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The topics accommodates varying levels of ability and participation and may include, but are not limited to the following:
I. Communication
A. Listening
1. Importance (e.g. information, socialization, communication between
generation)
2. Barriers (e.g. interruption, monopolization, moralization, criticism)
3. Active listening
i. Observation of speaker's body language
ii. Paraphrase
iii. Summarization
iv. Reflection on emotional context
B. Speaking and body language
1. Comments (e.g. brief, jargon free, non-confrontational)
2. Awareness of own body language (e.g. tense, relaxed)
3. Good volume
4. Eye contact
5. Assertiveness (e.g. direct, honest, responsible)
6. Effective questioning to clarify
i. Open-ended questions (e.g. why... how... tell me about...)
ii. Avoidance of close-ended or leading questions (e.g. did you... you were...)
II. Exploration of Ideas and Meanings
A. Motivation/intention
1. Learning renewed (e.g. curiosity and interests)
2. Openness to new ideas (e.g. I never thought of that before... That's new to
me...)
3. Interest in the "why" of issues
4. Hearing divergent perspectives
5. Cultivation of meaning
B. Group guidelines
1. One speaker at a time
2. Courteous
3. Tolerant/non-judgmental
4. All opinions welcomed
5. Exploration not debate
6. Agreement not the goal
7. Discussion stoppers (e.g. winning debates, domination, withdrawing).
8. Personal opinion stated as such
C. Research resources
1. Internet (e.g. Google, Wikipedia, ProCon.org)
2. Books, magazines, newspapers
3. Conversations with others
III. Topics for Discussion (Each course section may include but is not limited to the
following:)
A. Consumer economics
1. Self-sufficiency
2. Resources/entitlements
3. Rights and protections
4. Purchasing (e.g. credit cards, prescription plans, medical care)
B. Health/medicine
1. Maintenance of independence
2. Healthy aging (e.g. cognition, physical, emotional)
C. Technology
1. Trends/changes
2. Purchase (e.g. internet service, cable, computer software and hardware)
3. Operation (e.g. cell phone, I-pod)
4. Usefulness (e.g. email, internet)
D. Current events
1. World
2. US
3. California and local
4. Scams, schemes and frauds
5. People
6. Elections/propositions
E. Environmental issues
1. Geography (e.g. changing world map)
2. Climate change
F. Politics
1. Politicians
2. Ideology
3. Foreign and domestic policies
4. Judicial decisions
G. Philosophy/religion/spirituality
1. Personal values
2. Decision-making
H. History
1. Recollection of events
2. World
3. US history
i. Birth of the nation (Revolutionary War, Declaration of Independence)
ii. 1800s
iii. 1900s
iv. "This day in history"
I. Natural history (e.g. plants, animals, evolution)
J. Science/discoveries/inventions
K. Social Science
1. Psychology, anthropology
2. Gender and socio-economic issues
3. Cultural studies (e.g. styles and events)
4. Social movements (e.g. animal rights, disability rights, women's liberation)
L. Biographies
1. Historical (e.g. Robert E. Lee, Darwin, Susan B. Anthony)
2. Recent (e.g. Martin Luther King, Jackie Kennedy-Onassis)
3. U.S. Presidents
M. Literature
1. Historical
2. Poetry
3. Novels/stories
4. Plays
N. Language
1. Etymology
2. Definitions
3. Foreign (e.g. Spanish)
O. Art and photography
IV. Enhancement of Quality of Life
A. Mental stimulation - critical self-reflection (e.g. connection of topics to present life)
1. Observation (e.g. reframe previous assumptions)
2. Recognition (e.g. new self-knowledge)
3. Application (e.g. new meaning and value to past experiences)
B. Social interactions
1. Role playing (e.g. great debates, historical re-enactments)
2. Peer encouragement
3. Cross generational communication
C. Emotional well-being
1. Positive self evaluations (peer compliments, I remembered...)
2. Self-respect
3. Expression of feeling and emotions
4. Experimentation with beliefs and risk taking
5. Humor and laughter (e.g. funny memories and experiences)