Intermediate-level elementary teachers' knowledge about aging and classroom aging education practices: An exploratory study

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to document provision of instruction about normal human aging in intermediate (grade 4, 5, and 6) public school classrooms; identify teacher-related factors potentially affecting aging education practice at this level; and determine intermediate-level teacher knowledge about normal human aging. A survey research design was utilized. A three part instrument, the "The Teacher Knowledge About Aging Survey," was mailed to a randomly selected sample of 600 intermediate-level teachers employed within Nebraska public schools districts during the 1991-1992 school year. Part 1 of the instrument, Palmore's (1977) Factors of Aging Quiz: Part 1 (FAQ1), was composed of 25 true-false items designed to measure knowledge about normal human aging. Part 2, the Composite Classroom Aging Education Practice Scale (CCAEPS), contained 14 items developed by the researcher to describe classroom aging education practices. The third part of the instrument consisted of four questions intended to gather demographic data. A total of 413 completed surveys (68.8%) was received. Results related to classroom aging education practices revealed that a significant difference existed between grade 4, 5, and 6 teachers' CCAEPS scores and their chronological ages. No significant difference existed between grade 4, 5, and 6 teachers' CCAEPS scores and their levels of formal education. Findings related to teacher knowledge about aging showed that, while a significant difference existed between grade 4, 5, and 6 teachers' levels of knowledge about normal human aging and their levels of formal education, no significant difference existed between grade 4, 5, and 6 teachers' levels of knowledge about normal human aging and their chronological ages. No significant difference existed between grade 4, 5 and 6 teachers' levels of knowledge about normal human aging and their provision of planned instruction about aging in the classroom. This study indicates that intermediate-level public school teachers may have limited levels of knowledge about normal human aging. It also demonstrates that, although a majority of intermediate-level classroom teachers in Nebraska report use of one or two aging education practices, many do not consistently employ a variety of these practices with their students, and planned instruction about aging in the schools is no more prevalent at the elementary level today than it was over a decade ago. It was concluded that, if intermediate-level teachers and classrooms nation-wide are similar to those in Nebraska, concerted efforts are needed to expand aging education practices so that the nation's schools may help young people prepare for membership in an aging 21st Century American society.

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