Aging in the Undergraduate Curriculum: Faculty Perspectives

摘要

This descriptive study of undergraduate faculty (N = 177) ascertained the extent to which aging content is taught and faculty are interested in aging. The research was the result of a collaboration among an area agency on aging, an alliance of academic and community leaders, and a university-based research center. While approximately 43% of the respondents were interested in the field of aging, two-thirds of the 474 courses they taught seldom or never included aging content. When asked what would stimulate them to include aging content, faculty focused on resources, time, media attention, student interest, older students, and their own aging. Faculty indicated an interest in fact sheets on aging and selected readings on aging, among other resources. Implications of these findings are discussed, and strategies to increase interest among faculty in aging content are presented.