The past, the present and the person: an exploration of the use of reminiscence-based activities as a catalyst for learning in later life

Housden, Sarah (2015) The past, the present and the person: an exploration of the use of reminiscence-based activities as a catalyst for learning in later life. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

This study explores the ways in which learning might take place in a reminiscence group for older people who are moving towards the end of life. The overall aim was to seek a greater understanding of the processes underpinning reminiscence groups as well as the benefits - to individuals and the wider community - of such learning
opportunities.
This is a piece of practitioner research with the author combining the roles of facilitator of the themed reminiscence groups and observer. The study used a
qualitative methodological approach from a social constructivist perspective, relying on observation and follow-up individual interviews to build ‘cases’ of the learning journeys of seven participants.
The findings suggest that reminiscence is a potentially useful route to and catalyst for learning about the self and others, with the thesis being structured around the four main research questions which focus on whether learning is taking place, its nature, and the potential outcomes and benefits of such learning to both individual participants and wider society.
The study, situated within what is recognized as ‘an ageing society’, hopes to demonstrate the value of learning through group reminiscing in later life and provide
encouragement to local councils and their Adult Education teams (the predominant providers of such programmes in the UK) to continue to fund and support such activities. Furthermore, the insights gained make a potential contribution to wider understandings of the individual and social benefits of informal education for older adults in ways which may be useful to policy-makers seeking to promote the wellbeing of an ageing population.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User:	Users 2593 not found.
Date Deposited:	28 Jan 2016 14:12
Last Modified:	28 Jan 2016 14:12
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/56849
DOI:

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