Aging and Career Paths

Code:

MTP20

Acronym:

EPP

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Humanities

Instance: 2017/2018 - 2S

Active?	No
Web Page:	http://https://sigarra.up.pt/fpceup/pt/ucurr_geral.ficha_uc_view?pv_ocorrencia_id=407596
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Psychology Themes

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MTP	0	Official Curricular Structure	1	-	6	54	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

It is true that the ageing population corresponds to a positive evolution in our societies; still, that process also has effects in terms of social costs and it triggers public policies that aim at keeping more workers in the labour market until retirement age – which tends to be gradually later in life.

However, such measures do not encompass the intervention on the workplaces so to make them sustainable along the people’s entire professional paths – although it is well-known that the working conditions can either determine to a large extent the possibility to maintain a working situation or, on the contrary, justify the need to withdraw.

On the other hand, such measures do not value enough the potential for the performance of professional activities that lies within the experience that comes with age. The debate about which forms the public action can take regarding ageing at and by work, together with tangible approaches, is, under these circumstances, reinforced.

The curricular unit is structured so the students can be capable of:

- Be familiar and understand the dynamic interrelations between work and ageing: know which working conditions and which principles of work organisation foster the sustainable increase of the working life, without prejudice to the health (neither during the working period, nor after retirement), throughout the working path;

- Concerning the public policies on employment and health, be familiar and take a stand regarding the measures that have been recommended as favourable to the sustainable development of regions, companies and workers aged 50+;

- Make a clear, accurate and coherent organisation of one’s reasoning and justify the ethical, theoretical and methodological options made in different situations;

- Think thorough and produce original processes to approach the issues under analysis;

- Protect the self-criticism capacity and the understanding towards the interlocutors’ point of view.

Learning outcomes and competences

1. Ability to integrate different types of contributions;


2. Ability to organize with clarity, precision and coherence arguments and a justification of theoretical and methodological options;


3. Ability to produce original ideas and processes for addressing questions in analysis;


4. Self-criticism and understanding from the viewpoint of the interlocutors.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. The demographic evolutions of the employed people, the work evolutions, some defined public policies, the work expectations and the conditions in which it can be assumed in several sectors of the economic activity;


2. The ageing process and its relation with the work


3. Weakening professional paths: the effects of work on health and inequalities regarding the working conditions


4. Experience and learning


5. Work while getting older: in which working conditions?


6. The wear increased by the past professional life: deterioration of the health state vs preservation of the experience resources?


7. Early leaving from the labour market due to health issues and social inequalities


8. Right to retirement due to the recognition of the work’s painfulness?

Mandatory literature

Chassaing, K., & Volkoff, S.; Ageing and gesture strategies: the case of form setters in expressway bridge construction., 2006
Delgoulet, C. ; Novato: uma categoria homogénea? , 2015
Gaudart, C. ; Jubilação, Laboreal, 10(2), 103–105. http://dx.doi.org/10.15667/laborealx0214cgpt, 2014
Mardon, C., Buchmann, W., & Volkoff, S. ; Un enfoque diacronico de los TME: uso de datos cuantitativos en una gran empresa. , Laboreal, 9(1), 41-59. http://laboreal.up.pt/pt/articles/uma-abordagem-diacronicadas-lme-o-uso-de-dados-quantitativos-numa-grandeempresa/, 2013
Molinié, A-F. ; Queixa, Laboreal, 6, (1), 69-71. http://laboreal.up.pt/revista/artigo.php?id=48u56oTV65822349;87378;5222, 2010
Quéinnec, Y. ; Horário, Laboreal, 3, (2), 90-91. http://laboreal.up.pt/revista/artigo.php?id=48u56oTV6582234234335473732, 2007
Ramos, S., & Lacomblez, M.; Envelhecimento, trabalho e cognição: 80 anos de investigação., Laboreal, 1, (1), 52-60. http://laboreal.up.pt/revista/artigo.php?id=48u56oTV65822342746:64:472, 2005
Ramos, S., & Lacomblez, M. ; L’âge : évolutions des approches d’un marqueur des histoires de travail., Les Politiques Sociales, 3 & 4, 14-27., 2008
Thébaud-Mony, A. ; Riscos., Laboreal, 6, (1), 72–73. http://laboreal.up.pt/revista/artigo.php?id=37t45nSU54711238:7626984121, 2010
Vendramin, P., & Valenduc, G. ; Occupations and ageing at work. An analysis of the findings of the fifth European Working Conditions Survey., 2014
Vendramin, P., Valenduc, G., Molinié A.-F., Volkoff, S., Ajzen, M., & Léonard, E. ; Sustainable work and the ageing workforce. , Report EF1266. Dublin: Eurofound., 2012
Volkoff, S.; The end of working life: questions for ergonomics. , Montréal: Proceedings of the SELF-ACE 2001 Conference., 2001
Volkoff, S. ; Visibilidade, Laboreal, 7, (1), 119-121.http://laboreal.up.pt/revista/artigo.php?id=37t45nSU5471124227839554481, 2011
Volkoff, S., & Pueyo, V. ; How do elderly workers face tight time constraints ? , In Assessment and promotion of work ability, health and well-being of ageing workers (pp.17-22). Elsevier ICS, Vol. 1280. , 2005
Volkoff, S., Buisset, C., & Mardon, C. ; Does intense pressure at work make older employees more vulnerable? A statistical analysis based on a French survey “SVP50”. , Applied Ergonomics, volume 41, n° 6, October, p. 754-762., 2010

Teaching methods and learning activities

Expositive lessons. Preparation, organization, presentation and discussion of data and texts related to the topics of the CU. Fieldwork + mentoring. Online resources.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho de campo	60,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Total:	100,00

Calculation formula of final grade

The proposed evaluation assumes a continuous character, based on two elements:

· Field research (in small groups) and its presentation in class: 60%;

· Summary of the theoretical reflection (5 pag./individual test): 40%

For each evaluation element the minimum grade is 8.5 (out of 20).


Failing to accomplish one of the components implies a zero classification in that particular component. The minimum score required is 8 values in all components.

The review or improvement of classification are limited to components which by their nature are repeatable and, therefore, allow the revaluation initially assigned.

Classification improvement

The review or improvement of classification are limited to components which by their nature are repeatable and, therefore, allow the revaluation initially assigned.