HDE 160
HDE 160: Social Aspects of Aging
Syllabus- Fall 2014
Instructor: Barbara Shebloski, Ph.D.
Email: bshebloski@ucdavis.edu
Office: 2314 Hart Hall
Office hours: Tuesdays 2:00 4:00 or after class
Class meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:10
TA: Kelsea Dombrovski
kdombrovski@ucdavis.edu
TBA
6:00 in Wellman 212
Required text: Moody, H. R. & Sasser, J. R., M. (2015). Aging: Concepts and Controversies
(8nd Edition). Sage.
Catalog description:
How the social context affects adult development and aging. Emphasis on demography, social
policy, culture, and adaptation. Oral histories as class projects.
Course objectives:
The course examines the impact of aging on individual lives, families, communities,
society, and major social policies. The purpose of this course is to provide a sociological and
psychological foundation for understanding the position of the elderly in our society, from which
interested students can pursue further academic or applied work in the field of social
gerontology, legislature, social policy, or any field that involves working with the elderly
population. Emphasis of the course is on the social and psychological aspects of aging and on the
issues in society that affect the current and the future generations of the elderly.
Presence in class:
In this class, I ask you not to use electronic devices such as cell phones, CD players, or
ipods. Recording lectures is not allowed unless requested by SDC, and must also be permitted
by the instructor. Using a laptop is permitted ONLY for the purpose of taking class notes.
Engaging in competing activities, e.g., reading books or newspapers, texting, chatting with your
classmates, using electronic devices for class-unrelated purposes, etc., will result in you being
asked to leave class and may be penalized by a deduction of points from your final score.
Policy of academic dishonesty:
I appreciate your honesty and integrity. Both students and the instructor are expected to
comply with typical standards for academic honesty for course assignments and examinations.
Any documented instance of academic dishonesty (cheating, conspiring, or plagiarizing) will
result in an automatic failing grade on the relevant assignment. A second instance of academic
dishonesty will result in a failing grade in the course. Please ask me if you have any questions
about the nature of dishonest academic behavior or go to the following websites:
For information regarding plagiarism, go to http://cai.ucdavis.edu/plagiarism.html,
For information regarding the Academic Integrity Project, go to http://cai.ucdavis.edu/aip.html
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HDE 160
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Exams (120 points). Three exams (two midterms and one final) will be administered on
the dates indicated in the course schedule. All exams will constitute of multiple-choice or truefalse questions, which will relate
readings presented to you by your peers. You must be in class and complete the exams to receive
credit. You will need UC Davis (blue or green) scantron for each quiz.
I will let you re-make a test only of you provide a certified proof of medical or family
emergency, and at my discretion. Also, if you have such emergency, you have to inform me
about it PRIOR to the date for which the quiz is assigned; failure to do so will prevent you from
making up the test.
Class attendance/discussions (15 points). Each student is expected to attend classes, and
actively participate in class discussions led by the instructor or peers. Your constructive input
and participation in discussions will be evaluated in the following way: (1) when a discussion is
scheduled, the topic will be presented to you and you will have several minutes to summarize
and write your thoughts on a paper. For example, you will be asked to provide three pro-or three
contra- arguments for a specific issue, or you will be asked to comment or a concept or situation
presented in the textbook. Afterwards, I will ask a group of student to present what they wrote to
the class, and they will receive points for their contribution; or (2) I will collect answers of all
students and assign points based on the answers provided. Your oral engagement may also be
evaluated. Attendance will occasionally also be taken.
Personal reflection (20 points; 2 2.5 pages; formatted according to the guidelines at the
end of the syllabus). Each student is to select a textbook reading relevant to his or her
experiences and present his or her views on the reading. The list of the reading is posted on
Smart Site. Please note that on the list, two very short readings are combined into one if you
select this option, you are responsible for comment about both.
and take a
stance with regard to the topic. Present arguments, and support them with specific examples. Did
the information in the textbook accurately reflect your experiences? Did it help you understand
your experiences? Do you agree or disagree with the author? No reference needed. You can turn
in your reflection at any point of the session, but no later than on the last day of class, 4:10 p..m.
Absolutely no reflections will be accepted after Thursday, December 11, 4:20 p.m.,
REGARDLESS OF THE REASON!
Oral history project:
PART 1: Interview (15 points; Due on Tuesday, 11/04). This part of the project is required
from each student in class, and evaluated based on interview notes, preferably the original, handwritten notes (they will be returned to you in time to write the paper).You are required to conduct
an interview with an elderly person (65 years or older). You may interview a friend or family
member, or may use this as a chance to get to know someone new. Information collected during
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HDE 160
the interview will serve as the basis for your paper or presentation. See Interview Guidelines
posted on Smart Site for additional information.
PART 2: Paper OR Presentation (30 points)
Paper (Due in class on Tuesday, 11/25). If you choose this option, you will be required to
write a 7-page paper (anywhere between 6 to 8 pages in length, excluding reference page), in
which you will utilize the information collected during the interview and critically compare it to
the information learned from reading and lectures. The detailed description of the paper is posted
on Smart Site.
Presentation (individually scheduled). If you choose this option, you will prepare 10-15 minute
(depending on the number of presentations scheduled, but no more than 15 minutes) Power Point
presentation of the main themes emerged in the interviews with the elderly persons. You will
need to relate this information to the material discussed in class as well as to describe what you
have learned from the elderly person that you interviewed. Detailed grading rubric is posted on
the Smart Site.
Late work
Because of the expected class size and the grading timelines, late papers will be accepted only at
the discretion of the instructor, and only if excused by a certified medical or family emergency.
Your presentations must be given on the day for which you have signed up; no make-up dates
will be allowed.
PLEASE remember that all assignments are due at the start of class on the day they are due.
This means that assignments that are turned in 10 minutes after the beginning of class (i.e., after
4:20 p.m.) will be marked down 10% of a grade for this assignment. Please note that it is your
responsibility to make sure that you submit the work directly to the instructor. If I do not have
the paper I assume that you have not submitted one. We are not responsible for lost or
misplaced work.
Note about writing the paper for this class:
You are expected to maintain the following formatting and style requirements:
Use 12-point Times New Roman, 12 points size font.
The margins should b
margins, so compare your document to this one, if you are unsure)
The assignment should be double-spaced, with no additional spaces left between the
paragraphs, and the titles (subtitles) and the text. To avoid problems with this
The assignment should include your name and HDE 160 in the upper left corner. This
information should be spaced just like the text. I do not want to see any additional
information, except an optional creative title, which should be centered.
Use a sentence-paragraph format; no bullets or lists. On sentence is not enough to
constitute a separate paragraph.
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HDE 160
Do not use headers or footers, except for the use of page numbers.
Left justify only, the right margin should be left uneven.
First line of all paragraphs has to be indented .5 inch
You can use no more than one (one or two sentence) quotations per paper, since quoting
does not give you experience in expressing yourself in a professional manner nor shows
that you have grasped the ideas or information presented by the source used.
Grading:
Personal reflection
20 points
Class discussion participation /attendance
15 points
Oral history project: Interview (Due Tuesday, 11/04, 4:10 p.m.) 15 points
Oral history project: Written assignment or presentation
Written Assignment due Tuesday, 11/25, 4:10 p.m.
Midterm 1: Tuesday, 10/28
Midterm 2: Thursday, 11/20
Final exam: Tuesday, 12/16 @ 10:30 a.m.
40 points
40 points
40 points
Total:
200 points
A+1
A
AB+
B
B-
97-100%
93-96%
90-92%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
194-200 points
186-193 points
180-185 points
174-179 points
166-173 points
160-165 points
C+
C
CD+
D
D-
77-79%
73-76%
70-72%
67-69%
63-66%
60-62%
30 points
154-159 points
146-153points
140-145 points
134-139 points
126-133 points
120-125 points
F below 60% below 120 points
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A+ will be given at the discretion of the instructor; only in cases of exceptional performance.
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HDE 160
COURSE SCHEDULE
Date
10/02
Thu
Topic
Overview of the course. Why study aging?
Basic Concepts I
Read
Syllabus
Prologue
pp. 2-27
10/07
Tue
10/09
Thu
Basic Concepts I (cont.)
Controversy 1: Does old age have meaning?
pp. 29-52
10/14
Tue
Controversy 2: Why do our bodies grow old?
pp. 55-95
92-95
10/16
Thu
Controversy 3: Do intelligence and creativity decline with age?
pp. 97-132
10/21
Tue
10/23
Thu
10/28
Tue
Basic Concepts II
10/30
Thu
11/04
Tue
Controversy 4: Should we ration health care for older people?
pp. 167- 185
Controversy 5: Should families provide for their own?
Interview Data are Due
pp. 201-238
11/06
Thu
Controversy 6: Should older people be protected from bad choices?
pp. 239-267
11/11
Tue
Veter ans’ Day: No class
11/13
Thu
11/18
Tue
11/20
Thu
Controversy 7: Should people have the right to end their lives?
pp. 269-300
Basic Concepts III:
pp. 301- 334
11/25
Tue
Controversy 8: Should age or need be the basis for entitlement?
Written Assignment is Due
pp. 133- 166
Basic Concepts II (cont.)
Midterm 1: Assigned textbook pages, plus lectures and content/
conclusions of class discussions - al material covered up to 10/ 23
Midterm 2: Assigned textbook pages, plus lectures and conclusions of
class discussions all material AFTER the 1st midterm, and up to 11/18
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pp. 335-373
HDE 160
11/27
Thu
12/02
Tue
Thanksgiving Day: No class
Controversy 9: What is the future for Social Security?
pp. 375- 414
pp. 415-433
12/04
Thu
12/09
Tue
Controversy 10: Is retirement obsolete?
pp. 455- 466
Controversy 11: Aging Boomers: Boom or Bust?
pp. 477-497
495-497
12/11
Thu
Controversy 12: The new aging marketplace- hope or hype?
Finding your place in aging society. Concluding comments
pp. 499-503
Final Exam: Tuesday, December 16 at 10:30 am
May be administered online.
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