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http://hdl.handle.net/11375/22373
Title: | Science Fiction in the classroom: Using Rollback to discuss concepts in Adulthood and Aging |
Authors: | Gagne, Danielle D. Angie, Julieann Soto, Jose |
Department: | None |
Keywords: | science fiction;Robert Sawyer;classroom instruction;aging |
Publication Date: | 14-Sep-2013 |
Abstract: | One of the major advantages of using science fiction in the classroom is the ability to explore “what if…” Moreover, good science fiction (the kind that is based on actual science) facilitates students’ ability to consider current technology and theory and consider the implications for a plausible future. This paper explores issues of aging presented in Robert Sawyer’s novel, Rollback. Students in an Adult Development and Aging course read Rollback in addition to a standard textbook. Student comments suggested that the book complemented the course well, and provided a unique and surreal insight into aging and issues of “getting old” and made the concepts discussed in class easier to understand. For example, we discussed theories of longevity in class (i.e., whether aging was caused by free radicals, shortening telomeres, etc.), and then followed with a discussion of how the Rollback procedure addressed these theories – why didn’t it work for one person and not the other? We talked about physical and sensory changes, and then saw the manifestations of those gradual and insidious changes as Don talked about how he navigated everyday life before and after the procedure. The story also provided a backdrop for values clarification -- many strenuously objected to Don’s cheating, which led to talks of what “death to us part” means, exactly, and whether our views of marriage and commitment may need to be revisited if our lifespans regularly exceed the century mark. Overall, student ratings indicated that reading Rollback helped them to think about aging in ways they hadn’t previously, and offered insight into the aging process that the textbook did not. Therein is the value of science fiction – to prompt students to question what might be within the realm of possible. |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11375/22373 |
Appears in Collections: | Science Fiction: The Interdisciplinary Genre |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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SF2013McMaster_Gagne_D.pdf | 255.08 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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