Course Name

Developmental Psychology (PSYC.2314.331)

Semester & Year

Summer II 2020

Class Information

Welcome to Psychology 2314 – ONLINE!  I am glad that you are here.  Developmental Psychology looks at the major issues in psychology through the lens of a conception to death viewpoint.  We’ll take a subject like relationships – and discuss how we develop relationships even in utero, with our parents, siblings – and throughout our life and how that impacts our childhood, adolescent and adult friendships.  Of course, we’ll have other subjects – but that is what developmental psychology is all about!

As many of you who take this course will be going into nursing, allied health and psychology rules, I feel this syllabus creates a solid contract with strict (but fair and consistent) rules that will lay the foundation for your success.  My goal in every class is that everyone ends with an A – and I hope to empower you to be able to do this!

PLAGIARISM:  On discussion boards, some students have thought it is okay to copy and paste information from a website instead of giving their own work.  Because this is becoming such a HUGE problem, I am cracking down on it starting this semester.  Anything that you write that is NOT your words *MUST* be in quotes and have a parenthetical citation (meaning the site you got it from in parenthesis) – for instance: “Disorders include bipolar, schizophrenic and manic” (www.webmd.com).  Your final paper will be submitted through a plagiarism detector embedded in Canvas – and any instance of intentional plagiarism will be referred to the dean.  Imagine me Google searching every sentence of your paper looking to see if it is a match – Canvas does this for me.  

EMAIL: Please make sure your email address is CORRECT in Canvas.  When I send out emails to you in Canvas – it will send a copy of the email to your personal email address.  If your personal email address is wrong – you won’t get the email.  I always send out reminder emails on Sunday or early Monday and Tuesday or Wednesday.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS: I have a zero tolerance late policy.  I write more about it at the end of the syllabus.  Please be sure to look at it.  I will enforce it.

SCARY BUT NOT: I have to be very direct about some things on the syllabus because I don’t have zero tolerance – but I think you’ll find I am a fun loving professor, I enjoy a good time, we’ll laugh and cut up on the message boards, but there are some things I am serious about.  Although this may come across as mean and strict to some – I want you to know that you can ALWAYS email me and I am ALWAYS willing to help.  I enjoy what I do – and I DO want you to succeed.  

I am direct on this because I have to be – but don’t let it scare you about being able to ask questions – I absolutely want you to ask questions but do know I DO enforce the policies in the syllabus – especially the late policy.

Instructor’s Name & Office #

Matt Diggs

Virtual Office Space

Office Phone # & Fax #

940-498-6295 (Corinth Dept Assistant)

Instructor’s Office Hours

Summer - By Appointment

E-Mail Address

mdiggs@nctc.edu

(Email is preferred)

Required Texts & Material

A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development, 9th Edition.  John Santrock.  McGraw-Hill  

The college has partnered with McGraw-Hill to provide an e-book/code option directly available through the campus for under $100.  They will not have a physical book.  You will have the option to order a loose-leaf book for around $30 more through the bookstore.  Alternatively, you can order a physical book online.  I do not require the e-book in the class nor will you be forced to use the Connect software.  

As the textbook is simply selling the “code” and not a physical book, there are multiple ISBN’s – you will need to contact the bookstore to get the book if you are buying the code.  It will be up to you to ensure you have the right textbook (Santrock has multiple versions of his book) and not a slight variation.

The textbook looks as below:

The 17 quizzes are from test banks associated with that book with that edition.  Any deviation from the noted book will not be applicable for quiz challenges.  Also – quizzes may have different or updated answers with information from the newer book vs. an older book.  

In October 2013, the DSM-V was released.  This is basically how psychologists diagnose psychological disorders.  This was a significant change, and all textbooks had to be updated.  You can expect to miss quite a few questions (for instance, Asperger’s Syndrome is no longer a disorder) if you are using an older edition.

As college students, I expect you to be adults, but I highly suggest getting the required textbook.  Not buying the noted book and edition could result in bad quiz grades – which is 68% of the overall grade for the course.  Ultimately, you are adults and you have to weigh the pros and cons of getting a cheaper textbook.  

Grading Policy & Procedures

This class is graded in a 1000-point scale.  The following letter grades correspond to the letters.

A = 895 to 1000

B = 795 to 894

C = 695 to 794

D = 595 to 694

F = 594 and Under

I adhere strictly to these grades.  There are significant built in extra credit opportunities, so I feel that I do not need to give additional extra credit or additional points.  I will give an 894 a B!  Do the extra credit and work hard to make sure you do not need any extra points.

The class has two major components to it – they are diverse in order to help you succeed.  If I have a class with 100% A’s because students are willing to work, then I will take the wrath of management – but I will give 100% A’s.  This class is built to where if you want an A – and you’re willing to work for it – you can get it.  You can retake quizzes throughout the semester (up to the 3 times per quiz) and if you follow directions on the final paper – you should do very well.  There are significant extra credit opportunities in this class, and the over-arching only requirement to do the extra credit is to do the chapters on time as assigned.  There are truly no reasons for failure unless you are not willing to put in the time or have the proper supplies.  If you buy the book through our bookstore, you will get a code, which gives you access to Connect.  This will quiz you and walk you through the chapters before you even take the test.  It is a powerful software.  It’s up to you and your ability to make the time for success.

Chapter Quizzes – 68% of the grade (680 points total)

The textbook has 17 chapters so you will have individual quizzes over each chapter.  A positive to this is if you do bad at one chapter, it won’t “bomb” you for a test.  The bad side is – you have 17 of them!  Each chapter has a 150-250 question bank in which it pulls 20 random questions.  20 minutes is PLENTY of time if you are prepared for the quiz.  The purpose of allowing it to be open book is NOT to allow you to NOT study before you take the quiz, but if the test bank gives you an obscure question, for you to be able to look it up.  In any given 20 question test there may be 3-4 obscure questions.  Therefore, you could finish 15 questions in 6-8 minutes and use the remaining 12-14 minutes to look up the other 5 questions.    

Also, this is guaranteed to get you to succeed.  You guarantee your own grade and your own success.  The process of looking up what you don’t know in the book will make you learn something because you are forced to use the book.   Check out the calendar in the syllabus to see when the quiz deadlines are.  You may retake the quizzes (up to the three times) BEFORE THE UNIT DEADLINE to try to improve your grade.  You will need to prepare accordingly and not procrastinate if you would like to take advantage of multiple quiz retakes.

Forrest Gump Quiz – 2% of the grade (20 points)

There will be a 10-question quiz that will help you understand the rules and regulations of the Forrest Gump paper project.  This quiz will be due as specified in the syllabus.  You may not do the Bucket List extra credit (this extra credit will be discussed later in the semester) without having first done the Forrest Gump quiz.

College Assessment – 10% of the grade (100 total points)

NCTC requires that all courses undergo an institutional assessment.  This assessment will be likely given in some variation in all classes you are in – either with a written assignment or a pre-test/post-test function.  The full-time psychology faculty have decided that all courses are required to have a written paper that assesses your ability to use and decipher library research and internet research as well as apply the material that you’ve learned to relevant subject matter.

The college assessment in this course will be a minimum 1500-word paper written on developmental aspects of death, dying and grieving.  You will have to answer 8 questions about your subject through the paper.  These questions must be properly researched and use proper APA format as well as good citations.  At a minimum, you must have one library journal article (with a direct link to the library permalink or DOI) and one scholarly web resource.  The 1500 words does not include anything that Veracite counts as quotes (in other words, if you submit a 1800-word paper, but Veracite says you had 20% of your paper as quotes and references – you really submitted a 1500-word paper.  Minimum work in this class will receive a “C” (Average) grade.  Students who wish to earn B (Above average) and A (excellent) grades will need to show that excellence in their paper.

More details about this college assessment can be found in Canvas.  Again, this is an institutional requirement – not my own specific assignment.

Movie Final Exam Project -- 20% of the grade (200 points)

Forrest Gump is one of the best movies today that represent Developmental Psychology.  You are to watch the movie, and then pick 10 theories and concepts that you feel are best represented from the class in the movie.  The more important the concept or theory, the higher the grade will be.  You will be writing a 10-paragraph paper – each paragraph will be a minimum of 150 words and use the textbook at least once.   It will be a final exam type of paper because it will be used to show what you have learned this semester – in a very modern way.  Be sure you check the supplement on Canvas for more information about this paper.  The Forrest Gump quiz should help you to ensure you understand the rules of the paper.

Extra Credit Discussion Questions – Up to 7.5% bonus (75 total points)

This is basically my playground to do what I want to do in the class.  I will randomly assign questions and projects in here.  If you want to do them and get points, you can – if you don’t, you don’t have to – it is as simple as that.  I’ll give at least one question a week.  Generally speaking, I will post an extra credit (or two, or sometimes three) on Tuesday morning, and you’ll have through the deadline night at 11:59pm to do it – each week of the semester.  

Typically speaking, there will be a completion component to the extra credit as well.  You cannot do the extra credit if you are behind on quizzes.

MANDATORY CLASS ORIENTATION & TECHNOLOGY ADDENDUM

This quiz is the first thing you should do as part of the course.  You must take the quiz until you have achieved a 100 on it.  Everyone should start out with a perfect grade.  By getting a 100 on this quiz, you have shown that you understand all the policies in this course and have completely read the course materials.  The Technology Addendum (Late assignment contract) ensures you understand how to access tech support and my rules about late papers and technology concerns with late papers.  You should do this as one of the first things you do in the class as soon as possible, but by the Census deadline.

Class starts the first day – not doing the orientation the first couple of days is the equivalent of not showing up to your two weeks of class.  If you have not done the orientation quiz by census date – you will be marked as a non-attending student.

The typical way to do a chapter is to:

1. Read the chapters

1. Consider Researching Cornell Notes and taking active notes

2. Watch the video (optional)

1. In Canvas, there’s a telecourse series that’s still relevant – back when online courses used to be on television – there are videos that are public domain that I’ve referenced with each unit of the class.  These videos may be good help for visual learners.

3. Read the lecture notes

1. When I first started teaching, I had anxiety and wrote scripts to help me teach.  I’ve turned these scripts into lecture notes – which are included in the class for you.

4. Take the Graded Quiz

1. 20 minutes.  20 questions.  Focus.  

5. Focus on any areas that you got wrong, ask questions or use tutoring to clarify areas

1. This is where your learning takes place.  Some of you may have an A+ on the first attempt. Great job!  The reason I allow multiple retakes is to allow you to fall down but learn how to get back up.  We have online tutoring, in group tutoring – and I will always answer your questions.

6. Retake the Quiz

1. Two more attempts remaining.  Sometimes you get a hard batch of questions.  Sometimes you realize that slacking and trying to look up answers won’t get you good grades.  Read and take notes – study your notes, and work hard to know where everything in the chapter is – so if there’s something you don’t remember, you can look it up.

7. Repeat E & F until you are satisfied with one of your three attempts.

Don’t stress out if you don’t get an A on the first few quizzes.  You can lose 105 points and still get an A.  Extra credit can turn “C” quizzes into an A average.  Don’t let one quiz grade get you too high or too low.  The biggest variable in this course are your papers.

This is a modified self-paced class, so you will find that everything is open from day #1 – I encourage you if/when you have the opportunity, to get ahead!  This is NOT a class where you can get behind.  This is also not a class where you can do everything the day of the deadline.  You will find yourself failing miserably if you try to do that.  You have been warned over and over about this.

Tentative Calendar (Subject to Change w/o Notice)

Note about deadlines: Although I encourage you to stay up with the schedule as posted, it has built in flexible time for you to do the quizzes if you have life events come-up.  The deadlines are the deadlines and will not be extended for any reason or any excuse whatsoever.  If you procrastinate until the last minute and then have a legitimate emergency, you will not be given a reprieve.  All deadlines will be enforced 100% - zero tolerance.

By procrastinating on the assignments, you assume the risk of having something bad happen to you.  I’m a firm believer in deadlines.

Week 1: Wednesday, July 15th through Monday, July 20th

Activities: Do Orientation, Take Orientation/Syllabus Quiz, Take Technology Addendum

Activities: Read and Study Canvas Materials for Chapters 1 and 2

Activities: Take Canvas Quizzes for Chapters 1 and 2

Optional Extra Credit Discussion Board(s): Due throughout the week at 11:59pm for 5 points extra credit

Deadline 1: 11:59pm, Monday, July 20th

Required Activities Due: Syllabus Quiz, Technology Addendum, All attempts at Chapter 1 & 2

Week 2: Tuesday, July 21st through Monday, July 27th

Activities: Read and Study Canvas Materials for Chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6

Activities: Take Canvas Quizzes for Chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6

Optional Extra Credit Discussion Board(s): Due throughout the week at 11:59pm for 5 points extra credit

Deadline 2: 11:59pm, Monday, July 27th

Required Activities Due: All attempts at Chapters 3, 4, 5 & 6

Week 3: Tuesday, July 28th through Monday, August 3rd

Activities: Read and Study Canvas Materials for Chapters 7, 8, 9, and 10

Activities: Take Canvas Quizzes for Chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10

Optional Extra Credit Discussion Board(s): Due throughout the week at 11:59pm for 5 points extra credit

Deadline 3: 11:59pm, Monday, August 3rd

Required Activities Due: All attempts at Chapters 7, 8, 9 & 10

Week 4: Tuesday, August 4th through Monday, August 10th

Activities: Read and Study Canvas Materials for Chapters 11, 12, 13 and 14

Activities: Take Canvas Quizzes for Chapters 11, 12, 13, and 14

Optional Extra Credit Discussion Board(s): Due throughout the week at 11:59pm for 5 points extra credit

Deadline 4: 11:59pm, Monday, August 10th

Required Activities Due: All attempts at Chapters 11, 12, 13 & 14

Week 5: Tuesday, August 11th through Monday, August 17th

Activities: Read and Study Canvas Materials for Chapters 15, 16 and 17

Activities: Take Canvas Quizzes for Chapters 15, 16 and 17

Activities: Read and Review instructions for the institutional effectiveness essay

Activities: Complete and submit institutional effectiveness essay

Activities: Review instructions for the final paper (Forrest Gump paper)

Activities: Complete Forrest Gump Quiz (quiz over the rules and guidelines of the Forrest Gump paper)

Optional Extra Credit Discussion Board(s): Due throughout the week at 11:59pm for 5 points extra credit

Deadline 5: 11:59pm, Monday, August 17th

Required Activities Due: All attempts at Chapters 15, 16 and 17, Forrest Gump Quiz, Institutional Effectiveness Essay

Week 6: Tuesday, August 18th through Wednesday August 19th

Activities: Review instructions for the Forrest Gump paper

Activities: Complete and Submit Forrest Gump Paper

Optional Extra Credit Discussion Board(s): Due throughout the week at 11:59pm for 5 points extra credit

Final Deadline: 11:59pm, Wednesday, August 19th

Required Activities Due: Forrest Gump Final Paper

Technology

Certification

It is your responsibility to ensure that not only do you know how to log into Canvas, that you know how to submit an assignment, but it is also imperative that you understand which file you are uploading and ensure you have uploaded the correct file.  Several “scams” have been detected in the teacher community – the most common is uploading a blank or incorrect file, and then the teacher feels bad for you and asks you to send him or her the “right” file.  Meanwhile, you’ve had an extra 2-3 days (if not longer) to work on the paper by the deceit.  You can check to make sure you uploaded the right file.

If you use google docs, be sure you are submitting the CONVERTED DOC file, not the “gdoc” file.  Do not submit PAGES files (Apple) or LNK files – these are common errors that are made.

It is your responsibility to ensure the correct file is submitted – much like it would be your responsibility if you were handing it in that you handed in the right paper.  If I catch an incorrect file (because you turned in the project a couple days early) – I will let you fix it provided I catch the mistake before the due date.  If you submit an incorrect file and I do not catch it until after the deadline, you’ll get a zero.

We have tech support, and you will have several assignments that should allow you to practice uploading an assignment properly.  It is your responsibility to ensure you work with Tech Support to upload the file through Canvas on time – regardless of how slow the system is.

Additionally, if I get an email 1 minute after it was due, and you swear you turned it in an hour before it was due – but you emailed it instead of turning it in on Canvas, you’ll get a zero.  This zero-tolerance policy is not meant to be scary – simply informational.  99% of students are able to successfully upload and turn their papers in on time without file errors.  This policy is dealing with the 1% who do not.  One of the benefits of Canvas is that they guarantee 99.9% uptime – so it will be hard to find too much fault with Canvas.  That is one of the reasons we moved from Blackboard – for more reliability and stability.

When submitting a project or a paper, everyone will have a receipt number (or plagiarism report) which is the receipt number that proves you submitted an assignment.  No receipt number, no conversation about a technology error.  You must ensure you have a receipt number after submitting your final paper.  It is essential you turn in your final paper through Canvas – and not through other websites – even if they are connected loosely with Canvas.  Receipts are emailed to the email on file as well as able to be downloaded after uploading.

I have two guaranteed current exceptions to my late policy.  If you are in the military and have a deployment over the deadline, I will work with you.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!  If you are involuntarily in the hospital for multiple days including the deadline, I will also work with you. (Having an elective procedure where you’re aware of the date should inspire you to work ahead – that will not be an acceptable reason).  Both exceptions will require verification at the end of the semester, and it may require an “incomplete” in the class.

Furthermore, given the times that we live in currently, if you feel you have a documented reason that you feel should qualify for an exception, please contact me (if possible, proactively) for a discussion of that documented reason.  The two reasons mentioned above I can confidently say would qualify, but given COVID-19, there may be other documentable reasons that could qualify (but are not necessarily guaranteed to qualify).

Late assignments should be something we avoid at all costs - there are only very rare instances in which I’ve issued an extension - I note this to be a contrast given some of your professors may be very generous about giving extensions - that’s not going to be me.

Course Title: Developmental Psychology

Course Prefix & Number: PSYC 2314

Section Number: 331

Term Code: Summer 2 2020

Semester Credit Hours: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 0

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): None

Course Type:

□ - Academic General Education Course (from Academic Course Guide Manual but not in NCTC Core)

⌧ - Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

□ - WECM Course

Name of Instructor:

Matt Diggs

Campus/Office Location:

Online (By Appointment Only)

Telephone Number:

940-498-6295 (Corinth Departmental Assistant)

E-mail Address:

mdiggs@nctc.edu

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Sunday

8pm-12am (Online)

# of Graded Course Elements

Graded Course Elements

Percentage or Points Values

17

Chapter Quizzes (Chapters 1-17)

68%

1

Forrest Gump Quiz

2%

1

Forrest Gump Final Paper

20%

1

Institutional Effectiveness Research Paper

10%

15

Extra Credit Discussion Forums (5 x 15)

Up to 7.5%

Student Learning Outcome

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

1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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

5

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

6

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

7.

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

Topic

General Description of Subject Matter

Chapter 1

Overview of Life-Span Development

Chapter 2

Biological Beginnings

Chapter 3

Physical Development and Aging

Chapter 4

Health throughout the Lifespan

Chapter 5

Motor, Sensory and Perceptual Development

Chapter 6

Cognitive Developmental Approaches

Chapter 7

Information Processing

Chapter 8

Intelligence

Chapter 9

Language Development

Chapter 10

Emotional Development

Chapter 11

Self and Personality

Chapter 12

Gender Roles and Sexuality

Chapter 13

Social Cognition and Moral Development

Chapter 14

The Family

Chapter 15

Peers and Sociocultural World

Chapter 16

Schools, Achievement and Work

Chapter 17

Death and Dying

Final Paper

An application paper taking all concepts in the course and applying them to a movie chronicling the life of multiple characters (Forrest Gump)

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:

1500 North Corinth St, Corinth, TX 76208-5408

Telephone Number:

940-498-6464

E-mail Address:

bking@nctc.edu