New social space : concepts of aging and transformation learning

The focus of this masters thesis in educational gerontology was to explore guided autobiography, life review and reminiscence, as a means of engaging in transformative learning as it contributes to successful aging. From the perspective of developmental psychology I hold a positive view of aging in terms of psychological growth in wisdom and understanding across the entire life span. A crucial aspect of successful aging is that older adults have meaningful social roles in their work and relationships. Negative attitudes about aging and the aged, an underlying theme in ageism, can be an invisible barrier to successful aging. With this in mind I examined major paradigms in psychology in the twentieth century, as they relate to a positive growth model of aging. In particular, the psychoanalytic, humanistic and cognitive behavioural paradigms, along with the medical model and a wellness perspective about aging, were examined. Moreover, the possibilities for a model of transformative learning of which guided autobiography, life review and reminiscence are one methodology were explored.Education, Faculty ofCurriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department ofGraduat