WHY DO I HAVE TO LEARN THIS IF I'M NOT GOING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL? TEACHING RESEARCH METHODS IN A SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF AGING COURSE

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the introduction and incorporation of research methods into an advanced undergraduate level course, Social Psychology of Aging. This case serves as an example of the challenges and issues facing those who teach aging courses within a broader discipline to students who enroll in the class with various motivations and levels of expertise. Issues of methodology are incorporated at several junctures, including class lectures, active learning exercises, examinations, a term paper, and critique of journal articles to increase the students' awareness of the relevance of methodology and the benefits of utilizing sound research methods in studying aging. The development and teaching of this course is illustrative because it requires both the incorporation of two disciplines (Sociology and Psychology) as well as an integration of the discipline of the course offering (Sociology) and the study of aging (Gerontology).