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On the website dedicated to Baltes, there is a list of references for
wisdom:
http://www.baltes-paul.de/Wisdom.html
I can't remember which ones I used specifically, but the Baltes &
Kunzmann (2003) paper listed there that has a full text link gives a
good intro to some of the work.
On May 30, 2008, at 2:35 PM, Beryl Rosenthal wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers
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> institutions.
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>
> Can you please share the Baltes reference with us? I think it has
> been mentioned before on this listserve.
> Thanks,
> Beryl
>
> Audra Baleisis wrote:
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
>> Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>> institutions.
>> *********************************************************************
>> ********
>>
>> I had the opportunity to take a social gerontology class a few
>> years ago, that was mostly aimed at students who might be working
>> with senior citizens, with an aging population, etc. But there
>> were some really great resources the instructor brought in that
>> made me realize how important it is to look at exhibits or
>> programs from the point of view of a specific audience.
>>
>> One of my favorite parts of the class was an exercise that was led
>> by a woman from the local Council on Aging. We were handed out
>> various set of glasses (that ranged from slightly scratched, to
>> mostly blacked out) to simulate different vision problems. We put
>> cotton balls in our ears. We tied a string around our ankles to
>> impose a shorter gait. And we put on latex gloves to simulate the
>> loss of touch sensitivity. In the context of the exercise (of us
>> being in a senior "daycare", with a snotty, condescending "aide"
>> to help us), I remember how frustrated I got very quickly. At
>> being expected to sign a check when I couldn't even see the
>> signature line, at being told to "hurry along" when I could only
>> take steps that were a foot apart. It gave me a very different
>> outlook on the point of view of a person with some physical
>> challenges.
>>
>> We also had an exercise that simulated the type of hearing loss
>> that is common - not of overall volume decrease but of a decrease
>> in hearing the upper frequencies (where consonant sounds hang
>> out!). This meant that turning up a volume dial did nothing to
>> increase comprehension. Just try figuring out what someone is
>> saying if you can only hear vowels.
>>
>> Other considerations that were brought up were to have adequate
>> access to seating (for resting) and restrooms.
>>
>> The last thing that comes to mind dealt with vision changes - that
>> led to certain colors standing out less (again, not a problem of
>> turning up a volume, because only certain frequencies were
>> affected). This category also included leaving more time for dark-
>> adaptation and light-adaptation (since the eyes get slower at this
>> as we age), and planning times of day for certain programs because
>> of decreased night vision (and a harder time driving at night).
>>
>> Taken all together, these changes describe a person who may not
>> even be up and about, but as a set of things to keep in mind, they
>> may make a difference for aging visitors.
>>
>> On a final (and maybe more positive) note, I did my term paper for
>> the class on a researcher named Paul Baltes, who studied cognitive
>> changes of aging brains. Although computational speed was
>> decreasing on average, some of his research showed that wisdom was
>> increasing with age for many people. How exactly to harness or
>> engage an increasingly wise mind is a tough question, and I
>> remember wondering how this might be taken advantage of with
>> programs that looked at this aspect of human reasoning.
>>
>> Audra Baleisis
>> Science Education Consultant
>> Flandrau Science Center
>> Tucson, AZ
>>
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> --
> Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
> Director
> Tsongas Industrial History Center
> Boott Cotton Mills
> 115 John Street
> Lowell, MA 01854
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> A joint program of UMASS Lowell and Lowell National Historical Park
>
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> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
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> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at
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>
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