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Honors PSY 230 Lifespan Developmental PsychologySection 001A Wednesdays 12:30-3:20NVCC, Alexandria Campus, Spring 2012, Bisdorf Room 328Instructor Name:Dr. C. LorenteOffice: AA252E-mail:ccl2043@email.vccs.eduPhone: 703-933-5080Office Hours: TBACourse Site: BlackboardCourse Description and ObjectivesHonors PSY 230 Lifespan Developmental Psychology explores human development from a life-span perspective -- from conception through death. Through current research and examples of human development around the world, students will learn to think culturally about their own development and how it applies to their own lives and future careers. How people change and why certain characteristics remain stable over time will be explored including aspects of development such as biological, cognitive, psychosocial, and cultural influences.This course is composite of Psy. 231 and Psy. 232 in a one semester format. The course provides information about how people grow and develop over time, enabling them to better understand their own growth and development and that of others. Understanding how we have become the people we are today contributes to greater self-awareness and greater appreciation of the forces that shape all people. The course also offers scientific and practical guidance to those who work with, care for or raise children. ObjectivesUpon completion of the course, the student will be able to:1. Describe the major physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes in each stage of the lifespan.2. Recognize the various factors that influence an individual's behavior at each phase of life span development including a focus on culture.3. Demonstrate knowledge of major theories of human development.4. Demonstrate understanding of developmental research methods.5. Apply knowledge of developmental psychology to your professional and everyday life, promoting understanding of yourself and others. 6. Discuss historical and current issues on human development.7. Appreciate cultural diversities and respect individual differences.8. Apply critical thinking skills to evaluate materials related to human development, and to communicate effectively ideas and knowledge to others.Required Textbook/MaterialsArnett, J.J. 2012. Human Development: A Cultural Approach. NJ: Pearson Education.Various readings for each class will be posted on our Blackboard site.Course format:The course will be primarily seminar based. Everyone is expected to do the readings before each session. We will engage in class discussions, do small group activities, and watch short video clips. EvaluationYour final grade will be based on a percentage of the total points. 200 points possible:90% = A, 80% = B, 70% = C, 60% = D, and below 60% = F.Cross-Cultural Detective Assignment (80 points of final grade). Locate information about a culture, broadly construed, using the wealth of sources available to you (internet, fiction, academic books and journal articles, popular press magazines and newspapers, movies, and contacts with nationals or government officials). You should consult at least four of these types of sources as this variety of material will provide a wealth and breadth of information unavailable using only one medium. Your paper should follow APA style. For general APA Guidelines see of this project will occur in three areas. 1) Progress report (10 points – due 2/1): Your cover page, your reference page, and a one page introduction. 2) Final Report – (60 points – due 4/18): Be sure to include information on your culture’s educational system, medical facilities, economic conditions, media availability, entertainment (music, literature, etc.), historical events, and so on. Following this description, think of how the information you have gained might influence development throughout the lifespan (infancy through death) in light of the course material we've studied and the concepts explored (e.g. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory). See the attached grading scheme for your final reports. 3) Presentation (10 points – due 4/18): A ten minute presentation about your topic. You can use power point if you would like. Points given for creativity. 2.Class Participation (10 points of final grade). Each student is responsible for reading all of the chapters and readings assigned. These chapters and articles will be the foundation for our class discussions. It is essential, therefore, that participants read all the assigned material before coming to class. One of the aims of the course is to provide opportunities for you to develop your skills as active readers. An important aspect of active reading is the generation of questions as you read. To help you develop this skill, and to help keep track of your thinking as the course progresses, you will be required to formulate at least one question based on the readings in preparation for each class. These questions can focus on things you did not understand, connections or contrasts between the readings and other things you have read or experienced, the nature of the research used to justify claims made in the readings, or anything else that intrigues, stimulates or bothers you about the ideas discussed. Please make sure to include page and paragraph references to sections of the readings relevant to your question. This will help keep our discussion anchored in the texts and facilitate close reading where this is necessary. Those who turn in their questions each class and participate regularly in discussions will receive full credit. If for any reason you have to miss a class, you are required to inform me of your absence by email before the start of class, and to write a brief reflection on the assigned readings for that day. In this way, you will have a chance to work through the material and show what you have learned, even though you have missed the discussion.3.Article Presentations (10 points of final grade). Each student will choose one of the assigned articles to briefly present. Since we all will have read the material the major emphasis of the presentation is to inspire class discussion. Prepare an outline to distribute to the class. 4.Midterm and Final Exam (100 points of final grade- 50 points each). They will cover material from the text, readings and class notes. The questions will be a combination of multiple choice and essay. No make-up tests will be given.Email:Using email is the best way to contact me. You must use your VCCS email for confidential information, but you can use any email account for general questions or comments. Your emails should always include your name, class, and section.Blackboard:Our class has a Blackboard site that we will use for discussions and/or in the event of a college closure.Student success:Your success in this class depends on your own behavior. Psychology is a reading-intensive discipline. You should expect to spend 3-6 hours per week outside of class reading, reviewing notes, working on assignments, studying, etc. It is your responsibility to keep up with readings, assignments, test dates, etc. The best way to do this is to attend class.Attendance: You are expected to attend every class and be on time. I will take roll every class period. We will cover material in class that is not in the text and you will be responsible for class and text material. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get the class notes from a classmate. If you have excessive absences (i.e., more than two absences), I may withdraw you. So if you intend to stay in the class, you must inform me of your absences.Withdrawals:If it is your intention to withdraw, then you must do that yourself. Important withdrawl dates are January 26 (last day to drop with full tuition refund or change to audit) and March 23 (last date to withdraw without grade penalty). After March 23, students who simply stop coming to class will receive an F. I can only withdraw a person after that date with documented extenuating circumstances. Participation:I encourage all students to participate, indeed it is part of your grade. There will be many opportunities to voice your opinions and questions. I will often break the class into small groups so that people have a greater chance to participate. Your participation will increase the amount of material that you learn and in my experience, people who participate more tend to do better on tests. Academic dishonesty:Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated in this class. Cheating includes dishonesty of any kind on tests or assignments. Plagiarism includes the failure to give credit to another’s work. Giving and taking unauthorized help on tests or assignments are both considered cheating. NVCC and I regard these as serious offenses. The minimum sanction for such behavior is an F on the assignment; the maximum sanction is dismissal from college. You may read the full policy on academic dishonesty in the Student Handbook.Learning environment:In psychology classes, we discuss topics that people may be sensitive about. These include such areas as gender, sexual orientation, child rearing, and race. It is important that we all treat one another with respect. We will refrain from making negative comments about people or their opinions. Electronic devices:When you enter our classroom, please put your cell phone on vibrate. Students who use their devices in class (e.g., texting) will have to leave. If you have an urgent situation that requires you to be on-call, please discuss it with me before class. You are welcome to use a laptop but only for taking notes. If it becomes a distraction to you or your classmates you will be asked to refrain from using.Security and safety:NVCC has security procedures that we will go over on the first day of class. In the event of any alarm or evacuation, you must listen to my instructions. Stay together as a class so that I can provide notice of any missing students to officials. If you have a disability or physical challenge, please notify me so that we can create an evacuation plan.Special needs and accommodations:Please address with me any special problems or needs at the beginning of the semester. If you are seeking accommodations based on a disability, you should provide a disability data sheet, which can be obtained from the disability services offices (Bisdorf 229, 703-933-1840). For more details, see related or other closings:If classes are cancelled due to weather or other situations, we will stick with the schedule below. You will be responsible for reading the material for that day. If we miss a test or assignment due date, it will be on the next class meeting instead. The college will update its home page on the top right corner if there is a closing. In case of closing, refer to our Blackboard site for any class updatesIf the college is closed for a longer period of time, then we will shift our class to Blackboard. You must stay in touch with me during such a closure. If we work together, we will be able to successfully complete the course, even in the event of a long closure. Writing help: For free, personalized, tutoring or writing help, see of readings on next page:Life Span Development I Spring 2012 Tentative Class ScheduleJan. 11Course Organization and Orientation andIntroductionReadings:Chapter (1)George, D. (2000). Bearing the smoke. Salon [On-line]. Find at: 18Genetics and Prenatal Development Readings: Chapter (2)Cloud, J. 2010. Why your DNA isn’t your destiny. Time Magazine, Jan. 6. Retrieved at: – Culture choiceJan. 25Birth and the Newborn ChildReadings:Chapter (3)Shweder, R.A., & Jensen, L. (1997, April). Who sleeps by whom: What experts say, what anthropologists know. Paper presented at Society for Research on Child Development, Washington, D.C..Feb. 1InfancyReadings:Chapter (4)Due – Progress reportFeb. 8 ToddlerhoodReadings:Chapter (5)Feb. 15Early ChildhoodReadings:Chapter (6)Feb. 22 Middle ChildhoodReadings:Chapter (7)Feb. 29Midterm 1-7Mar.7Spring BreakMarch 14AdolescenceReadings:Chapter (8)March 21Emerging AdulthoodReadings:Chapter (9)March 28Young AdulthoodReadings:Chapter (10)April 4Middle AdulthoodReadings: Chapter (11)April 11Late Adulthood and Death and Afterlife BeliefsReadings:Chapter (12) and Chapter (13)April 18Due: Culture Paper and presentationsApril 25Final Exam 8-13Evaluation Form: PSY 230 Cross Cultural Detective AssignmentName: Student #:SectionPointsCommentsContentDescription of culture of 30Educational systemMedical facilitiesEconomic conditionsMedia availabilityEntertainmentHistorical eventsCultural influence on Life-span developmentof 15in terms of Ecological systems theoryStyle of 15Cover pageReferencesQualitySpellingReadabilityTotal Points for paperof 60 ................
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