Abstract
Background and objectives:
Amid rapid population aging, many college students receive limited education about aging and lack skills for effective communication with older adults. Moreover, gerontology courses often adopt a deficit-based perspective that emphasizes decline, which may unintentionally reinforce ageist attitudes and prevent students from developing a balanced understanding of aging. This Teaching Development Grant (TDG) project aims to co-create a “human library” model within aging-related undergraduate courses, in partnership with a social enterprise, and to evaluate its effectiveness in reducing ageism and enhancing gerontological knowledge.
Methods:
In collaboration with Ginger Innovation, a local social enterprise that trains older adults in public speaking and storytelling, older adults were prepared as “human textbooks” to share lived experiences of positive aging. These human library sessions were integrated into the course SOWK2133 Population Aging and the Controversies during the second semester of the 2025–26 academic year. An experiential learning approach was adopted, allowing students to select topics of interest, engage in intergenerational dialogue with guest speakers, and collaborate on a group poster project. A mixed-methods design was used to assess program effectiveness, including pre- and post-course surveys and a one-month follow-up. Quantitative measures included the Expectations Regarding Aging scale, the Facts on Aging Quiz, and the Attitudes Toward Working With Older Adults scale. Qualitative interviews were conducted to capture students’ learning experiences and reflections.
Results:
Seven older adults participated as human textbooks, engaging with 32 students through classroom sharing and collaborative group work. Preliminary quantitative findings indicated that students reported significantly more positive perceptions of aging following the exchange sessions (paired t-test, p < 0.05). However, no significant changes were observed in aging-related knowledge or attitudes toward working with older adults. Qualitative interviews revealed highly positive student feedback. Students described the human library as offering a refreshing perspective on aging beyond frailty, providing a rare opportunity to interact with older adults who embodied positive aging, and increasing their interest to learn about aging.
Discussion:
Findings from this initial implementation suggest that the human library approach is a promising pedagogical strategy for reducing ageism and stimulating learning interest among undergraduate students. The model will be further implemented in a common core course in the first semester of the 2026–27 academic year to expand the sample size and enable a more comprehensive evaluation of its educational impact.