Lifespan Growth & Development Syllabus for 2020-2021
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Instructor Information

Course Information

Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Reporting

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

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:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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-2314-001 Lifespan Growth & Development

Prerequisites

Course Description

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.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

TEXTS:

Vander Zanden, J.W., Crandell, T.L., and Crandell, C.H. (2009). Human Development (9th Ed.). McGraw Hill

Seligman, M. (1995). The Optimistic Child: A Proven Program To Safeguard Children Against Depression And Build Lifelong Resilience. Harper Perennial
ISBN: 0060977094 (paper)

Gordon, T. (1997). Family Effectiveness Training (Adult Resource Book). Gordon Training International
No ISBN – call Gordon Training International (paper)

Supplies

REQUIRED MATERIALS:
* Texts
* Spiral notebook / note cards
* 81/2 X 11 white typing / copy paper
* Stapler
* Access to word processor (2nd & 3rd floor of the library)

Student Performance

COURSE NAME: Lifespan Developmental Psychology (ONLINE)

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PURPOSE AND GOALS OF COURSE:
This course surveys the major areas of lifespan developmental psychology - the science of individual human development. The course emphasizes an understanding of the important methods, terms, theories, and findings in the field of lifespan psychology.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
The general goals and objectives of Lifespan Developmental Psychology are to help the student:

1.) Develop understanding, skills, and techniques for analyzing human behavior using a scientific approach.

2.) Gain a basic understanding of physical, cognitive and social development across the lifespan.

3.) Gain a basic understanding of family, school and work achievement, and death and dying as they apply to lifespan development.

 4.) Practice and develop critical thinking skills, and written communications skills.

DISABILITY STATEMENT :

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact Accessibility Services (SSC 125, Phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.

COURSE DESCRIPTION/PURPOSE AND GOALS OF COURSE:
This course surveys the major areas of lifespan developmental psychology - the science of individual human development. The course emphasizes an understanding of the important methods, terms, theories, and findings in the field of lifespan psychology.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
The general goals and objectives of Lifespan Developmental Psychology are to help the student:

1. Learn and gain mastery over the basic facts and research findings, terminology, principles, and theories important in the various areas of lifespan developmental psychology.
2. Develop understanding, skills, and techniques for analyzing human behavior using a scientific approach.
3. Gain a basic understanding of the interaction between genetic and environmental influences on human development.
4. Gain a basic understanding of cognitive and social development across the lifespan.
5. Gain a basic understanding of family, school and work achievement, and death and dying as they apply to lifespan development.
6. Analyze current issues and controversies in the field of developmental psychology.
7. Practice and develop critical thinking skills, and written communications skills.
8. Find ways to apply psychological findings to everyday life.

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

DISCUSSIONS:
The discussion board has two purposes: 1) to provide a way to participate, and 2) to allow students to post questions or confusing questions about the reading and have other students and/or the instructor respond to the questions. If you have general questions (and answers) that other students may benefit from, please direct them to the instructor by posting them in General Questions and Answers. When I answer the question (or when you answer a question) in General Questions and Answers, all students will be able to see my (and your) responses.

PARTICIPATION / CONNECTION RESPONSES:
Participation occurs by clicking on Discussions and then going to the Connection Response for the specific chapter. By participating in class, the class will become more interesting and rewarding as more students actively share their ideas. Furthermore, the group discussion will be a safe place to share ideas. The rules of the group do not allow group members to put another person down for their idea. I will respect you and I expect you to respect me and the other group members. I also expect you to have carefully read the assigned chapter before you post your response.

The way in which you participate is by following the instuctions in your course schedule, which will indicate how many connection responses are required for any given reading assignment. The idea here is to first read the assigned chapter and then post your connection response. Each connection should have a main idea and several supporting statements. Make each connection response at least 300 words single-space and in 12 point character size. Each connection response should reflect how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to a major concept from the chapter. You can also talk about how concepts (connections) from other readings (web sites) relate to a concept in your assigned reading. It is critical that you title each connection response with your name and the chapter that you are responding to.

Connections help students find meaning in what they read. The process of making connections to the main concepts in the reading helps with remembering the concepts. If you can remember a concept, you can then apply that knowledge in your life. I suggest that, as a way of studying, you make connections with the major concepts as you read. This is a more active way to learn and is very different from rote memorizing.

These connection responses are not a summary of the reading. No credit is provided for a summary of the reading.
You may want to ask yourself the following questions as a way to help you create a connection response: 1) How does this concept (a concept from the reading that you choose) help to enrich your life? 2) How does the reading relate to your community, or your family? 3) Is there something in the news (or online) or something a friend has experienced that directly relates to something in the reading? 4) How does the reading relate to other books, films, web sites, or articles you have read? 5) You may also take one side or another with an issue in the reading. If you choose to take one side or another, you must support your opinion or viewpoint with facts either from the textbook or from another reputable source.

After you read a student's connection response, I encourage you to respond to their connection with your own response. I would like to keep this part optional. You do not have to respond to each student's Connection Response. However, I do believe that the class will be more interesting if you do make some responses to other people's connection responses. If you respond to another person's connection response, please do not just say "I agree." or "I couldn't have said it better." These responses are not really contributing to the discussion. You are not tested over these connection responses. However, I hope that you will read them because I believe they will help you learn the material by seeing how others are connecting to the main ideas of the reading.

You will need to click on Discussions in order to post your Connection Responses. When you click on Discussions, you will go to the specific chapter to post your Connection Response and any connections that you want to make to your peers' connections. In addition to the Connection Responses, I would like for you to post any clarification questions you may have regarding the assigned reading in the appropriate chapter. This approach will allow us to keep all questions and connection responses contained to the specific chapter in which they pertain.

I recommend that you write your Connection Response in Word, spell check, grammar check, and then past it into the course. This will also allow you to save a copy of your Connection Responses in case you experience technical difficulties.

Participation will count as 10% of your final grade. You will receive this grade for participation at the end of the semester. It is based on what you bring to the course with regard to your connection responses and your responses to other persons' connection responses. You will be ablt to determine the student who puts his or her heart into the discussion in contrast to the student who provides very little to the group. In addition, you will be able to see other students' connection responses which will help you to improve your own responses. You do not need to ask me how you are doing with regard to the connection responses; I will let you know if you are not doing them correctly. The maximum score for participation is 100. If you do not complete the required number of connection responses, the maximum score you may earn is 50. If you choose not to participate in the Connection Responses, your score for participation will be 0. I strongly prefer that you first write your connection response in Word (or some other word processor) because you can then do a spell check and grammer check on your response. Then, you can copy and paste the response into the discussion board. Do not send your response as an attachment.

GROUND RULES FOR DISCUSSION:
The objective of establishing ground rules is to both honor free speech and the dignity, respect, and worth of everyone in the classroom.

• In order to create a climate for open and honest dialogue and to encourage the broadest range of viewpoints, it is important for class participants to treat each other with respect. Name calling, accusations, verbal attacks, sarcasm, and other negative exchanges are counter productive to successful teaching and learning about topics.
• The purpose of class discussions is to generate greater understanding about different topics. The expression of the broadest range of ideas, including dissenting views, accomplishes this goal. However, in expressing viewpoints, students should try to raise questions and comments in a way that will promote learning, rather than defensiveness and conflict in other students. Thus, questions and comments should be asked or stated in such a way that will promote greater insight into and awareness of topics as opposed to anger and conflict.

Example of a question that may put students on the defensive: Why do you insist on calling yourself Hispanic? That's wrong. It seems to me that Latino is the correct term? Can you explain to me why you insist on using the term Hispanic?

Example of a non-defensive question: I don't understand. What is the difference between the terms Hispanic and Latino?

• Learning is both about sharing different views and actively listening to those with different views. Students in this class are expected to do both. Learning is maximized when may different viewpoints are expressed in the classroom.
• Keep the discussion and comments on the topic, not on the individual. Don't personalize the dialogue. Rather than personalizing the dialogue, please direct challenging comments or questions to the instructor or the entire class.
• Remember that it is OK to disagree with each other. Let's agree to disagree. The purpose of dialogue and discussion is not to reach a consensus, nor to convince each other of different viewpoints. Rather, the purpose of dialogue in the classroom is to reach higher levels of learning by examining different viewpoints and opinions.

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS:
If you experience a technical problem then you will need to contact the Call Center / Distance Education Helpdesk at 371-5000.

Grading Criteria

See Required Exams

Please review the test dates in this course schedule. If your schedule cannot accommodate these dates and times, you will need to drop this course and find a course that will work with your schedule. No exams will be given after the deadlines posted in your course schedule with the exception of a true emergency such as death in the family or serious illness. In such a case you must provide documentation from a physician or psychologist indicating that you were not able to complete the final exam.

Attendance

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. It is the responsibility of the student to attend class.

Calendar

Additional Information

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