School environment and sense of identity of people in their late adulthood by the example of Cieszyn Silesia

Abstract

The following study depicts a relation between school and identity of people in their late adulthood, who live in the Polish and Czech part of Cieszyn Silesia. The author shows education as the only way to personal development. The results presented point the fact that if positive educational habits are implemented when a person is young, they benefit in adulthood and elderly age. The following study is to present research results conducted in Cieszyn and Czech Cieszyn in 2013. Quality and quantity strategy were used and they were complementary. A questionnaire, interview and quality data analysis were chosen as the research tools. The results confirm that positive attitudes enhancing life-long learning are created in primary education and further. According to elderly, school and pedagogical staff were significant in creating their identity. For the elderly continuing education means gaining new skills, qualifications, deepening interests, what is even more important it is the way of self-expression and own identity creation.

Keywords

• school
• education
• elderly
• late adulthood
• identity
• cieszyn silesia