Ilhama Hamid Sultanova , Lamiya Elshad Gasimova , Gulnar Mezahir Abbasova

APPLICATION OF INTERACTIVE METHODS IN TEACHING THE DISCIPLINE SOCIAL WORK WITH OLDER PEOPLE

Abstract. The article examines the importance of applying interactive teaching methods in the instruction of the course “Social Work with the Elderly.” In the context of population aging in the modern era, the necessity for social work professionals to possess practical skills, empathy, and ethical decision-making abilities is emphasized. Based on scholarly sources, the study analyzes the positive impact of interactive methods such as role-playing, case analysis, simulation, and group discussions on students’ professional training. Academic literature from Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, and Western countries is comparatively analyzed to identify both common and distinctive features of interactive teaching practices. As a result, the study concludes that interactive teaching methods serve as a key didactic tool in training qualified and competitive specialists in social work with the elderly.

Keywords: social work with the elderly, interactive teaching methods, social work education, empathy, simulation and role-playing, professional training, gerontology, practical skills