Higher Education Potential for Seniors: A Case Study from Karadeniz Technical Universit y

1. Higher Education Potential for Seniors: A Case Study from Karadeniz Technical University Prof. Dr. Miraç Akçay Asst. Prof. Dr. Mine Gözübüyük Tamer Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi, Trabzon, Turkey

2. Content • Part-I: Towards An AgeingSociety (TurkeywithDemographicIndicator) and IntergenerationalSolidarityParadigm • Part-II: EducationPossibilitiesTowardsAgeingPopulation (Access toeducation and training) • Part-III: EducationPossibilitiesfor Second and Third Generations in KTU • Part-IV: CaseStudy on Adultsstudying KTU • Part-V: General Profile and EducationalExperience of KTU StaffGraduatedfrom Open and DistanceEducation

3. Part-I: Towards an AgeingSociety(TurkeywithDemographicIndicator)

4. TheChangingAgeStructure of Turkey

5. TheIntergenerationalSolidarityParadigm • The decline of the traditional family • Changes in family structure • Weakened the role of the family as a socialisaion agent and as a source for child rearing, nurturing and support • Disengagement of elders from their intergenerational roles

6. Part-II: EducationPossibilitiesTowardsIncreasingAgeingPopulation: Education • In all countries, lifelong education and training is aprerequisite for ensuring elderly people’s participation in employment and social life. • Itis observed that policies involving renewal of theeducation and training systems, lifelong equal opportunities for vocational guidanceand placement services aiming at ensuring contributions of elderly people over 60years of age to the development of our country are not covered at the desired levels (in terms of both content and duration) as of yet (DPT, 2007)

7. Expansive Training Efforts • are conducted across the country by the public and privatesectors under the surveillance and supervision of the Ministry of National Educationthrough public education, apprenticeship, distance learning, open primary school,open high school, open vocational and technical school, private training institutions,private courses, private vocational and technical courses and private motor vehicle driving courses.

8. TheReasonWhyPeople TendtoAttendNon-formalEducation • 1. Being more knowledgable • 2. To prepare for a new job, • 3. On the job • 4. To spend leisure time as a good and beneficial, • 5. To meet new and interesting people, • 6. Acquiring skills for responsible works, • 7. To communicate people and self-development, • 8. To increase revenue.

9. TheReasonWhy People Attenda Non-formalEducation in Turkey • % 60,9 being skilled in his occupation/job • % 34 becoming skilful and knowledge in daily life, • % 33,4 to learn about an issue that attracting of him • % 27,5 receiving a certificate

10. Non-formalEducation • covers all educational activities organized along or outside of formal education. • The specific objective of non-formal education, in accordance with the basic principles and general objectives of the national education, to the citizens which never entered the formal education system or at any level or out at that level, beside or outside of formal education to gain knowledge and skills.(TUİK, Yaygın Eğitim istatistikleri)

11. Theparticipation of Non-formalEducation in OECD Countries

12. In OECD Countries • In OECD countries, 29 % of 24-64 age population participate in non-formal education related to occupation. • This rate; • is greater than % 40 in Finland, Norwegian, Sweden, Switzerland, • 38 % in Germany and Slovak Republic • below % 20 in Poland and Spain • less than 15 % in Greece, Hungary, Italy and Turkey.

13. InTurkey • In Turkey, the most active participation of non-formal education activities is seen 18 - 24 age group (26.7%) and university graduates 40%.

14. AdultEducationPossibilities in TurkeywithintheformalandNon-formalEducation • Public Education Center • Except Ministry of National Education, other instutitions such as Municipalities, Waqfs, Associations support directly nonformal education by opening courses.

15. Part-III: EducationPossibilitiesforSecond and ThirdGenerations in KTU • Formal Education Undergraduate Programme (Evening Classess) Master Degree Ph. Degree • Non-Formal Education: Continuing Education Center • various courses launched by KTU(computer, English language, manual skills, etc.) accept all interested individuals whowish to receive training, without any discrimination by age limits.

16. Objectives of KTU ContinuingEducation Center To keep the graduates’ information up to date, To ensure a educational environment to anyone who wants to learn, To organize training programs based on the demands of each institution, To contribute to the reduction of the educational gaps between the regions, To contribute to the personal education , while diploma alone is not sufficient at the present time, To strengthen the relationship between the university and the city,

17. Categories of Trainings

18. Part-IV: Case Study (Aim, Method and Findings) • The aim of this study is to reveal the general profile of students who are at 45 and above ages studying in KTU and their educational experiences. • This study is important for putting down to the fact that how common programmes bringing young and older together affects the life of adult/ older.

19. ResearchDesign & Methodology • based on descriptive research. • guided by principles found in quantitive and qualitative inquiry. • Detailed interviews and survey techniques are used.

20. ResearhTechnique of Research • Survey • Deepinterviewswith 25 participants • Verbaldescriptions- audiotaped and transcribed • Interviewswere done in placesstudentswent inside and outsidetheuniversity, such as classrooms and cafe. • Thegoal of collecting and analyzing data wastogain an detailedunderstanding -- meaningfromtheparticipants’ perspectivethereasonwhytheystudy, and torevealtheeducationalattainment of them.

21. ResearchQuestions • Thesurveyconsisted of twostages, Thefirststage as follows; • The general profile of studentsincludinggender, age, place of birth, occupation, maritalstatus, incomelevel, family size and spare time activities.

22. Secondstage; Information on EducationalExperiences of participantsincludingseveralquestions as below; • Is the KTU firstuniversityyouregistered? • What is theeducationlevel in KTU? Whichfaculty and department do youattend? • Thereasonwhyyoustudy in KTU? • Whatarethepositive and negativesidetostudy in yourlateage/adultage? • What do youthinkaboutuniversity and state’smeasures on adultaducation?

23. Questions; • Whatkinds of opportunitiesthatuniversitesprovidesstudentslikeyou? • Whatarethepersonal and socialgaintostudy in lateage? • What do youthinkabout KTU Alumniclub? • Do youhaveanyadvisetostudentswhoare at thesameagewithyou? • Whatarethereactions of yourfamilyorsocialsurroundings on yourstudyingdecisons?

24. Finding: Demographic Profile

25. Information on EducationalExperiences of ParticipantsStudying KTU • The reason for studying at late age or adult age • Getting diploma • Assessing leisure time after retirement, • Making new friends • Learning new things • Improving yourself • Studying departments which you want • Being model for their children and nices/nephews • As a hobby

26. ThePositive Side toStudy in LateAge/Adult Age • To learn new information, up date information, improve yourself • To study with young • Keep alive memory/ prevent the alzheimer • Widen one’s viewpoints • Contribute career development and income • Get rid of monotony • To feel good among youngs because of competing with them. • Being experinced • To better understand youth

27. TheNegative Side toStudy in LateAge/Adult Age • Health problems of older person • Inadequate understanding capasities • Not able to reacc to young or not compete with young • Not matching with working hours and lessons • Difficulties in learning English • Difficulty in taking time ( for themselves and their family) • Difficulty to carrying out in cooperation work and study

28. State’s Policy/Precautions on Adult Education • For still workers, flextime and income growth • For older, adaptation problems, following the lessons and the exam system/ open admission come to the fore.

29. Opportunities that Universites Provides Students Who are Studying at Adult Age • Financial support-not to pay fees • Abolishment of compulsory English prepatory class • Attendance could be more flexible • Giving lecture as in CD • Special activities for adaptation and well communication with young and instructor

30. PersonalGaintoStudy in LateAge • Provide prestige • New social environment • Being happy and self-confident • Live close to society • Widen one’s point of view, increase the level of education. • Acquiring current information • Not being detached from life • The feeling of accoplisment • Earn respect • Social activities increases • Revenue increases and career development • Gain a sense of confidence

31. SocialGaintoStudy in LateAge • Conscious society • The quality of education will increase • Social and cultural renewal • The welfare of state will increase • Being model for young

32. Advises of Student Towards Other Adults • Being courageous to start • Do not spend leisure time in home and lonely • There is no age limit for education

33. CommentsandViews on KTU Alumniclub Not active • Oppose to alumni clubs • Haven’t heard it • Not following • Not knowing • Alumni clubs, should be active and create communication among alumnies should be guide in every aspect to the students and alumnies is important for cretaing social network, and important for socializing

34. Advices • Actions to Be Taken • Supporting of elderly people who are retirement and sustaining of access to structural and financial services • Developing adult education and training with various incentives and programmes being interesting • Ensuring access of elderly people to basic services (transportation etc) • Developing and implementing programs and providing the required servicesfor ensuring that elderly people • Implementing policies aiming at developing opportunities involving educationand educational innovations for elderly people, and encouraging elderlypeople to make use of their acquired information and skills during their retirement periods.

35. Part-V: General Profile of StaffswhoGraduatedfrom Open andDistanceEducation

36. Demographic Profile of Staff

37. View on Open DistanceEducation

38. EducationalAttainment and Advices

39. Thanksforyourattention…