PSYC 336 Gerontology

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 the student who interacts with older adults will have a foundation upon which to base his or her relationships and work.

Textbook readings and presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussion: Social Security Reform

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will participate in 1 Discussion on the topic of Social Security Reform. 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. Reply must be at least 150 words. Current APA citation style must be used for this Discussion, and the student must cite the textbook, website, and the Bible at least 1 time in each the thread and reply. (CLO: A, B, C, D)

Read & Interact Textbook Assignments (14)

Within this course, the student will be required to read and interact with the textbook within the third party platform, McGraw Hill Connect. The student must complete each reading and item in the textbook in order to earn the points associated with the assigned reading. (CLO: A, B)

Observation Paper Assignment

The student will complete a 500-word paper that describes an instance where he or she has observed or encountered ageism. The paper will be in current APA format and include a title page, in-text citations, and a reference page. (CLO: B, C, D)

Research Paper: Topic Development Worksheet Assignment

Using the Research Project: Topic Development Worksheet Template provided, each student will select a topic from the textbook, develop a research concept based on current research, and obtain current articles from peer-reviewed journals (original research only) to be used later for the Research Paper: Final Submission Assignment. The reference list must include 5 peer-reviewed journal articles (original research only). Journal articles must have a publication date within the past five years. Current APA format must be used. The student must also submit a PDF copy of the full article for each of the five resources. (CLO: A, B, D)

PowerPoint Presentation: Learning, Memory, and Technology Assignment

The student will develop a PowerPoint Presentation that will address normal learning and memory changes associated with the aging process and how they relate to technology usage. The presentation will highlight the benefits of offering either a free lecture, workshop, or multi-week technology course at a church (or community center) that helps older adults learn computer basics and develop life-enhancing computer skills. The presentation will provide a creative flyer to advertise the event to the older adults in the church and/or community. The presentation will also provide scripture that addresses aging, learning/wisdom and how it applies to this topic. The student will need to use and cite information from the textbook, Bible, and at least 2 scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles published within the last five years in the presentation. (CLO: A, B, C, D)

Research Paper: Final Submission Assignment

Using the topic and approved sources from the Research Paper: Topic Development Worksheet Assignment, the student will write a 5-page paper synthesizing the articles, summarizing the findings, and applying scripture. The assignment must be in current APA format, with a title and reference page included. The title and reference pages DO NOT count as part of the 5 pages. (CLO: A, B, C, D)

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. (CLO: B, D)

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. (CLO: A, B)