP, we had already reached to the
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conclusion which would be: "to also analyse the relevance of their participation when presenting
the works, for sharing of knowledge. In building groups, it would be advisable to join together
more autonomous seniors with less autonomous students and vice versa to allow a greater
dynamic interaction and development of works." (Carmo & Sousa, 2014, p. 635)
It is also important to combine the themes to be developed between what is suggested by the
older people and what adolescent students would like to develop in order to foster greater success
in this form of joining the generations.
Furtherstill the preparation of students for the project, pointing out the differences in generations,
"it is important to raise awareness in students about the fact that the elderly do not have the same
linguistic rhythm nor use the same words and many times do not understand how to communicate
with them. It is necessary to adjust the lack of patience in students to the limitations of the older
people. "(Carmo & Sousa, 2014, p. 635)
Regarding the goals set towards the younger generation, there is evidence, in the positive aspects
pointed out by the groups, as well as in the analysis of learning that have increased, the choice of
which the students inclined mostly towards: social networking, patience and concentration,
knowledge of life in previous decades and tolerance for difference. Thus, we can say that the
objectives achieved were:
- To provide knowledge about previous generations;
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Hotel
Management
and Tourism
Social Support
Services
Health Technologies
Performing
Arts
Reception
Technician
Sociocultural
Animator
Technical
Thermalism
Actor
Tourism
Technician
Psycho-social
Support
Technician
Technical Assistant
Prosthetist Orthopedic
Prosthetics
Circus
Performer
Ocular Optics
Technician
Circus
Entertainer
Environmental
and Rural Tourism
Technician
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