The Role of Research in Adult Development

The goal of this discussion is to provide an opportunity for you to capture the new ideas and perspectives that you are developing as a result of your study in this course, and to share them with your peers online. Successful learning from discussions requires the ability to consider the ideas of others and a willingness to challenge them—always respectfully. Your wholehearted engagement in courseroom discussions will make the difference between an adequate course experience a transformative one.

For your initial post, focus on a recent life event related to adulthood and aging. This could include a medical event, a career change, loss of family or friends, or a news event focusing on seniors or diseases. Consider your perspectives and how they are shaped by social media and global influences. There are many differences among perspectives and cultural expectations that have developed over the last 50 years. Reflect on how your grandfather’s generation might have addressed such a change and how our differing perspectives factor in to our ability to live longer and healthier lives.

Describe the recent event that you have in mind and related to it, the importance of each of the following:

• Implementing the results of research in this area of human development.
• Defining your role in the human behavior field, current or anticipated.
• Defining the parameters of your field and interactions with experts in other mental or physical health fields, agencies, institutions of higher learning, and government research groups.

Please follow the guidelines for discussion posts provided in the Faculty Expectations—these, as well as the Response Guidelines in each discussion, are the standards by which you will be graded for discussions. To allow other learners time to respond, you are encouraged to post your initial responses in the discussion area by midweek or at the discretion of your instructor. Refer to the Faculty Expectations to guide the due date of your initial posts and your responses to other learners’ posts. If you have questions, please ask your instructor.