Narrative Gerontology in Practice: Students’ Experiences With Conducting Autoethnography

This study examines the benefits of introducing autoethnographic writing as part of an ageism intervention to familiarize students with the life course. In this mixed-methods study, 186 graduate and undergraduate students conducted interviews with a grandparent or older adult and subsequently assume...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of aging & human development 2020-12, Vol.91 (4), p.421-434
Main Authors: Lee, Othelia E., Conner, Laneshia, Davis, Boyd
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age discrimination
Autoethnography
Gerontology
Graduate students
Grandparents
Internet
Mixed methods research
Older people
Undergraduate students
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This study examines the benefits of introducing autoethnographic writing as part of an ageism intervention to familiarize students with the life course. In this mixed-methods study, 186 graduate and undergraduate students conducted interviews with a grandparent or older adult and subsequently assumed the identity of the grandparent to write introductions of themselves as if they were that grandparent, using “I” statements in an online discussion forum. Most assumed grandparents were women (78.0%), and White (63.8%) with an average age of 77.3 (SD = 12.3). Emerging themes were categorized into three levels: structural, familial, and individual. The number of times a certain theme was mentioned was counted and major themes were analyzed. Findings indicated how autoethnographic reflections can promote student examination of self-awareness, cultural heritages, and personal growth. This technique is encouraging as an educational ageism intervention and warrants further adaptation and testing.
ISSN:0091-4150
1541-3535
DOI:10.1177/0091415020926842