AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
However, there was not confirmed the existence of the
relationship between the auto-aggressiveness and the
intergenerational learning in the family environment.In other
words, we can state that the learning between the chosen target
groups alleviates or eliminates the chosen inappropriate
expressions of behaviour. The more there takes place the
interaction between the grandparents and grandchildren, the less
there appears the aggressiveness by the grandchildren. In spite of
this fact, the mentioned finding was not confirmed in the area of
auto-aggressiveness which is, to some extent, different from the
other types of aggressive behaviour because it is oriented
towards the interior of the man and not towards his/her
surroundings. However, due to the fact that the auto-
aggressiveness often arises from the failure to accept oneself,
low self-esteem and self-evaluation, as well as from the inability
to solve problems in the family or school environment, we
assume that, despite the mentioned results, the intergenerational
learning has a preventive potential also in the relationship to the
given type of aggressiveness because there is proved its positive
contribution for the participating generations in increasing of the
self-esteem, positive self-perception as well as in the improving
of social skills where is also included the ability to solve
conflicts effectively.
If the respondents answered positively to the question related to
the carrying out of the common activities with their
grandparents, they could subsequently select and mark specific
activities they are used to doing with their grandmother or
grandfather.
Table 7: The contents of learning in the direction from the grandparents to the grandchildren
On the basis of the answers we can say that there clearly
dominates talking about different topics or problems from
among activities the pupils of the eighth grade do with their
grandparents. We recorded the identical tendency also by the
analysing of the essays where the growing age of the
grandchildren influenced the type of common activities. The
older were the grandchildren, the more they preferred and
appreciated the possibility to talk with their grandmother or
grandfather and they had nice memories of the playing, walking,
housework or manifold artistic activities the grandparents taught
them to do. Up to 99 pupils, representing 57,6% of all pupils,
said that they are used to talking with their grandparents about
different topics or problems. Surprisingly, the lowest
numerousness we observed by the item preparation for the
lessons, writing of homework. Only
16 boys and girls (9,3ˇ) of
our research sample confirmed that their grandfather or
grandmother help them to fulfil their school tasks. Why is
talking the most favourite activity? Basically, there was
confirmed the opinion of the specialists Álvarez (2003) and
Galiano (2003) which they mention in their work that the
intergenerational education is a process „of learning by means of
communication“.We also think that the given fact influences the
situation of current families when the parents, due to manifold
reasons (work, career, hobbies), do not have enough time to
listen to their children patiently, to express their empathy and
understanding as well as their willingness to participate in
solving of their problems and difficulties.
Table 8: The contents of learning in the direction from the grandchildren to the grandparents
In the table no.7 we present the findings which provide us a
more detailed picture about the contents of the intergenerational
education, more precisely the education in the direction from the
grandparents to their grandchildren. Once again the pupils could
choose one or more options when filling this part of the
questionnaire.
Therefore also here is important the person of the grandparent
who is able to listen to his/her grandchildren carefully as well as
to talk with them about all the topics they are interested in. As
we can see it in the data from the table, the grandchildren
appreciate this effort adequately. Why does there appear the role
of the grandfather or grandmother as a facilitator of the
preparation for the lessons in the smallest measure? It is possible
that it is a result of the influence of the modern times when the
grandparents - seniors perceive a big ability and knowledge in
the area of intelligence - communication technologies and they
probably think that they are not able to help their grandchildren
with homework and subjects which are completely at a different
level from the level they knew during the times of their own
school attendance.
We know that the intergenerational learning can take place in
two directions, from the older generation to the younger one and
vice versa. The previous table documented the curriculum of the
education where the grandparents represent the educators and the
grandchildren are the educants. The following table no.8
recorded the contents of learning where the target group and the
receivers are the representants of the senior population - the
grandparents.
The mentioned indicators point out the fact that children and
teenagers of the present time, often living in the virtual world,
mediate modern information and communication technologies to
their grandparents. At the same time, they represent experts in
this area for the grandparents and they explain them all the
secrets of handling and using of the current
technical
developments. Up to 130 grandchildren marked this item what
represents ¾ (75%) of all respondents. Almost half of the pupils
(45,3%) also helps to reduce the generation gap by means of
explaining and clarifying to the older generation the ways of
thinking of the current young generation. In the item Other
which was marked by 11 grandchildren (6,4%) they mentioned
other areas of education as well (we provide them freely
Contents of learning grandparents - grandchildren
Number
Percents
Preparation for the lessons, writing of homework
16
9,3
Housework (cooking, making cakes, cleaning,...)
77
44,8
Work in the garden, around the house/flat
72
41,9
Talking about different topics or problems
99
57,6
Table games (or other types of games)
69
40,1
Trips in the nature, theatre, cinema, museum, church
57
33,1
Artistic activities and hobbies (painting, singing, knitting, wood carving, modelling
from different materials)
30
17,4
Contents of learning grandchildren - grandparents
Number
Percents
Foreign languages
52
30,2
Using of modern technologies (PC, tablet, mobile, etc.)
130
75,6
How the current generation thinks
78
45,3
To know the fashion trends, what is “in” at the present time
51
29,7
I do not teach them anything
15
8,7
Other
11
6,4
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