Lesson 2: Course Content Introduction

Attention

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able

  • Start to explore the pluralities of death: socio-culturally, spiritually, scientifically, and personally.
  • Understand the assignments required in this course.
  • Begin to ask questions, identify patterns, and gain curiosity about the many constructs, levels, cultural institutions, rituals, rites and myths involved in death and dying analyses.

Teaching

Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever. -- Mahatma Gandhi

Few experiences in life are as universal as dying and death. Many of you may have heard of the saying: ‘there are only two sure things in life’- death is one of those things.

This course offers a unique opportunity to reflect upon life’s end on an individual and personal level, considering cultural differences and personalizing content to make life, and end of life, more meaningful to you. Doing this allows us to be more fully present as we live, and more fully present with others when dying and death touch their lives.

Only familiarity with the thought of death creates true inner freedom.
- Albert Schweitzer

While this exploration can be challenging, it can also be enlightening, enriching, uplifting, and, as the Schweitzer quote above indicates, liberating. However, it remains true, that many are afraid or fearful about discussing death.

The content of this course is organized in lesson folders, located on the Course Blackboard page, to the left, within the content folder.

Read each lesson first! Please review all the material, follow the links, locate the assignment drop boxes, understand the discussion board, and don’t hesitate to contact me if there is any confusion.

We are beginning an introduction to the study of death and dying. The course includes discussion about how attitudes around death and dying have developed and changed within our society and across cultures. Significant discussion and exploration of suicide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia; murder, death penalty, abortion also hospice care for the terminally ill; various death rituals and funerary practices; policy, legislation and historic framework; and concepts related to grieving, mourning and bereavement will be discussed.

This class will include the following MAJOR assignments:

CURRENT EVENTS: There will be two current event postings due throughout the semester. Students will select a current event focused on death and dying from anywhere around the world, cite at least two scholarly resources (other than our class texts) and write a formal essay on these topics. Current events can be found within local and global newspapers, magazines, and current movie releases or media presentations. These essays will include an accompanying PowerPoint, presenting your findings. Essays should be no longer than five pages and no fewer than three pages- excluding references and title page. The PowerPoint slide shall be no more than 20 slides and no fewer than 10 slides.

SOCIO-CULTURAL COMMENTARY WITH PRESENTATION: There will be two socio-cultural analyses due throughout the semester. Students will select a Song, Poem, Piece of Art Work, or Myth/fable, or rite/ritual that focuses on death and dying from anywhere around the world, cite at least two resources (excluding the book), and write an informal paper and presentation. Please the Special Assignment Folder for full details.

Two different mediums must be selected- one for each presentation. Please confirm with instructor before selecting. You may also use the student lounge to discuss ideas. There are so many options, and this can be (at times) the MOST interesting pieces of the course to explore. I have had students do Andy Warhol paintings, Hawthorne short stories, popular songs and movies and/or responses to iconic deaths. Joseph Campbell, Orozco, death masks, and/or rituals can all be examined.

ARTICLE REVIEW: There will be one article review due this semester. Students will choose an article from the EBSCO database or from a preapproved journal and select one scholarly article discussing aspects of death and dying and/or grieving from any cultural background. From this selection, students will write a formal essay organizing the ideas and presenting the findings. The purpose of this assignment is to better prepare you for further academic research and inquiry.

COMMUNITY INTERVIEW PROJECT: This assignment will require students to interview a friend, relative or community member about their experiences and perspectives on death and dying. Questions to ask and interview approaches will be discussed during class time or via the on-line discussion forums (course questions, student lounge, and through instructor use of the Bb announcement feature).

Please review all the Special Assignment Folders for full details and directions about how to complete the major assignments.

LESSON ASSIGNMENTS: Lessons may ALSO include quizzes and/or additional discussions, as well.

Assessment

Lesson 2 Discussion

Complete a Discussion entry with your reflection on the following:

The course includes discussion about how attitudes around death and dying have developed and changed within our society and across cultures. Significant discussion and exploration of suicide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia; also hospice care for the terminally ill; various death rituals and funerary practices; policy, legislation and historic framework; and concepts related to grieving, mourning and bereavement will be discussed.

- how do these things make you feel, what do they make you think, what might your fears be, what might some opportunities be, what might some triggers be, what experiences do you have that will make this class easier/harder??

Lesson 2 Activity

Post One question in the course question section of Bb for EACH assignment – it can be about resources, medium choices, length, subject matter, citations, requirements, etc. This will get you starting to think about each assignment, and support your understanding of a timeline regarding the work needed for this class.

  • Journal Discussions
  • Current Events Assignments
  • Socio-cultural commentary with Presentation
  • Articles
  • Community Interview Project
  • Lesson Assignments

Lesson 2 Quiz

Complete the following Personal Death History answering the following. This will be viewed only by the instructor.

  1. The first death that I experieced was the death of:
  2. I was _____ year old.
  3. At that time I felt:
  4. I was most curious about:
  5. The things that frightened me the most were:
  6. The feelings that I Have now as I thinkn of that death are:
  7. The most intriguing thing about the funeral was:
  8. I was most scared at the funeral by:
  9. The first personal acquaintance of my own age who died was:
  10. I remember thinking:
  11. I lost my first parent when I was ________years old. Or has not happened.
  12. The death of a parent is/was significant because:
  13. The most recent death I experienced was:
  14. THe most traumatic death I have ever experienced was: