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SYLLABUS
Tulsa Community College
. Fall 2012 .
Course: Aging and Behavior PSY/SOC 2713
Section #: 290
Day(s) and Time(s): N/A
Start and end dates: Oct 15 – Dec. 16
Course Delivery Method: Internet
Course format: Discussions and Papers
Instructor: Kari Cooper
Email: KWise@snu.edu
Room 2389
Liberal Arts and Community Services Division
918-595-7494
Associate Dean: Doug Price
For Problems with Blackboard or your Online Courses
Contact the Distance Learning Office
Room 129, Metro Campus
Phone #595-7143
COURSE PREREQUISITES: PSY 1113 or SOC 1113 or consent of instructor
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In the later adult years, we recognize age related sequential changes. These are physiological,
psychological, and sociological. This course attempts to describe those changes with an emphasis
on optimal and satisfactory adaptations to them by the individual and by society. Lecture 3 hours.
No lab.
NEXT COURSE(S) IN SEQUENCE: Non-sequential
TEXTBOOKS, SUPPLIES, & OTHER RESOURCES:
Title:Aging and the Life Course
Author:Quadagno Publisher:McGrawHill
Textbooks and supplies may be purchased at: TCC Northeast Campus Store
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course has multiple objectives, appropriate to a sophomore-level social science course. First,
it will relate theories, concepts and methods to which the student has already been introduced
(PSY/SOC 1113) to the field of social gerontology. In doing this, it should deepen students’
comprehension of both sociology and psychology, thereby increasing students’ abilities to
appropriately use the insights these social sciences have to offer. Since one of the primary
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objectives of the course is application of theories and concepts, the course should also be useful to
students both professionally and personally. Students should come to realize that virtually every
society is age-graded in one way or another and that both social policies and personal beliefs and
attitudes about aging and old people will determine the nature of that age-grading. Those micro
and macro level variables are, in turn, strongly influenced by demographic trends, medical
innovations, and economic conditions. With increased awareness of the many dimensions of aging,
students can take greater responsibility for their personal, political, and financial choices and can
attain greater understanding of the beliefs and behaviors of others both within the U.S. and crossculturally. The primary objectives of the course, then, are comprehension and application of
theories, concepts, research methods, and available data. These will be assessed through
discussions and papers. Secondary objectives include tolerance, appreciation of diversity, improved
abilities of personal planning for the future, and greater self-awareness. You can consider these
fringe benefits, because they will not be assessed!
TEACHING METHODS:
This course relies on class discussion and individual research. It has been carefully designed to be
learning-centered and to put the student in charge of the learning process. The paper assignments
ask students to synthesize theories and concepts from the text and apply them to a variety of
aging-related issues. The discussion boards ask students to critically reflect on the assigned
chapters, and be able to summarize material as well as analyze and evaluate it. The professor will
take part in discussions to 1) correct misconceptions, 2) add information, and 3) prod students to
think about different sides of issues and new theoretical perspectives.
EVALUATION TECHNIQUES:
Your grade for this course will be based on:
Four 100-point Assignments /Papers
-and- participation in
Ten Discussion Board Forums, worth a maximum of 50 points apiece.
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DISCUSSION BOARDS
There will be a wide variety of different discussion board topics posted during the course of
the semester. Since there are seven boards for each half of the class, you will be able to
skip two in each half. However, in the first half of the class, the discussion for Chapter 4
is required.
Due dates for the chapters and the discussion boards and assignments/papers related to
them are listed in the course outline.
You must participate at least at the minimum level required (four posts in a board: three
replies to classmates and one starting a new thread) in ten boards by December 13th.
Furthermore, you must have completed postings in at least five by November 9th.
If you have not completed work on five discussion boards and turned in two
papers on their respective due dates by November 9th, you may be dropped from
the course.
To count toward any points on a particular discussion topic, you must post at least one
original, thread-starting comment on the subject involving theories or concepts from
the relevant chapter in the text or other assigned reading and three responses to others’
original comments. All original posts and response posts must be added by 10:00pm on the
due date to be counted for credit.
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These response postings should be at least three sentences in length. Remember, this is
the minimum to get any points; three 3-sentence postings would be worth at most 10 to 15
points. (Please pay attention to this when viewing your grades)
If you do not meet the minimum requirement of One Original Post and 3 Response Posts
with acceptable length, you will not earn a grade for that Chapter.
People who post early will have an advantage in the original comments area. If your
“original” posting is a rehash of a theory or concept applied in someone else’s earlier
posting, yours won’t earn many points.
Posting early also gives you a chance to enter into discussions with classmates; this won’t
be possible if you do all of your posting in the hour before the board is due. Also, it is not
fair to your classmates if you do not post early because they cannot respond to your posts.
Multiple postings at different times, i.e., a real discussion will be worth more. (Please
pay attention to this when viewing your grades)
Some of the topics on the discussion board will be controversial; some may conjure painful
memories of parents or grandparents. It is crucial for people to feel comfortable about
openly sharing their views, if this discussion board is going to be an effective learning tool.
I will respond to some of your comments, but I expect YOU to do most of the
communications. I also expect people to be civil and respectful in their discourse. You are
free to ask one another questions; you are not free to condemn or name-call. If you do, I
will give you one warning; if you do it again, I will remove you from the discussion board
and drop you from the course.
ASSIGNMENTS / PAPERS
There will also be a variety of possible Assignment/Paper topics for the course, covering all
the different subject areas. These are listed under “Assignments” in Blackboard for different
chapters.
You must choose two from the first half of the course and two from the second half. (You
will actually be able to chose one from the first ½ of the course because Ch4 is Required)
I will be happy to look at rough drafts that are submitted early and give you feedback for
improvement prior to the due dates. (You will need to indicate, in your subject line and in
the body of your email, that you are requesting feedback)
Assignments/Papers must be submitted by email as Word doc attachments.
When you e-mail an assignment, be sure not to delete the “sent” file from your e-mail
account. If for some reason I do not receive the project, you will have proof that you sent it
on time.
Assignments should be 3-4 pages (not including Cover Page or Reference Page) 12 Font,
Double-Spaced, Times New Roman.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Due dates for discussion topics and paper topics are posted in the course outline. When
there are two assignment options or discussion board options for a particular date, you may
do either, both or neither. If you do “extra” assignments or discussions, the highest two
assignments and five discussion board grades for each half of the class will be the ones
counted toward your grade.
No late submissions will be accepted or count toward your grade. Project
Assignments must be turned in by NOON and Discussion Board postings must be
made by 10 p.m. on the due date for their chapters.
You can submit work before the due date/time (I accept work that is submitted
several weeks before the due date, but I do not accept late work).
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When submitting assignments via email, be sure to have your name on the
Assignment, as I make hard copies for grading. I will not grade papers with no
name.
Also, when you submit via e-mail, note who you are, which class you are taking, and what
you’re sending in the “subject” line of the e-mail (e.g., “Jana Jones- Chapter 7 Assignment Aging and Behavior”). These actions will reduce the likelihood of your assignments being
lost or accidentally mistaken for spam and deleted!
Grading Scale:
900 – 810 A
809 – 720 B
719 – 630 C
629 – 540 D
Below 540 F
ATTENDANCE:
In this class, “attendance” translates into participation on the discussion boards. While meeting the
minimum discussion requirement will get you points, you will not get full points unless you have
been a “regular” in the discussion, i.e., you have posted on several different days and been truly
involved in several threads on the board. Of course, even then, if you don’t show knowledge
and comprehension of text material, you won’t earn full points. Participation does not
eliminate the need to read the assignments!
LATE ASSIGNMENTS AND MAKE-UP WORK:
Since you have quite a few choices of discussions and paper assignments, no late work will be
accepted.
Course Withdrawal: The deadline to withdraw from a course shall not exceed 3/4 the duration
of any class. Contact the Counseling Office at any TCC campus to initiate withdrawal from a course
('W' grade) or to change from Credit to Audit. Check the TCC Academic Calendar for deadlines.
Students who stop participating in the course and fail to withdraw may receive a course grade of
“F,” which may have financial aid consequences for the student.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Email: All TCC students receive a designated “MyTCC” email address (ex:
jane.doe@mail.tulsacc.edu). All communications to you about TCC and course
assignments will be sent to your MyTCC email address; and you must use MyTCC email
to send email to, and receive email from, the instructor regarding this course.
Inclement Weather: TCC rarely closes. If extreme weather conditions or emergency
situations arise, TCC always gives cancellation notices to radio and television stations.
This information is also posted on the TCC website (www.tulsacc.edu).
GENERAL EDUCATION GOALS: General Education courses at TCC ensure that our graduates
gain skills, knowledge, and abilities that comprise a common foundation for their higher education
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and a backdrop for their work and personal lives. TCC’s General Education goals are: Critical
Thinking, Effective Communication, Engaged Learning, and Technological Proficiency.
CLASSROOM/ONLINE ETIQUETTE: Open and mutually respectful communication of varied
opinions, beliefs, and perspectives during classroom or online discussion encourages the free
exchange of ideas that is essential to higher learning and to the ability to learn from each other.
SYLLABUS CHANGES: Occasionally, changes to the syllabus may be necessary. Students will
be notified of any changes to the syllabus in writing.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: TCC provides accommodations for qualifying students in
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. For information, students may contact the
disabled Student Resource Center, 918-595-7115, or the Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing, 918-595-7428V, 918-595-7434TTY.
DISABILITY RESOURCES: It is the policy and practice of Tulsa Community College to create
inclusive learning environments. Accommodations for qualifying students in compliance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are available. To
request accommodations, contact the Education Access Center (EAC) at eac@tulsacc.edu or call
(918) 595-7115 (Voice). Deaf and hard of hearing students may text (918) 809-1864.
Tobacco Free College: Tulsa Community College is a Tobacco Free college in accordance with
the Governor’s Executive Order 2012-01 and Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes, Section 1-1523
which prohibits smoking or the use of any tobacco products in all public places, in any indoor
workplace, and all vehicles owned by the State of Oklahoma and all of its agencies and
instrumentalities. This Order includes property leased, rented, or owned by TCC including, but not
limited to, all grounds, buildings, facilities, and parking lots. Tulsa Community College’s policy
includes a tobacco free environment on all campus and off-campus locations conducting TCC credit
or non-credit classes. The TCC Campus Police is responsible for ensuring compliance with the
Tobacco-Free Environment Policy. Violations of the policy may be addressed through issuance of
campus or state citations.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Academic dishonesty (cheating) is defined as the deception of
others about one’s own work or about the work of another. Academic dishonesty or misconduct is
not condoned or tolerated at campuses within the Tulsa Community College system. Tulsa
Community College adopts a policy delegating certain forms of authority for disciplinary action to
the faculty. Such disciplinary actions delegated to the faculty include, but are not limited to, the
dismissal of disrespectful or disorderly students from classes. In the case of academic dishonesty a
faculty member may:
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Require the student to redo an assignment or test, or require the student to complete a
substitute assignment or test;
Record a "zero" for the assignment or test in question;
Recommend to the student that the student withdraw from the class, or administratively
withdraw the student from the class;
Record a grade of "F" for the student at the end of the semester. Faculty may request
that disciplinary action be taken against a student at the administrative level by
submitting such a request to the Dean of Student Services.
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Plagiarism
The penalty for plagiarism in this class is an “F” for the assignment. If it occurs again, I will
withdraw you from the class and report the incident to the Dean of Student Services for possible
action by the college. Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic integrity. If you have any
uncertainties as to what might be considered plagiarism, refer to the Student Handbook. It is
available both online and at various locations on-campus.
INSTITUTIONAL STATEMENT: Each student is responsible for being aware of the information
contained in the TCC Catalog, the TCC Student Policies & Resources Handbook, and semester
information listed in the class schedule. All information may be viewed on the TCC website:
www.tulsacc.edu
TENTATIVE COURSE CALENDAR:
Topic, Reading, Discussion, and Paper Assignments
(DATE DUE)
1… Overview of Theory and Research
Discussion Boards for Chaps. 1, 2, and 3
October 19
2… Demographic Changes
Discussion Board for Chapter 4
REQUIRED DISCUSSION & ASSIGNMENT - Chapter 4
October 26
3. Health and Biological Changes
Discussion Boards for Chapters 5, 6, and 11
November 2
(If you choose the First Paper Option, it is due October 19th at noon)
(The Second Paper Option is REQUIRED and is due October 26th at noon)
4… Psychological Perspectives
Discussion Board for Chap. 7
November 9
(If you choose the Third Paper Option, it is due November 9th at noon)
Two paper assignments and participation in five Discussion Boards must be
completed on the appropriate due dates by November 9th or you may be administratively
withdrawn from the course.
5… Family Relationships
Discussion Board for Chapter 8
November 16
(If you choose the Fourth Paper Option, it is due November 16th at noon)
No Assignments or Discussion Boards due November 23rd – HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Enjoy some time off!! 
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6… Living Arrangements
Discussion Boards for Chapters 9 and 12
November 30
(If you choose the Fifth Paper Option, it is due November 30th at noon)
7…Heal Economics of Aging
Discussion Boards for Chapters 10, 14, and 15
December 7
(If you choose the Sixth Paper Option, it is due December 6th at noon)
8…Dying
Discussion Board for Chapter 13
THURSDAY, December 13
REMEMBER:
 No late submissions will be accepted or count toward your grade. Project
Assignments must be turned in by NOON and Discussion Board postings must be
made by 10 p.m. on the due date for their chapters.
Grading Scale for the Semester
900 – 810 A
809 – 720 B
719 – 630 C
629 – 540 D
below 540 F
Other Online Courses to Consider
Introduction to Sociology (SOC 1113)
Social Problems (SOC 2113)
Human Sexuality (PSY/SOC 2813)
Introduction to Philosophy (PHI 1113) – humanities credit
Medical Ethics (PHI 2153) – humanities credit
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