Lifelong Learning for Aging People in Taiwan: Innovative Programs and Social Effects

• Published in: New directions for adult and continuing education Vol. 2019; no. 162; pp. 97 - 110
• Main Authors: Li, Ai‐Tzu, Wei, Hui‐Chuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Wiley Periodicals, Inc 2019; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Active Learning; Adult Education; Aging; Aging (Individuals); Curriculum Development; Educational Opportunities; Foreign Countries; Government School Relationship; Learning Processes; Lifelong Learning; Older Adults; Older people; Program Descriptions; Social Influences; Strategic Planning; Taiwan
• ISSN: 1052-2891; 1536-0717
• DOI: 10.1002/ace.20329

This article introduces Taiwan's innovative lifelong learning programs for middle‐aged and older adults, and discusses their social influence. The innovative active aging learning programs launched in 2008. The purpose of implementing active aging learning is to work at the grassroots level with the hope of providing increasingly comprehensive and diverse learning opportunities, enabling more people over 55 in Taiwan to become happy learners who forget age and build a dynamic aging society. It is a collaboration among central government, local government, and the university. After a decade of development and practice, active aging learning has successfully enabled seniors to participate in the learning process and achieved the goal of learning, changing, and empowerment. In this article, first, the issues and challenges of earlier elder education are reviewed, followed by the new national strategic plan, training for practitioners, and core‐curriculum development. Then, the three models and their implications are analyzed.