Gerontology – PSYC 336
CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 02/01/2024
Course Description
The facts of demography describe the background and present status of elderly people in the United States. Then the biological, psychological and sociological factors in aging will be studied to promote an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of aging. The dying-grieving processes, as well as LTC policies and government-sponsored programs are explored.
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.
Rationale
As the Baby Boomer generation enters retirement and old age, topics like Medicare and Social Security have risen to the forefront of national attention. The entrance of this large birth cohort into this phase of life has important implications for health care and the economy, among other issues. This course will seek to explain the process of aging so that students who interact with older adults will have a foundation upon which to base their relationships and work.
Course Assignment
Textbook readings and presentations
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.
Discussions (3)
Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will participate in 3 Discussions. For each Discussion, the student must submit a thread of at least 300 words. The student must then submit a reply to at least 1 of his or her fellow students. Replies must be at least 150 words. Current APA citation style must be used for these Discussions, and the student must cite the textbook and the Bible at least 1 time in each of his or her threads and replies.
Observation Paper Assignment
The student will complete a 500-word paper that describes an instance where they have observed or encountered ageism. The paper will be in current APA format and include a title page, in-text citations, and a reference page.
(CLOs B,C,D)
Research Paper Assignment
The research paper assignment must be in current APA format, with a title page and bibliography included. The title page and bibliography DO NOT count as part of the 5 pages. The student must use at least 5 scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles in this paper.
Life Story Paper Assignment
Based on a personal interview, the student will write an 8–10-page paper that tells the life story of an older adult. The life story paper must be in current APA format with a title page included. It is not necessary to have any citations in this paper.
Read & Interact Textbook Assignments (14)
Within this course, students will be required to read and interact with the textbook within the third party platform, SmartBook. Students must complete each reading and item in the textbook in order to earn the points associated with the assigned reading.
Quizzes (4)
The student will complete 4 quizzes in Connect. These quizzes are based entirely on the textbook, and they are open-book/open-notes. Each quiz will include 50 multiple-choice and true/false questions, and the student will have 1 hour and 30 minutes to finish the quiz.
