LATER LIFE LEARNING IN GENERATIVITY: LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

In the recent decades, in the theory and research of educational gerontology, generativity has been identified as a new perspective to view later life learning. Generativity as a context for informal learning may provide opportunities for older adults to gain competencies needed to achieve their developmental goals at this stage of life. Following Erikson’s theory, learning is embedded in an older person’s efforts to resolve the generativity-related developmental crisis, which leads to personal growth (Erikson et al., 1986). The developmental goals in later life are associated with personal development as psychological and spiritual growth, and self-actualization. Engagement in generativity is linked with an older person’s quest for meaning and desire to leave a legacy for future generations (McAdams et al., 1998). As an inner need, it is expressed in investing in the future through sharing the knowledge and wisdom with succeeding generations, and preserving and handing down traditions and values. The search for ways to significantly contribute to the world may lead to reflection and integrity of life continuity, purpose and meaning. Expressing oneself in generative activity may become a strong motivator for learning as generativity in later life is associated with older people contributing to the development of their social environment with their knowledge and skills. The learning experience may be connected with an older person’s engagement in generativity through teaching and mentoring young people, civil participation, productive activity, grandparenting, voluntary activity, or social participation. Engagement in generativity becomes an antecedent of learning in the way an older person aims at competently performing the roles they adopt in their generative environments.

This article presents the results of a literature review based on empirical research studies of generativity and learning in later life published in the past two decades. The aim of the review is to disclose how the context of generativity may influence informal learning in later life. The goals of the study included identifying generativity-related factors which may influence learning, the characteristics of the learning process, and the consequences of learning. Although the scholarship on later life learning indicates that informal learning is a common type of learning in later life, there has been limited research on informal learning of older adults in generativity contexts in the last decades. The review of empirical studies shows that researches provide substantial evidence on learning being an inherent part of older adults’ engagement in generativity. Learning stimulates informed participation in generative activities and competence development aiming at achievement of generativity goals. The literature review shows that there is a variety of learning paradigms associated with generativity context: instrumental learning, social learning, critical and political learning, communicative learning, transformative learning. The dynamics of the relationship between generativity and learning shows that generativity may stimulate the need for learning to be continued in later life. Learning may positively affect the quality of older people’s engagement in generativity, and enhance their performance. The factors influencing learning include older adults’ generative engagement, competences gained in previous learning through career, and the effects of the social environment. Informed generativity motivation, empowerment, informal learning experiences, and reflection are the main characteristics of the learning process. The consequences of generativity-related learning in an older person’s life include personal growth, competence development, and establishment of social roles. Generativity may provide an important perspective for research on learning in later life as an informal learning process. The research on older adults’ learning carried out in this perspective may focus on the dynamics of generativity and learning. The integrative nature of this perspective allows linking motivational, behavioral, and narrative elements of generativity with the motivation, strategies and outcomes of informal later life learning.