Older Adult Education in a Maltese University of The Third Age : A Critical Perspective Marvin Formosa
2000, 'Older Adult Education in a Maltese University of The Third Age : A Critical Perspective', Education and Ageing. 13 (3) : 315-339

Abstract

Older adult education has been considered to be the fastest growing branch of adult education in post-industrial countries and one of the most crucial issues facing current adult European education. This generated a significant number of research projects and publications that seek to analyse the character of third age learning. This article represents a further attempt, in Sandra Cusack's (1997) words, to root down the expansion of older adult educational programmes in 'Critical Educational Theory', as a distinct form 'Critical Sociological Theory'. Critical field research was carried out at the University of the Third Age (U3A) in Valletta (Malta), due to the fact that the U3A represents one of the most successful and important educational programme specifically developed for older persons. Data elicited was interpreted through Paulo Freire's (1972, 1985) critical pedagogy and critical educational gerontological theory (Glendenning and Battersby, 1990). The study revealed that despite the often reported positive functions of U3A for older persons and society in general, the Valletta U3A is grounded in the  mainstream and traditional models of educational practice which equates education as a one-way flow of information from teachers to students. The study concluded that as a result of such a such a 'banking' ideology, the U3E fails to act as an archetype of transformative education but is yet another euphemism for glorified occupation therapy that is both conservative and oppressive.

References :

Cusack, S.A., 1997. "New Directions in Older Adult Education", Gerontology Research News, The Newsletter of the Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre, Vancouver, Canada, 15 (4) : 3-4.
Freire, P., 1972a. Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Hammondsworth : Penguin.
Freire, P., 1985. The Politics of Education : Culture, Power and Liberation, New York : Bergin and Garvey.
Glendenning, F., and Battersby, D., 1990. "Why we need Educational Gerontology and Education for Older Adults: A Statement of First Principles", in Glendenning, F., and Percy, K., (eds.) Ageing, Education and Society: Readings in Educational Gerontology, Staffordshire : Association for Educational Gerontology.

*Research publication is available at the Melitensia Section, Library, University of Malta.