Literature and Gerontology

Welcome to this course!

       Ageing is an unavoidable part of human life and a proper perspective concerning old age is essential at an individual level and in the society at large. Studying the representation of ageing in literature and juxtaposing it with perspectives from other disciplines, offers a creative and engaging way to affect an individual’s civic responsibility and most importantly aid in whole person development of the learner. We are glad that you took this step to learn more about ageing. We can assure you that your view of ageing will undergo a change for the better, as you journey through this experience. Happy learning!

      The course is part of the project, “An Interdisciplinary Asynchronous Course on Literature and Gerontology” funded by United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia under the Whole Person Education Digital Content Development Grant – 2021.

Components in the Course

The syllabus has four units.

Each unit will have the following components

• 3-5 Video lectures -> 2 (literature) + 2 (other perspective)

• Reading materials 1 – 3

• Self-study worksheet – 1

• Activity/Task with Discussion Forum – 1

• Quiz – 1

• Introspection (audio) – 1

Apart from the above, there are two panel discussions and a final assessment (combined with task and discussion forum) at the end of the course.

Role of the learner

• The achievement of the outcomes and objectives of this course is subject to  the extent to which the learner stays committed to complete all components, finish all the tasks and do his/her best to take in, what’s being taught.

• The learners are expected to read the literary texts prescribed in the syllabus and then watch the corresponding video lecture for better understanding.

Subject Experts

• Dr. Udaya B. Jagadeesan, M.D. is a Chief Medical Officer and a practising Geriatrician, JGS Life care, Longmeadow, Massachusetts, USA. 

• Dr. Roopa Ravikumar, Associate Professor (Retired), Department of Social Sciences, Lady Doak College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. She has been teaching Gerontology for around 25 years.

• Rev. Dr. John Samuel Ponnusamy, Dean of Doctoral Studies, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India has contributed to books and articles on ageing studies from a theological frame of reference. He has worked as a Lecturer in Northern College, Manchester, UK and visiting professor at Pacific Theological College, Fiji.

Course Designed by the instructor Dr. Hillela P. (More information is available under instructor biography)

Who this course is for:

• Individuals who wish to view ageing creatively through literature
• Individuals who desire to examine the harsh realities in life using humour, stories and interesting comparisons
• Curious minds interested in viewing ageing from an interdisciplinary perspective