Child Psychology Syllabus for 2014-2015
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (Student Service Center room 119, phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

N/A

Student Withdrawal Procedures

N/A

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

PSYC-2308-001 Child Psychology

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: RDNG 0331-minimum grade of C or a score on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading skills

Course Description

This course will address psychological development from conception through middle childhood with references to physical, cognitive, social and personality changes. Students will examine the interplay of biological factors, human interaction, social structures and cultural forces in development.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

\N

Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

TEXTBOOKS

TEXTBOOK: Required and available at Amarillo College Bookstore.

• Feldman, R. S. (2012). Child Development (6th Edition). Prentice Hall. Required   ISBN# 13: 978-0-205-25354-8
• YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY THE STUDY GUIDE or THE ACCESS CODE as I make up STUDY GUIDES FOR EACH TEST.

YOU May PURCHASE THE FELDMAN TEXT BY ITSELF and/or AS A USED TEXT, OR YOU MAY PURCHASE A NEW TEXTBOOK WITH THE 'MY DEVELOPMENT LAB ACCESS CODE THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO ACCESS THE MY DEVELOPMENT LAB resources that include practice quizzes and other study aids.  HOWEVER, THE ACCESS CODE IS NOT REQUIRED BY THIS INSTRUCTOR!   In order to save you that expense, this instructor makes up study guides and practice quizzes for the exams that will be available to students in the AC ONLINE classroom for this course.  You may print these study guides off and use them to prepare for your exams.  All exams are given online.

FINAL Project Reading: As well, you need to purchase and read the following text. It is available, along with your textbook, at the Amarillo College Bookstore OR ONLINE.  You can find used copies of this book at the bookstore OR on AMAZON and/or BARNES AND NOBLE's BOOKS.  You may buy an older edition or the newer edition, if you like.    :

• Cline, F., & Fay, J. (1990). Parenting with love and logic: Teaching children responsibility. Colorado Springs: Pinon Press. The ISBN NUMBER IS ISBN-13: 9781576839546  **THIS IS AVAILABLE AT THE AC BOOKSTORE or you can get it online....I don't care which edition you use.

• OR: you may want to select one of the following texts to do your paper on if you are interested in either TEENS, or if you are GOING TO BE, TEACHING.  All books are by either Foster Cline, Cline and Fay, or Jim Fay.  

  • Fay and Funk's:  Teaching with Love and Logic, ISBN-139780944634486

  • Cline & Fay: Parenting Teens with Love and Logic  ISBN 9781576839300

  • PLEASE SEE THE LOVE AND LOGIC FINAL PAPER INSTRUCTION SHEET FOR DETAILS ON THESE BOOKS.  You can order them at Amazon, or the LOVE AND LOGIC WEBSITE at http://www.loveandlogic.com

  • You can find the final paper instructions by clicking on LESSONS AND CONTENT.  You will see the FOLDER that contains the INSTRUCTIONS along with the DROP BOX FOR THE PAPER where you will submit it!  We will also be seeing a film by FOSTER CLINE that is a lOT OF FUN!  I hope you enjoy Foster's work as much I did when I was a young parent of a 1 year old!  He changed my whole approach to parenting and I had a BLAST BEING A PARENT thanks to Foster!  

Supplies

STUDENT SUPPLIES AND RESOURCES

Student Performance

STUDENT PERFORMANCE:

BY THE END OF THIS COURSE, STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

\
• Understand and explain the major theories and themes related to the physical, cognitive and social development of children and adolescents.
\
• Understand, compare and contrast the methods used in child psychology research.
\
• Understand, describe and explain the sequence of prenatal development from conception to birth, including basic genetic transmission of traits.
\
• Understand and explain the importance of neurological and brain development in children, and analyze, integrate and apply that knowledge to methods of enhancing a child's physical, cognitive and social development.
\
• Understand the maturation process and the sequencing of events in children's and adolescents' physical, cognitive and social/personality development.
\
• Describe the major social influences on the developing child, and integrate the knowledge from the research in the field as to how parents, caregivers, teachers, and others who interact with children can apply this knowledge to enhance children's social and personality development.
\
• Apply this information in critical and creative ways to virtual and actual interactions with children and adolescents that might include (but are not limited to) the students own children, younger siblings or relatives, care giving opportunities such as babysitting, as well as training and professional contact in the fields of teaching, nursing, childcare, criminal justice, counseling, social work, and even business.
\

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

STUDENT BEHAVIOR: What is expected of you!

Students are expected to engage in appropriate "netiquette" within the ONLINE PORTION OF THIS CLASS, and to engage in civil behaviors in the classroom portion of this course.  Inappropriate behaviors, such as swearing, discussion of inappropriate issues NOT related to the courseroom material, or any type of intolerance or rudeness to other learners will not be tolerated and may result in failing the class, or dismissal from Amarillo College. Treat others as you like to be treated and everything should be fine!

Now, having said that, please remember that this is an COLLEGE LEVEL COURSE, and we will be discussing controversial issues in an ADULT MANNER!  You are expected to act like an adult in these discussions and realize that others may think and feel differently than you on a host of issues related to sociology!  Diversity is a GREAT THING and to be APPRECIATED in this instructors opinion.  If you find something offensive that is said by another student OR your instructor, please don't hesitate to contact me and discuss this with me.  However, it's important to remember that this course is not designed to CONFIRM YOUR OWN POLITICAL or RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, but rather to get you to think about sociology, society, and people in a bigger way than you may have already been exposed to. IN THAT, YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF UNCOMFORTABLE AT TIMES, AS YOU ARE BEING REQUIRED TO STRETCH OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE! This is a part of what it means to get an education!  Obviously, learning to see the world in a different light is the goal of this course! 

If you have a complaint about this course, please contact me first.  If you are uncomfortable doing that, you may contact my supervisor, Mr. Jerry Moller at DURR 212A, 371-5297

If you have a concern that something you want to write would offend others in the courseroom, run it by me first. Simply contact me via the courseroom email. As well, if you are aware of any student being mistreated or harrassed in this course (including yourself), please bring it to my immediate attention.  We have zero tolerance for any student being mistreated here at Amarillo College. This will be a SAFE place for the expression of ideas and exchanges! Remember, you are an adult and differences of opinion and beliefs, and ideas is a critical part of adult education!   Thanks! Dr. Harding 

Grading Criteria

GRADING CRITERIA:

Your final grade for this course will be based on the standard grading percentages:

89.45-100% = A             79.45-89.44 % = B            69.45 - 79.44 % = C

49.45 - 69.44 % = D                Below 49.45%  = F

Your final grade is comprised of 750 points and you have an opportunity to earn up to 30 extra credit points (more later about the extra credit opportunity) based on the following items:

1)  UNIT EXAMS and SYLLABUS QUIZ: YOU WILL HAVE 6 UNIT EXAMS.  YOUR GRADE WILL BE BASED ON THE HIGHEST FIVE SCORES, and the gradebook is set to drop the lowest score.  If you miss an exam or do poorly on a exam, you may still be able to do well in this course. AS WELL, you are also required to take a short 15 point syllabus quiz to show that you read and understand the syllabus.   This is a required quiz and you may NOT be counted in the CLASS CENSUS if you DO NOT DO THE SYLLABUS QUIZ!  This can result in a loss of financial aid! You must take the syllabus quiz  by the second WEDNESDAY in the CLASS!  EXAMS = 100 points each = 500 points and 15 points for the syllabus quiz = 515  (out of 775 points) which is approximately 66% of your total grade.

2)  DISCUSSIONS and INTRODUCE YOURSELF: You will need to participate in 2 REQUIRED DISCUSSIONS FOR Units 1 and 5, and then select one other discussion out of Units 2, 3, 4 and 6.  For UNIT 1 DISCUSSION you will be WEatching the GENIE SECRETS OF THE WILD CHILD FILM, and then DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF NATURE VS NURTURE in the discussion, and ending that discussion post by INTRODUCING YOURSELF to the class (all of that needs to go in the UNIT 1 discussion post as ONE POST!).   REMEMBER: every point counts in this class and completing the discussions is a fairly easy way to help your overall grade! To do well on your discussions, you need to use proper ENGLISH grammar, rules of punctuation and capitalization and DO NOT USE TEXTING LANGUAGE (I is a proper noun and should be capitalized, rather than "i" used in texting, and use complete sentences). As well edit your work and make sure you RESPOND to ALL areas of the QUESTION BEING ASKED.  Finally, RESPOND TO A MINIMUM of 1 other students post.    3 discussions = 2 required discussions in Unit 1 and 5 are these two are worth 20 points and everyone must participate in these, while you may choose 1 out of the other four discussions offered in Unit 2, 3, 4 and 6. The other discussion you choose is worth 20 points each.  = 60 points (out of 775 pts = 7% of your total grade). 

3) REQUIRED SCIENCE LAB:  You will need to read in your first chapters and Unit 1 regarding Scientific Methods in studying children. Following that, I've written a lecture, and there are several short videos you can watch regarding SCIENTIFIC METHODS AND DESIGN! This will help you with the lab. Once you have read the text, lecture and watched the movies, then complete the REQUIRED SCIENCE lab.  THE SCIENCE LAB WILL HELP YOU DO WELL ON EXAM 1!!! Be sure you type in your answers and UPLOAD THIS LAB as a MS WORD or RICH TEXT FORMAT document, into the SCIENCE LAB ASSIGNMENT DROP BOX by the SATURDAY before the UNIT closes!  This is worth 50 points total out of 775 points, and is worth about 7% of your final grade.

3)  FINAL PAPER: OVER THE PARENTING or TEACHING WITH LOVE AND LOGIC BOOK (You can choose which of the listed books you want to buy and read) = 150 points total (out of 775 points = 20% OF GRADE

Finally, YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET EXTRA CREDIT.  We will have a SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROJECT in this course for EXTRA CREDIT which is due towards the end of the semester,  It is worth up to 30 extra credit points.  You can choose to participate or NOT! It's entirely up to you! 

NOTE: THERE ARE OPEN AND CLOSING DATES FOR UNITS and ALL DISCUSSIONS AND EXAMS: CHECK ALL EXAMS AND DISCUSSIONS AND THE CALENDAR, ALONG WITH COURSE ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR UNIT, DISCUSSIONS AND EXAM CLOSING DATES.  THE UNITS, including all EXAMS and DISCUSSION WILL BE OPEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE COURSE SO "EARLY BIRDS" CAN WORK AHEAD. However, EXAMS NOT TAKEN BY THE CLOSING DUE DATES WILL RECEIVE A 0.  IF THIS HAPPENS ONCE, THAT WILL BE YOUR DROPPED EXAM SCORE. IT'S MY SUGGESTION THAT YOU FILL OUT THE STUDY GUIDE BEFORE YOU TAKE THE EXAMS IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE YOUR GRADE. EVERYTHING ON THE STUDY GUIDES ARE POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ON YOUR EXAMS.  Because exam questions are randomized, you only get 40 questions out of about 150  possible questions, so you want to know the ALL the material on your study guide!  

Attendance

STUDENT ATTENDANCE:

Calendar

Additional Information

HOW TO VIEW COMMENTS AND RUBRICS FOR YOUR PAPER AND DISCUSSIONS:

  In order to see your instructor's comments on your work (such as your discussions and your paper), GO TO "MY GRADES" tab in the menu to the left of your BLACKBOARD CLASSROOM SCREEN.  Find the item you want to look at in the LIST (they are not necessarily in order...sorry!).  Click on that and you will see a place that says RUBRIC and COMMENTS.  Click on comments to see anything your instructor has said, and click on RUBRIC to view the rubric grading system and how your instructor graded you.  PLEASE...this instructor SPENDS A LOT OF TIME to give you CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK...USE IT and make corrections accordingly! If you keep making the same error time and again, YOUR GRADES WILL CONTINUE TO GO DOWN!  I expect you to USE THE FEEDBACK I GIVE YOU TO BECOME A BETTER STUDENT and to IMPROVE IN YOUR SCHOOL WORK!