Continuing Education Modules and the Scholarship of Engagement

Abstract

Economic and political trends underscore the importance of engaged scholarship as evidence that colleges and universities are serving their constituencies. Set in a background of debate about pure versus applied social science this article describes a planned approach to continuing gerontological education grounded firmly in the principles of the scholarship of engagement. The description includes efforts to ascertain through a two-phase state-wide survey continuing education needs and preferred venue in a segment of the North Carolina aging services workforce. Subsequent surveys were used to define and prioritize modular continuing education topics suitable for web-based delivery.

Keywords:

• applied gerontological education
• educational modules
• engaged scholarship