Syllabus

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

 

Course Title:

Lifespan Growth & Development

Course Prefix & Number: 

PSYC2314

Section Number: 

403

Semester/Year:

Spring 2020

Semester Credit Hours:

3

Lecture Hours:

3

Lab Hours:

 

Course Description (NCTC Catalog):

Life-Span Growth and Development is a study of social, emotional, cognitive and physical factors and influences of a developing human from conception to death.         

Course Prerequisite(s):

Required Course Materials:

Santrock. A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development. 9th Edition. McGraw Hill. ISBN:9781260532012

             

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:

Jennifer Doran

Campus/Office Location:

Corinth / Room 337

Telephone Number:

(940) 498-6424

E-mail Address:

jdoran@nctc.edu

 

OFFICE HOURS

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Online and by appointment

8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

 

11 to 12:30 p.m.

Online and by appointment

8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

 

11 to 12:30 p.m.

Online and by appointment

It is my goal to return all phone calls and emails within 24 hours.

 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education

Course Manual/NCTC Catalog

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

 

Describe the stages of the developing person at different periods of the life span from birth to death.

 

Discuss the social, political, economic, and cultural forces that affect the development process of the individual.

 

Identify factors of responsible personal behavior with regard to issues such as sexual activity, substance abuse, marriage and parenting.

 

Explain the biosocial, cognitive and psychological influences throughout the lifespan as an ongoing set of processes, involving both continuity and change.

 

Describe the different developmental perspectives of the major theories of development (i.e. cognitive, learning, humanistic and psychodynamic).

 

Identify examples of some of the cultural and ethnic differences that influence development throughout the lifespan.

 

Discuss the various causes or reasons for disturbances in the developmental process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRADING CRITERIA

 

Graded Course Elements

Point Value

 

Percentage of Final  Grade

1.

Exams

400 points

40%

2.

Group Activities / Participation

300 points

30%

3. 

Brain Development Brochure

100 points

10%

4.

Institutional Assessment –

Lifespan Stages Essays

100 points

10%

5.

Group Presentations / Article Review

100  points

10%

TOTAL:        

1,000 points

100 %

 

  • Exams (400 points):    We will have four exams that are worth 100 points each.   Please bring a scantron, notebook paper and a #2 pencil to class on exam days.   Exams will cover material from our text and material from class.   In the event of a documented emergency, a make-up (for ONE missed exam) may be offered on the day of the final.   Please refrain from phone use or restroom trips during exams.
  • Group Activities / Participation (300 points):  During class we will complete activities that help to reinforce the course concepts.   Credit can only be earned if the student is present.   Grade will be determined by reviewing assignments, attendance records, and by observation.
  • Brain Development Brochure (100 points):  Due in Week Three, this assignment will involve the design of a brochure related to how the brain develops and how we can encourage this development.   See the document in Canvas for additional details.
  • Institutional Assessment – Lifespan Stages Essays (100 points):  This assignment will be completed in Canvas and is due in Week 12.   Please see the document in Canvas for additional details.
  • Group Presentations / Article Review (100 points):  Due in Week 13.   More information to follow.

 

TOTAL:   1,000 possible points


 

 

 

RUBRIC

for

Lifespan Stages Essays

Grading Criteria

Excellent

Proficient

Approaches Expectations

Does Not Meet Expectations

Content Relevance, Accuracy and Organization

 

~Up to 80 points

61-80 points

**Presents appropriate material clearly and in a well-organized manner.

**Writing clearly demonstrates sound understanding of subject matter.  

41-60 points

**Presents material in a somewhat organized manner.

**Writing demonstrates a degree of understanding of subject matter.  

 

21-40 points

**Presents somewhat relevant material but organization is not fully achieved. **Writing demonstrates some understanding but some uncertainty with  subject matter.  

 

0-20 points

**Content is unclear.   Overall organization is difficult or impossible to follow. 

**Writing demonstrates a lack of knowledge with regard to the subject matter.  

 

 Sources

 

~Up to 10 points

9-10 points

**Cites all data obtained from sources.

**Sources are reliable and APA citation style is accurate.

 

6-8 points

**Cites most  data obtained from sources.

**Sources are largely reliable and APA citation style is somewhat accurate.

 

3-5 points

**Cites minimal data obtained from sources.

**Sources are present but not reliable; errors in APA citation style are noted.

 

 

0-2 points

**Does not cite sources.

** APA citation style is not evident.

 

 Mechanics

 

 

~Up to 10 points

9-10 points

**Ideas are communicated clearly.

**Accurate grammar/spelling.

 

6-8 points

**Ideas are generally communicated clearly.

**Grammar/spelling generally accurate.

 

3-5 points

**Ideas are often unclear due to mechanical errors.

**Errors in grammar/spelling noted.

 

0-2 points

**Message is lost due to significant mechanical errors.

**Significant errors in grammar/spelling are present.

 

TOTAL POINTS EARNED

 

 / 100 POINTS


 

 

 

TENTATIVE COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE

 

 

 

Week

Date

Topics

Reading

(Please complete                                     PRIOR to class.)

1

January 21

Course Overview / Syllabus Activity

Chapter 1

January 23

The Lifespan Perspective / Class Activity

 

 

2

January 28

Biological Beginnings:   Early Development

Chapter 2

January 30

Biological Beginnings:   Brain Development

Chapter 3

 

3

February 4

Biological Beginnings

Brain Development (cont.)

Chapter 3

February 6

Infancy/Early Childhood:

Physical Development  

Brain Development Brochure Due

Chapter 5

 

4

February 11

Infancy/Early Childhood: Attachment

Chapter 10

 

February 13

Review

 

 

5

February 18

Exam 1 (Covers Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10) 

Please bring scantron, #2 pencil and notebook paper.   Exam will include multiple choice and essay questions.

 

February 20

Childhood:  Cognitive Development

Chapter 6

 

6

February 25

Childhood:  Cognitive Development (cont.)

 

February 27

Childhood:  Language Development

Chapter 9

 

7

March 3

Childhood:   Intellectual Development

Chapter 8

March 5

Childhood:   Families

Chapter 14

 

8

March 10

Activity / Review /

Sign up for Group Presentations

 

March 12

Exam 2 (Covers Chapters 6, 9, 8, and 14)  

Please bring scantron, #2 pencil and notebook paper.  Exam will include multiple choice and essay questions.

 

 

 

 

March 16-22nd - Spring Break – Enjoy!

 

9

March 24

Adolescence:  The Self

Chapter 11

March 26

Adolescence:  Peers

Chapter 15

 

10

March 31

Adolescent/Adulthood: Gender / Sexuality

Chapter 12

April 2

Adolescent/Adulthood: Moral Development

Chapter 13

 

 

11

April 7

Complete Unit / Review

 

April 9

Exam 3 (Covers Chapters 11, 15, 12, and 13)  

Please bring scantron, #2 pencil and notebook paper.  Exam will include multiple choice and essay questions.

 

 

 

12

April 14

Adulthood:   Staying Healthy

Chapter 4

April 16

Adulthood:   Health (cont.)

Institutional Assessment – Lifespan Stages Due

 

 

13

April 21

Adulthood:   Death, Dying and Grieving

Chapter 17

April 23

Group Presentations / Article Review Due

 

 

14

April 28

Adulthood:  

Death, Dying and Grieving (cont.)

 

April 30

Activity

 

 

15

May 5

The Meaning of Life

 

May 7

Wrap Up / Review 

Extra Credit Projects Due

 

 

16

 

Final Exam Week:   May 11th – 15th, 2020

 

Exam 4 (Covers Chapters 4 and 17 and class activities)  

Please bring scantron and #2 pencil.  Exam will include multiple choice questions.

 

 


 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor.  It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member.  Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor.  A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam.  Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.    Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is April 3, 2020.

 

 

 

DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).

Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc.  Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.

For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321.  Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.

 

 

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______       

 

o         Communication

o         Mathematics              

o         Life and Physical Science

o         Language, Philosophy & Culture

o         Creative Arts

 

o         Government/Political Science

X         Social and Behavioral Sciences

o         Component Area Option

o         American History

 

 

REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core)

 

X             Critical Thinking

X              Communication

X              Empirical and Quantitative

 

o           Teamwork

o           Personal Responsibility

X              Social Responsibility

 

 

 

 

COURSE TYPE

o           Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)

X          Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

o        WECM Course

 

 

 

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”. 

 

Students may earn a zero for an assignment or for a course due to academic dishonesty.   Please come to me for help with any of these topics.   You may also visit our library for additional information:  http://www.nctc.edu/library/research-help/CitationGuides.html

 

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS

Name of Chair/Coordinator:

Crystal R.M. Wright

Office Location:

Gainesville Campus, Room 24

Telephone Number:

940-668-7731, ext. 4320

E-mail Address:

cwright@nctc.edu

Name of Instructional Dean:

Dr. Bruce King

Office Location:

1525 W California St, Gainesville, TX 76240

Telephone Number:

940-668-4267

E-mail Address:

bking@nctc.edu