Teacher wellbeing in the Chinese Universities of the Third Age: An elicited metaphor analysis

This paper investigated teacher wellbeing in a rapidly expanding educational context of Universities of the Third Age in China. Based on the analysis of 48 metaphors innovatively elicited from 27 teacher participants, important cognitive, affective and social aspects of teaching and learning that configure teacher wellbeing have been outlined. It is argued that teaching is a cognitive development in which new knowledge, ways of teaching and understanding of self are progressively gained in the classrooms where students are often more senior and experienced. Teaching is also an emotional labor where passion, empathy, companionship and patience are crucial in facilitating successful later-life learning and aging. Furthermore, teaching realizes social functions, including but not limited to enlightening older adults, creating a synergized learning environment and fulfilling multiple social responsibilities as a good teacher, a cultural disseminator and a Chinese citizen. Findings suggest the need to understand these under-represented teachers for quality elderly education in the global trend of population aging.