SYLLABUS * CHILDHOOD & ADOLESCENCE * PSYCH 221

 

                                                           Fall 2009 * Sections 1 & 3

 

                                                                                           Office Hours *

Professor:              Dr. James P. Buchanan             Mon.    9:00-9:50

Office:                    AMH 221                                            Wed.    9:00-9:50

Office Phone:         941-4267(VOICE MAIL)                   Fri .      9:00-9:50

Home Phone:         347-3856                                             * or by appointment

E-mail:                   buchananj1@scranton.edu

 

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TEXT:   Santrock, John W (2008). Children. 10th Ed. Dubuque:  W.C. Brown.

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Description:

            This course will provide a survey of psychological theory and research dealing with the development and behavior of children from infancy to adolescence.  The physical, cognitive, and social aspects of development, from infancy to adolescence, will be considered.

 

Objectives:  The student will:

            (1)          Gain factual knowledge of the terminology, methods, and research findings within the field of child development.

            (2)          Learn the fundamental theories and principles of child development including being able to critique them.

            (3)          Learn how professionals in this field of child development go about the process of gaining new knowledge.

 

Examinations and Quizzes:

            Exams will consist of 50 multiple choice questions.  There will be two midterm exams and a final exam.  Quizzes will consist of 5 multiple choice questions.  There will be 12 quizzes (two will be dropped).  Quizzes will be on chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, and will be announced the class before the quiz.  The 3 exams will account for 150 points or 71% of your grade and the 10 quizzes will account for 50 points or 24% of your grade.

 

Makeup Policy:

1.     Makeup exams must be cleared with the instructor prior to exam.  Missed exams not cleared with instructor will be counted as an F and will be awarded 0 points.

2.     Makeups must be taken as soon as possible after the missed exam.  Failure to take makeup at scheduled time will be counted as an F and will be awarded 0 points.

            3.   NO makeups will be given for quizzes.  The first two missed quizzes will count as dropped quizzes.  For additional missed quizzes, if you have not exhausted your maximum of 6 cuts, a substitute quiz grade will be determined on a prorated basis from the exam covering that chapter. However, if you have exhausted your six cuts, you will be assigned a score of 0 for that quiz.  Please note that quizzes will be given at the beginning of class.  Arriving late after the quizzes have been passed out means you missed the quiz.  Be on time to class.

 

Class Participation:

            You will be awarded up to 10 points for class participation.  Class participation points will be based on clicker participation.  Answering 95% to 100% of the total clicker questions will get you the maximum of 10 points.  Answering 90% to 94.99% will get you 9 points, 85% to 89.99% will get you 8 points, etc.  Also, being correct on at least 90% of the questions will get you an additional 4 bonus class participation points, being correct on at least 80% of the questions will get you an additional 3 bonus points, being correct on at least 70% of the of the questions will get you an additional 2 bonus points, and being correct on at least 60% of the questions will get you an additional 1 bonus point.

 

Grades:             Exam, Quiz, & Class Participation - Total Points Distribution

                           196-210  A                       168-174  B-                 133-140  D+

                           190-195  A-                     161-167  C+                126-132  D

                           183-189  B+                     147-160  C                      0-125  F

                           175-182  B                       141-146  C-   

            Rounding policy is .5 or greater round up, less than .5 round down.  You must be in the point total range indicated above to receive a given grade.  One point below the cut-off is the lower grade!

 

Cut Policy:

            Roll will be taken using the roll function on the clicker.  If you have not signed on, you have missed class!  You will be allowed six absences (excused or unexcused) without penalty.  On the 7th absence (excused or unexcused) your final grade will be dropped to the next lowest grade (e.g. a final grade of B would drop to a B-).  For each additional set of 3 absences (excused or unexcused) past the 7th absence, your final grade will be dropped an additional grade (e.g. for 10 cuts a final grade of B would drop to a C+).  Students are responsible for making sure they sign in on the clicker.  Extraordinary circumstances will be taken into account in terms of this policy.

 

Extra Credit Assignments:

            You can obtain up to six extra credit points by doing three of the extra credit assignments each worth 2 points.  These assignments are described in separate handouts on Angel and are due on various dates throughout the semester.  No late assignment will be accepted after due date.

 

Optional Popular Media Assignment:

            An optional 50-point written assignment is available which increases the total point distribution from 210 to 260 points.  This optional assignment is described in a separate handout on Angel and is due December 4th.  Please note that this is NOT an extra-credit assignment!  No late assignment will be accepted after due date.

 

Academic Dishonesty Policy:

            Acts of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.  Penalties can range from a zero grade on an assignment to a failing course grade.  Please review the University’s Policy on Academic Dishonesty.

 

Students are responsible for all announcements made in class (e.g., change of test dates, announced quizzes, etc.) and all materials passed out in class (e.g., handouts).

DATE                         TOPIC                                               READING ASSIGNMENTS

 

Aug.         24               Introduction to Course

                 26               Issues, History                                                          Chap. 1

                 28               continued

 

                 31               Theories of Development/Methodology               

Sept.          2               continued

                   4               continued

 

                   7               Labor Day - no class

                   9               continued

                 11               continued                                                                  

 

                 14               Genetics and Heredity                                            Chap. 2

                 15               continued

                 18               Prenatal Development                                            Chap. 3

 

                 21               continued/Birth                                                        Chap. 4

                 23               Birth continued

                                    (Cost of Baby Extra Credit Due)

                 25               Infant Physical Development                                 Chap. 5

                                    (Part 1, “Family Data”, Heritability of Height Extra Credit Due)

 

                 28               MIDTERM 1                                                            Chaps. 1-5 (to pg. 164)

                 30               Infant Cognitive Development                               Chap. 6

Oct.            2               Infant Cognitive Development continued

 

                   5               Infant Cognitive Development continued

                   7               Infant Social Development                                     Chap. 7

                   9               continued

 

                 12               SEMESTER BREAK

                 14               Infant Social Development continued

                 16               continued

 

                 19               Early Childhood Physical Development               Chap. 8

                 21               Early Childhood Cognitive Development             Chap. 9

                 23               continued

                                    (Part 2, “Questions”, Heritability of Height Extra Credit Due)

 

                 26               continued

                 28               Early Childhood Social Development                   Chap. 10

                 30               continued

 

Nov.           2               continued

                   4               Mid/Late Childhood Physical Development         Chap. 11

                   6               Mid/Late Childhood Cognitive Development      Chap. 12

                                    (Internet Web Sites Extra Credit Due)

DATE                         TOPIC                                               READING ASSIGNMENTS

 

Nov.           9               MIDTERM 2                                                            Chaps. 5 (from pg. 165) - 10

                 11               Mid/Late Childhood Cognitive Development continued

                 13               continued

 

                 16               cont’d - Mid/Late Childhood Social Development           Chap. 13

                 18               continued

                                    (Toy Stores Extra Credit Due)

                 20               continued

                                    (TV Realism Extra Credit Due)

 

                 23               continued

                 25               Thanksgiving Holiday

                 27               Thanksgiving Holiday

 

                 30               Adolescent Physical Development                        Chap. 14

Dec.           2               continued

                                    (Piaget Extra Credit Due)

                   4               Adolescent Cognitive Development                      Chap. 15

                                    (Optional Popular Media Assignment Due)

 

                   7               Adolescent Social Development                             Chap. 16

                                    (Adolescent Self Identity and MTV Extra Credits Due)

 

             TBA               FINAL EXAM                                                          Chaps. 11 – 16