2011

This course examined adult development from the perspective of life-span theory — a conceptual framework that views development as a series of adaptations to physical, societal and individual resources and constraints. Students learned about demographic and medical changes, ways that individuals typically change socially, emotionally and cognitively as they move through adulthood. Students also gained an understanding of the conceptual foundations of the life-span approach and place aging of young people today in historical context.

As part of the course, each student moderated his or her own blog.

Click on a link below to read the discussion.

	Natasha Avery – I am interested in investigating how creativity (specifically literary creativity) changes and is affected by aging.		Matthew Mau – Although I’ve focused on early development, I am currently studying longevity and human development throughout the lifespan.
	Emma Makoba – How will we address the increasing burden of chronic disease in the aging populace, while not abandoning the infectious diseases that still ravage the population?		Vivian Nguyen – I plan to explore the differences I research and encounter in my own life between aging in the Asian and Asian-American culture and other cultures.
	Caitlin Eggleston – Through this blog I hope to delve into some of the myths and issues surrounding aging and happiness with a specific emphasis on depression.		Jeremy Schreier – My positive experiences with and inspiration from elder people, combined with my growing interests in psychology and neuroscience, have influenced the topic of this blog.
	Karla Jimenez – I’m particularly interested in writing about the psychology of sex and aging.		Kelly Vicars – It seems to me that our society’s current framework for adolescence might not allow kids to grow up in the ways they need to.
	Alicia Kriewall – As I only have seven weeks, I will only look at a few countries. Specifically, I plan to look at Russia, India, the US, Germany, Brazil, Japan, and China.		Alyssa Wisdom – Follow me as I take this fascinating journey exploring the ways longevity and aging differ across cultural boundaries!
	Amy Berliner – Gender and age interact in so many ways, but for this blog I will be exploring the intersection of motherhood and longevity.		Dana Wyman – Recently, improvements in sequencing technology have made analyzing a person’s genome much faster, cheaper, and more accurate.