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 Learning can be a lifelong passionOlder adults are 'eager to learn'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- For older adults, school may have been "out" for years, but learning is definitely still "in." According to a new survey from the American Association of Retired Persons, those over 50 remain active learners, pursuing their interests with passion and a unique style. "They don't want to be boxed into classrooms," explained Constance Swank, research director for the AARP. "They want very much experiential hands-on learning." The survey, based on interviews with 1,019 people, also found that older learners had definite goals when it comes to continuing education. "They want it fast, they want to be able to use it with some speed and they obviously don't want to pay too much," said Swank. Most older adults said they would pay up to $101 on a new learning activity. And unlike younger people, who seek to build work-related skills, older learners were more interested in boosting their quality of life. "My secret fantasy is to play as a concert artist," said summer piano camp student Adrienne Rogers. "Of course, I'm never going to do that, but this gives me the opportunity to make believe." Like Rogers, 62 percent of older learners surveyed said they were interested in finding out more about a favored hobby. People over 50 also are interested in learning to: "This breakthrough survey reveals that the 50-plus population is eager to learn," said Swank. "Midlife or older adults are looking to improve and enrich their personal lives." The AARP study also found that seniors really like their reading material. More than six in 10 use newspapers, books, magazines and journals on a regular basis -- more than any other method of learning.
Still, seniors are adapting to new technologies, too. A surprising 36 percent said they used the Internet to study. Reasons for continuing education were varied, but most older adults said they wanted to "keep up with what's going on in the world." Other motivations included spiritual or personal growth and "the simple joy of learning something new." Seniors also have firm ideas about their learning patterns, preferring to learn in a group setting, and to have control of the learning process, the survey found. "Educational institutions, businesses and marketers are going to have to offer experiences that are personally meaningful, that offer hands-on learning, enable adults to direct all aspects of the learning process and that are not too expensive," noted Annette Norsman, director of the 1.2 million-member National Retired Teachers' Association. Learning "is a fascinating process and it doesn't stop," said piano student Charlotte Rosenstock. "You get just as excited as you did when you were younger, and perhaps even more so." RELATED STORIES: CNN In-Depth Health: Aging RELATED SITES: American Association of Retired Persons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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