Culture meets culture at a distance

The chapter describes a project with a distance-learning course in social gerontology given by Karlstad University in Sweden for students at the University of Namibia. The aim of the project was to see how a well-established concept in Swedish education (written study plans), in combination with theories of social gerontology developed for an American context, would translate into a Namibian context with students working in elderly care in Namibia. Our interest was in how diff\u81erent cultures can interact and contribute to a wider understanding of elderly people and their life situations, using social gerontology theory as a basis for discussion. The idea of learning through juxtaposing three cultures (Swedish teachers, Namibian students and American theories) seems to have worked well. The di\u81fferences provoked thinking, and forced both teachers and students to examine their own assumptions and understandings of their own cultures and the situation of elderly people, in relation to other cultures. Judging from this experience, cross-cultural teaching and learning widens horizons and promotes learning for all those involved.Annan utgivare:The Southern African-Nordic Centre (SANORD), University of Western Cape, Bellville, South AfricaKonferensbidrag i SANORD Symposium 2014, Karlstad, Sweden, June 10-12, 2014