Welcome to the web-based course on The Science of Aging. The course will investigate various issues related to how and why we age. Every week a different topic area will be presented. Instead of sitting in a classroom listening to a presentation, you will be viewing the presentation on-line, at home or in your office. By selecting various icons and URLs, you can access lecture notes, reading assignments, bulletin boards to post messages to the instructor and/or other students, and various other functions.

To help you understand the reading assignments and the activities, first read "Notes from the Instructor." Here is where you will find an overview of the content for the lesson. Included in the "Notes" may be links to other readings which will be underlined and typed in blue, and when you place the cursor on the link, a hand will appear. Click on the blue area to visit the site referred to in the notes. To return back to the "Notes", click on the "Back" button in the upper left corner of your screen. (This button will always return you to your previous screen.) After you have read the "Notes," continue on with the reading assignments. 

Click on the underlined readings to visit the site. These readings include Internet sites and reserved readings from the library. In order to access the library readings, you must download Adobe Acrobat Reader to your computer.  To download this free program, click on Acrobat Reader, and follow the directions.  Once your computer is equipped with the Acrobat Reader, click on the underlined readings to visit the site.  Some readings require a password in order to open the document.  Only students enrolled in the course have access to these reading assignments. When it asks for your "User Name", type in the following: fgcu-student\user name where the user name is usually the initials of your first and middle name and the first six letters of your last name. Your user name is the also the same user name designated for your e-mail. For example, John K. Smith's user name would be jksmith. When prompted for your "Password", type in your FGCU password.  Some of the readings have been divided into two or three parts to speed downloading of these files.  Make sure you complete the entire reading.

After you have completed the "Notes" and assigned readings, click on the assignment for the module. Instructions for submitting the assignment can be found at this site. Please submit assignments by the due date posted.  If you are having problems with the assignment, either related to technology or content area, please contact the instructor.

Become familiar with using the bulletin board and visit frequently. If you have questions about a certain topic and would like to know what other students or the instructor are thinking about that topic, post a message on the bulletin board. Also, read the postings on the bulletin board from other students and the instructor and feel free to respond to these messages. This dialog counts toward your class participation. 

Bulletin Board Topics
       The Big Desk:      Here you post questions for the instructor.  Remember, no questions is "stupid". If 
                                   you have this question, chances are other students do too.
       The Lounge:         Here is the students area to communicate with each other about whatever you want.
       The Sandbox:       Here is a play area. I'll introduce you to a couple of fun games that actually
                                   reduce the stress of class activities. Use this place to have fun!
       Study Questions:  This is the place where you will post your answers to the study questions.  There 
                                   will be one question per board.
       News Room:        This is place where you will post your reviews of current media articles on aging.
                                   There will be one board per module.
       Field Trips:          This is where you will post information about a unique source, relevant to this class,
                                   that you visited either in Cyberspace or in our "physical" world.

If you have questions or problems that need to be addressed immediately, feel free to e-mail or call. Do not use the bulletin board for emergency questions. This is a new experience and understandably there will be problems, questions, and panic attacks. Remain calm and we will all get through this course together. 

Return to Syllabus