Lessons from delivering worldwide distance learning and on-campus gerontology education

In this article, I offer reflections on providing gerontological education to a global audience at the University of Southampton, both on campus and at a distance. I identify challenges we have faced as a teaching team, including the lack of recognition of the discipline of gerontology, the lack of prioritisation of ageing by governments, how student motivation is affected by learning at a distance and how lecturers need to ensure their teaching material is relevant to their global audience. In each case, I also discuss opportunities that arise and hope to provoke debate about how the global gerontology education community can continue to thrive.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of global ageing.
Published
2026-02-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1332/29767202y2026d000000047
Primary Topic
Aging and Gerontology Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Lessons from delivering worldwide distance learning and on-campus gerontology education

R. F. Willis
Journal of global ageing.
Aging and Gerontology Research
article

Lessons from delivering worldwide distance learning and on-campus gerontology education

R. F. Willis
article en

Abstract

In this article, I offer reflections on providing gerontological education to a global audience at the University of Southampton, both on campus and at a distance. I identify challenges we have faced as a teaching team, including the lack of recognition of the discipline of gerontology, the lack of prioritisation of ageing by governments, how student motivation is affected by learning at a distance and how lecturers need to ensure their teaching material is relevant to their global audience. In each case, I also discuss opportunities that arise and hope to provoke debate about how the global gerontology education community can continue to thrive.

Journal of global ageing.
University of Southampton (GB)
Quality Education
Openalex Percentile: Top 82%
Aging and Gerontology Research
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