Michael Cheang , DrPH , CFLE Family and Consumer Sciences Department

Seeking New Perspectives on

OLLI Courses Through Content Analysis:

A review of course offerings from 1996 - 2014

Michael Cheang, DrPH, CFLEFamily and Consumer Sciences Department

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Acknowledgement and thank you

Rebecca GoodmanDirector

Osher Lifelong Learning InstituteUniversity of Hawai’i at Manoa

Content Analysis

• A data collection technique used in social science

• Going back and systematically looking over existing data or records for themes and patterns

• Data may provide insights that usual evaluation questions sometimes do not ask

Possible Sources of Data for Content Analysis

• Speeches made by past presidents

• Reviewing journal entries or diaries

• Examining accounting records

• Reviewing newspaper articles

• Surveying collection of old photographs in archives

• University course offerings

Content Analysis – Selected References

Hodder, I. (1994). The interpretation of documents and material culture. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Sage Publications.

Krippendorff, K. (2004). Content Analysis: An introduction to its Methodology. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications

Holsti, O. R. (1969). Content Analysis for the Social Sciences and Humanities. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Stemler, S. (2001). An Overview of Content Analysis. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation 7 (17).

Besides usual variables for program evaluation, other variables from a content analysis may also

be useful:

• Types and frequency of courses offered• Methods of course delivery• Accessibility (Where, distance, time offered)• Costs (Course, membership, entrance fees)• Appropriate use and ambience of space used

for classes

Surveyed course offerings From 1996 - 2014

Types and frequency of coursesModes of delivery

OLLI – University of Hawaii at Manoa

2012 - 2013 participants: 1,017

Comparing Hawaii to national survey

ElderLearning Survey (ES):

Lamdin, L.S. (1997). Elderlearning: New Frontier in An Aging Society. American Council on Education. Oryx Press, Phoenix, AZ.

• 1995-1996, all 50 states• 3,600 mailed (AARP, Elderhostel, Institutes for Learning in

Retirement) • 860 used for analysis

ES OLLI Hawaii

Females – 67.2%,Males – 32.8%

Females – 68%Males – 32%

Film studies instructor’s comment on so few men….

The program director jokingly told her to offer more “cowboy films.”

Her Summer 2014 course, “Westerns: The American Monomyth”,

attracted 31 people, 23 (or 77%) are men.

50 - 55 56 - 60 61 - 65 66 - 70 71 - 75 76 - 80 81 - 85 86+0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

13

7

18

35

17

12

7

1 13

43

1917

12

4

Female Male

Age range

Percent

Age Distribution by Gender (2012 – 2013)n = 1,017 (68% females, 32% males)

55 - 59 60 - 64 65 - 69 70 - 74 75 - 79 80 - 84 85 - 89 90 - 95 96+0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

50 - 55

56 - 60

61 - 65

66 - 70

71 - 75

76 - 80

81 - 85

86+0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Age distribution of OLLI Hawai’i, 2013

Age distribution of Elder Learning Survey, 1996

Caucasian

Japanese-American

Chinese-American

Korean-American

Latino/Hispanic American

Other

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

41

30

10

9

2

8

Distribution by Ethnicity (percent)

Africa

n Ameri

can

Asian A

merica

n

Cauca

sian

Hispan

ic/lat

ino

Native

Ameri

can

Other0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2 0.8

94.1

0.4 1.4 1.20.01

4941

2 08

ES HawaiiDistribution by Ethnicity: Comparing ES and Hawaii

Drive

City Bus

Car Pool

Campus Shuttle

Walk

Handi-Van

Other

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

32

25

18

16

4

3

2

Getting to ClassesMode of Transportation (Percent)

Course Offerings (1996 – 2014)

• Total offered: 968• Average each year: 69• Average class size (limited by space): 35

• Courses typically have between two – six sessions or meetings

• Course evaluation administered at end of each course

• Course offerings and design guided by feedback and suggestions by participants

Lecture29%

Small group discussion

23%

Community events

12%

Audiovisual presentation &

discussion12%

Field Trip9%

Seminar, workshop

8%

Lecture with lab, phys-ical activity

3%Other

2%

AV presentation & Field trip

2%Mode ofDelivery

Diversity of Interests in Course Offerings

• Wayang Kulit: Shadow Theater of Java• The Illuminated Life• What’s So Funny? A Study in Humor• Living Your Dying• Psychology and Shakespeare: Reciprocal Insights• Freudian and Hawaiian Concepts of Personality• Japanese Career Women• Brain Attack: A Stroke Survivor's Perspective


• In the Company of Trees • Hawaiian Landslides: Large and Small• Astronomy: Stairways to the Universe• Ride to the Bottom of the Sea• Architect's View of Honolulu: Downtown Walking Tour• Neurorealism: Bridging Brain, Mind, Science, Religion


• Feminism and American Clubwomen• Fundamentals of Health and Nutrition• Seeds of Belief• Ethnobotany: Hawaiian Plants• Nightingales and Magpies: Voices Out of Contemporary

China• Elizabethan Playwrights• Astronomy: Galaxy Formation and Evolution


• My Father's Life in India• Peru Series: History, Mummies, Arts, Cuisine• Tour of Peru• Politics of Food Production: Our Daily Bread• Almodovar: Brown Bag Cinema Series I• Energy Saving Architecture• Antony and Cleopatra: Shakespeare Discussion• Great Sea Battles: Turning Points in History


• Travelogues: Galapagos, Bhutan, Spain• Physics Theories of Space and Time• The Art of Rice: Spirit and Sustenance in Asia• Arman Manookian's Modernism: HAA Tour• Marc Chagall: Arabian Nights HAA Tour• What Does Intuition Look Like• Glimpse the Future of Telecommunications• Memory Improvement Strategies

Data Analysis

Compiling list of courses from

course catalogs into Microsoft

Excel

Reviewer 1:1st round of

coding Reviewers 1 + 2:

Agreement of codings, refinement of category

namesReviewer 2:1st round of

coding

Data Analysis

968 courses

1st round of coding – 21

and 17 categories

2nd round of coding – 12 categories

12 Categories of Course Offerings Percent

Art, Literature, Music 29.9

Writing and journaling, life review 12.1

Health, Wellness and Gerontology 9.3

Philosophy, Religion and Spirituality 9.2

Travel, international topics 9.2

History and Social Science 8.1

Math and Science 6.5

Skills building 5.7

Politics, Current Affairs 4.2

Community Service, volunteerism, leadership (active engagement) 2.9

Local, regional, cultural issues 2.0

Languages 1.0

ES Hawaii %

Music, art, dance, arts-related 1 Art, Literature, Music 29.9

Travel or travel related 2 Writing and journaling, life review 12.1

Literature, drama, humanities 3 Health, Wellness and Gerontology 9.3

Politics, foreign affairs, current events 4 Philosophy, Religion and Spirituality 9.2

History, family history, genealogy 5 Travel, international topics 9.2

Health and Nutrition 6 History and Social Science 8.1

Philosophy 7 Math and Science 6.5

Computers, new technologies 8 Skills building 5.7

Finances, financial planning, investing 9 Politics, Current Affairs 4.2

Sports, leisure, recreation 10 Community Service, volunteerism, leadership (active engagement) 2.9

What Elders Choose to Learn

Discussion

Course offerings driven by:

1. Feedback from participants2. A new instructor or peer instructor from our

volunteer corps steps forward to offer a class or workshop on a topic of particular interest to her or him.

Evaluation variables besides satisfaction measures?

• Goodness of fit: expressed interests vs. offerings• Taking advantage of known strengths and local

resources – astronomy, geology and volcanology, marine science, Asian Studies, etc.

• Accessibility and affordability? Scholarships and waivers

• Frequency of offerings?• Human scale

Excerpts from evaluation data

“I never figured that Dante’s Divine Comedy could be so much fun!

Every class we stared right into the depths of hell and laughed so much that my cheeks ached. I appreciate Dave’s instructional style and I love OLLI…” From: Dante’s Divine Comedy, Spring 2012


“After a late-life divorce, I was seeking new friends and meaningful work to keep me grounded and focused.

This OLLI workshop was exactly what I needed. It’s given me real hope for the future. There’s joy, too; I even break out in song now.

Thanks to this OLLI class, I see myself a bit more clearly than I used to. I have found good connections and intellectual companionship here…” From: Turning Leaves: Seasons Workshop, Summer 2012


“As I grow older and friends and relatives disappear from my life, it is so good to come to OLLI – a place where the talk is stimulating, the people are full of good cheer, and we celebrate learning and life. I love OLLI. It is a treasure to me.” From: English Queens, Summer 2012


“I’m always enchanted by the astronomy classes at OLLI. The group discussions are great and the instructor’s Socratic methods encourage us to think, reflect, and conduct our own research.” From: Stars, Stones and Time, Spring 2012


“This program is valuable to me for social and mental stimulation. Please continue it forever (or at least as long as I’m alive)….” From: Culinary Cinema, Spring 2012


“This class has been terrific. I learned that with U.S. presidential elections, there’s been turmoil, name-calling and dirty tricks from the beginning of the country. It’s good to be reminded that we’ve survived some awful and destructive times and politics. I love the classes at OLLI. Keep up the good work.” From: Key Presidential Elections, Fall 2012

Discussion

• While quantitative data are important for program reporting, funding, etc.,

• Qualitative data suggest the significance of other important roles the OLLI program can play in lives of older adults

Provide safe venue for social interaction, friendship, play, laughter, belonging, healing, etc.

Reflections

• Process, content, outcome from gerontology perspective – Awareness of age related changes, and being mindful

• Physical environment conducive to changes of aging process - vision and hearing

• Small classes (lectures, workshops, book club, etc.)• Participant, peer driven (evaluation)• Mode of delivery consistent over time• All of above make it possible for interaction and

socialization

Reflections

• New cohorts of younger members • Not all elders can afford high costs of fees (diversity of

income levels)• The role of OLLI? Lifelong learning as it relates of

quality of life

Selected References

Aday, R. H.; Kehoe, G. C. & Farney, L. A. (2006). Impact of senior center friendships on aging women who live alone. Journal of Women and Aging, 18(1), 57-73.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry and research design. Choosing among five approaches. 3rd Ed. Sage Publications

Fernandez, R.; Caprara, M.; Schettini, R.; Bustillos, A.; Mendoza Nunez, V.; Orosa, T.; Kornfield, R.; Macarena, R.; Lopez, M.; Santacreu, L. Molina, M.; & Zamora, M. (2013). Effects of university programs for older adults: Changes in cultural and group stereotype, self-perception of aging, and emotional balance. Educational Gerontology, 39(2), 119-131.

Lamdin, L.S. (1997). Elderlearning: New Frontier in An Aging Society. American Council on Education. Oryx Press, Phoenix, AZ.

Michael Cheang , DrPH , CFLE Family and Consumer Sciences Department

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