Frederick Community College ID214 – Introduction to Gerontology: Issues of Aging and the Aged Winter 2010 PENDING DEPARTMENT CHAIR APPROVAL
Class begins: 1/5/09	Class ends: 1/19/09	Last Day to Drop: 1/13/09

You make sure that your personal information, including your email address, is updated in Blackboard before class begins

Instructor Information:
Name: Gail Spessert	Office: n/a
E-mail: gspessert@frederick.edu	Phone Number: n/a
Office Hours: n/a	Campus Mail Box #: n/a

Course Information:
Credits: 3
On-campus Meetings: 0	On-campus Exams: 1
Prerequisites: EN52, ESL99	Co-requisites: none

Course Description:

Provides an overview of the psychological, sociological, and physiological aspects of adulthood and aging. Emphasis on the theories of why and how we age, lifestyles and factors that influence health and aging, personal needs, self-actualization, and crises of the later years.

Core Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course students will demonstrate

1. knowledge regarding the importance of studying social gerontology;

2. understanding of biopsychosocial issues inherent in the aging process;

3. recognize public programs related to old age

4. awareness of ageist attitudes and beliefs

5. understand the impact of culture on aging and the need for culturally relevant practice

Instructional Methods:

On-line discussion questions; assigned readings; assigned videos; research project.

 How is this course is organized:

· Assignments are posted on Blackboard. There will be readings, videos to watch, a discussion board question, and a test related to the assignments. This course is self-paced except for the Discussion Board.

· Discussion questions from the assigned readings will be posted on the Discussion Board, these discussion are weighted as 40% of your grade and have varying point values.

• Student will respond to the discussion question via the Discussion Board.

• Each student will make a substantive and academic response to at least two other students each week. A substantive response means that you pick a point made in the learner’s original discussion for academic discussion. For example: A learner has posted a discussion regarding Erikson’s psychosocial stage identified by the conflict between ego integrity versus despair. Rather than responding with “Well done. Thorough explanation of Erikson’s final stage;” you would further explore this stage, mentioning perhaps the ego strength (wisdom) that the first student had not mentioned, or if they had, you would expand on it. Get the idea? If not, we’ll “talk” about it more in class. (2.5 points for each; possible extra credit for conducting an academic discussion with more than two classmates)

· There are two article analyses worth 100 points each and weighted at 40% of your grade. Specifics will be posted on Blackboard.

· There will be tests of varying lengths each week on that week’s readings weighted as 10% of your grade.

· There will be a final exam worth 50 points weighted as 10% of your grade. The exam will be multiple choice questions. The exam will be taken in the FCC testing Center.

· 90+% of pts = A; 89-80% pts = B; 79-70% pts = C; 69-60% pts = D; <59% pts = F

Be sure to keep track of your grade on BlackBoard.

Text(s) for Course:

REQUIRED: (1)

• Novak, M. (2009). Issues in aging. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
• Charles, S. (2009) Current directions in adulthood and aging. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Progress Report:

You may follow your progress by checking your grades through BlackBoard on a regular basis. By the end of the sixth week of the semester, I will have returned several graded quizzes. At this point, you will be able to evaluate your progress and decide if you need to make any adjustments (additional time devoted to course, tutoring, conference with me) to best assure your success in this course.

Evaluation Methods:
Tests / Papers / Projects	Point Value	Final Grade Scale
Weekly discussion Two Article Analyses Quizzes Final Exam	varies (weight 40%) Up to 100 each (wgt 20% each) Vary (wgt 10%) Up to 100 (wgt 10%)	90+%= A 89-80%= B 79-70%= C 69-60% = D Below 60% = F
If the graded performance for online assignments differs significantly from the grade average for proctored assignments, the instructor reserves the right to administer additional tests.

Attendance/Participation Policy:

This is an on-line course. Your attendance is required at your convenience. Assignments, tests, and discussion board are timed to appear just prior to beginning the unit and will disappear at 11:59 PM on the closing day. There will be no extensions, so please plan your schedule around your priorities – and put this class at the top of your priority list.

Email Policy:

• Email is an instructional tool essential to student-instructor and student-student communication. In the Blackboard environment by default, your email address is available to all students in this course.
• However, students are permitted to use email addresses of other students in this course only for the purpose and the duration of this course.
• Students who are concerned about the privacy of their personal email address are reminded of commercially available products that allow them to create unique email addresses specifically for the purpose and duration of this course.
• The instructor can be expected to respond to regular student email inquiries (grades, posted assignments, and tests excluded) within the time frame of 24 to 48 hours.
• Questions of personal nature are appropriate for email, otherwise, questions about the course should be posted on the Discussion Board under “Ask Questions Here.”

Academic Honesty:

Work in this course is subject to the provisions of the FCC Code of Academic Honesty. Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated. As a student, it is your job to practice academic honesty at ALL times. Make sure that all sources, particularly Internet sources, get proper credit for quotations, paraphrases, and ideas.

Topical Outline (ONLINE COURSE)

Class	SUBJECT	CONTENT
Class 1	Orientation – closes 11:59 PM 1/10 Aging Today	See Assignments on Blackboard
		See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 2	Theories and Methods	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 3	Demography	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 4	Personal Health and Well-Being	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 5	The Life Course	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 6	Race & Ethnicity	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 7	Finances & Economics	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 8	Retirement & Work	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 9	Housing & Transportation	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 10	Leisure, Recreation & Education	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 11	Family Life, Social Support	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 12	Death & Dying	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 13	Politics & Policies	See Assignments on Blackboard
Class 14	Final Exam – January 18 or 19	See Testing Center Hours

NOTE: your instructor reserves the right to make changes to this outline as needed.