Psychology 2433: Life Span Development
Dr. Sharon Brickman
Office: Gary Hall 206e
Phone: 574-1231
Email: sbrickman@usao.edu
Education 2103 is designed to study human growth and development from birth through adulthood. Emphasis is placed on the progression of human development and its application to instructional processes.
This course is designed to prepare students to understand the varied and unique needs of children and adolescents. The knowledge of the progression of human development and the factors which influence this development will assist prospective teachers in addressing the unique needs of their students and thus becoming more effective teachers.
Upon completion of the class, students will be able to have a comprehensive vision of life-span development to help them prepare for certification and to understand human development from a professional perspective.
A. The student will demonstrate a basic knowledge of child, adolescent and adult development and a basic knowledge of developmental approaches (theories, models, research) of cognitive, social/emotional, language, and physical/motor development.
B. The student will demonstrate a basic knowledge of learning theory and factors that impact students’ learning.
C. The student will demonstrate a basic knowledge of human interactions.
D. The student will understand the individual differences in children and recognize the vast potential for achievement of all children regardless of cultural, physical, and/or mental characteristics.
Santrock, J. W. (2006). Life-Span Development, 10th Ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Nash, M. (1997, Feb 3). Fertile minds. Time, 149, 48-56.
The website for the Santrock text is:
http://www.mhhe.com/santrockld9
There are a number of excellent resources such as online quizzes, sample tests, links to other sources, etc.
The T/Th class will meet twice a week for approximately 85 minutes. The meetings will be used for lecture and class discussion, videos, paper presentations, individual and group work on course requirements, and library assignments. Additionally, students are expected to spend approximately 6 hours per week outside of class in class preparation, completing outside assignments and preparation for exams.
A. State Department of Education Professional Education Competencies
1. The teacher understands how students learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and physical development at all grade levels including early childhood, elementary, middle level, and secondary. (SDE II)
2. The teacher evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community), modifies those actions when needed, and actively seeks opportunities for continued professional growth. (SDE IX)
3. The teacher understands the process of continuous lifelong learning, the concept of making learning enjoyable, and the need for a willingness to change when the change leads to greater student learning and development. (SDE XII)
B. Elementary Education Competencies
C. CED Requirements
A. Chapter 1 - Introduction
1. Identify the goals of studying human development.
2. Identify and define biological and environmental processes and explain how these two developmental processes interact.
3. Discuss how attitudes toward children and child rearing have changed and the role of the family in these changes.
4. Explain three controversial issues that arise in theories of human development.
B. Chapter 2 – The Science of Life-Span Development
1. Identify, describe, and compare the major theories of human development.
2. Identify the major concepts employed by each theory of human development.
3. Identify individuals connected to the major theories of human development.
4. Have a thorough understanding of Piaget’s cognitive learning theory and the theory’s role in current teaching models.
5. Identify and describe the types of research methodology that are used in the study of human development.
C. Chapter 3 – Biological Beginnings
1. Identify and explain the principles and processes of genetic reproduction.
2. Identify and describe the causes and characteristics of genetic abnormalities.
3. Identify the contributions and controversies in the field of behavioral genetics.
4. Describe the relationship between heredity and environment in human development.
D. Chapter 4 - Prenatal Development and Birth
1. Describe three prenatal developmental periods.
2. Discuss the general trends that occur in prenatal growth and development.
3. Explain the importance of critical periods in the prenatal process.
4. Discuss the factors that influence prenatal development.
5. List and describe the three stages of childbirth.
6. Summarize the changes involved in making the transition to parenthood.
7. Describe the parent-infant bonding.
E. Chapter 5 - Physical Development in Infancy
1. Describe what neonates can do.
2. Summarize physical development over the first two years.
3. Explain how the development of gross motor skills and fine motor skills follows the principles. of cephalocaudal and proximodistal sequences.
4. Explain the importance of nutrition during the first two years.
5. Define sensation and perception, and describe sensory and perceptual development in the first two years.
F. Chapter 6 - Cognitive Development in the First Two Years.
1. Explain and critique Piaget’s theory of cognitive development in the infant.
2. Discuss the role of perceptual organization and categories in infant cognition. Explain how the information-processing view differs from the Piagetian view of cognitive development and explain habituation and dishabituation.
3. Discuss the role of imitation, reinforcement, innate language structure, and cognitive development in language learning
4. Identify the sequence of language development in infants.
5. Discuss the effects of environmental stimulation on infant competency.
6. Explain why intervention programs are so important to high-risk infants.
G. Chapter 7 – Socioemotional Development In Infancy
1. Understand reciprocal socialization and scaffolding.
2. Discuss the process of attachment between the infant and primary caregiver and describe how studying the behavior of animals has contributed to attachment theory.
3. Describe the role the father plays in the development of the infant.
4. Know key factors that affect the quality of the relationship between the infant and caregiver.
5. Understand the concept of temperament, including the three types of temperament and the implications of temperamental variations for parenting.
6. Discuss the development of trust, and the developing sense of self and independence.
7. Have an understanding of these issues concerning parental employment, out-of -home care and the socioemotional development of the infant.
H. Chapter 8 - Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood
1. Understand the physical development of the preschool child in terms of body size and proportion, skeletal maturation, and overall growth changes.
2. Discuss the major aspects of brain development during the preschool years and their impact on motor skills.
3. Explain the major changes in gross motor and fine motor skills during early childhood.
4. Describe the aspects and limitations of preoperational thought and the strengths and weaknesses of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
5. Indicate what changes occur in attention, memory, and task analyses in early childhood.
6. Explain Vygotsky’s theory of development, including zone of proximal development, scaffolding, language and thought, culture and society, and the education applications of Vygotsky’s theory.
7. Understand the sequence of the preoperational child’s language development, and the variables which influence this development
I. Chapter 9 – Socioemotional Development in Early Childhood.
1. Understand the four major parenting styles and how these are affected by developmental changes in the child as well as culture, social class, and ethnicity.
2. Discuss factors that promote initiative in young children’s lives.
3. Indicate the role that peers play in early development and be able to differentiate peer interaction and parent-child interaction.
4. Describe the functions of play and the types of play.
5. Discuss young children’s self-understandings.
6. Describe the biological, social, and cognitive factors that influence gender development.
7. Describe Piaget’s theory of moral development.
8. Analyze the development of the self-concept during the preschool period, and describe how children construct social concepts and gender schemes in the formation of this concept.
9. Explain the impact of parenting styles and parental warmth and control on Socioemotional development.
10. Discuss family characteristics which may support or thwart the socioemotional development of the preschool child. (e.g. sibling relationships, disciplinary techniques, out-of-home care).
J. Chapter 10 - Physical and cognitive Development in Middle and Late Childhood.
1. Discuss the physical development of the school-age child, including changes in fine motor and gross motor skills.
2. Identify the major health and safety concerns for school-age children.
3. Describe the transition of the child’s cognitive abilities between preoperational and concrete operational thought.
4. Explain how Piaget’s concepts of thinking in middle childhood can be used in the classroom.
5. Discuss cognitive development during middle childhood as it is described by information-processing theorists.
6. Describe the expansion of language development into literacy.
7. Explain learning and thinking in school terms of increased demands and expectations, and discuss the ways in which schools and parents can encourage competent learning and critical thinking.
8. Identify the ongoing controversy regarding definitions of intelligence and the uses and abuses of intelligence testing.
9. Explain the two main types of learning disabilities and the various views of their causes and treatments.
K. Chapter 11 - Socioemotional Development in Middle and Late Childhood
1. Describe children’s developing self-concept during the elementary school years.
2. Discuss the factors that promote a sense of industry in elementary-aged children.
3. Discuss the effects of familial stresses such as divorce, poverty, and abuse on children in middle childhood.
4. Explain the factors which can lead to child abuse and effects of child abuse on the child’s development.
5. Discuss the development of social cognition and moral reasoning during middle childhood.
6. Summarize the characteristic features of childhood friendships and peer groups.
7. Define and distinguish among popular children, neglected children, rejected children, and controversial children.
8. Explain how children develop racial awareness and how environmental factors influence their attitudes toward ethnicity.
9. Discuss the concept of emotional intelligence.
L. Chapter 12 - Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence.
1. Discuss the cultural and historical factors that influence adolescent development.
2. Describe physical maturation during pubescence for males and females and the difficulty many adolescents have in adjusting to their body image.
3. Discus the impact of early, late, and on-time maturation.
4. Analyze the attitudes, behaviors, and relationships that influence the adolescent’s emerging sexuality and gender identity.
5. Describe the cognitive changes that occur during adolescence, and explain how these changes affect the scope and content of adolescent thought.
6. Explain how social cognition (adolescent egocentrism, imaginary audience, and personal fable) affects adolescent behavior.
7. Discuss common adolescent disorders and describe the trends in juvenile delinquency, sexual behavior, pregnancy, suicide and eating disorders.
8. Discuss factors that increase the likelihood that adolescents will engage in high-risk behaviors and protective factors that help shield adolescents.
M. Chapter 13 - The Socioemotional Development in Adolescence.
1. Discuss the major developmental conflicts that adolescents must resolve in order to make a successful transition to adulthood.
2. Explain the concept of identity status.
3. Describe how intergenerational communication, including parenting styles and family dynamics, continues to influence a child’s behavior during adolescence, and identify key characteristics of successful family functioning during the adolescent’s move toward increasing independence.
4. Explain the importance of peers in an adolescent’s life and how relationships change from distant to intimate over the adolescent years.
5. Describe the developmental progression of peer pressure and conformity.
6. Describe the factors and processes that help shape moral development and the selection of guiding values during adolescence.
N. Selected sections of Chapters 14, 16, & 18 - Physical Development in Adulthood
1. Describe the physical changes that accompany early, middle and late adulthood.
2. Discuss the factors that impact variability in the timing of physical changes in adulthood.
O. Selected sections of Chapters 14, 16, & 19 - Cognitive Development in Adulthood
1. Describe the cognitive changes that accompany early, middle and late adulthood.
2. Discuss the changes in measured intelligence, fluid intelligence, and crystallized intelligence that occur with age.
P. Selected sections of Chapters 15, 17, & 20 - Socioemotional Development in Adulthood
1. Describe the socioemotional changes that accompany early, middle and late adulthood.
2. Describe personality in adulthood. Discuss the traits that tend to remain stable and those that tend to change with age.
Q. Chapter 21 - Death and Dying
1. Discuss cultural attitudes toward death and the terminally ill.
2. Explain the stages of adjustment to death and suggest ways of dealing with these stages.
3. Discuss patterns of adjustment characteristic of the grieving process.
A. Each student is expected to attend class consistently. Material will be presented in lecture that will not be in the text. (Addresses SDE Professional Education Competencies II, IX, & XII)
B. Each student is expected to read the text and other material as assigned. (Addresses SDE Professional Education Competencies II, IX, & XII)
C. Each student will take on-online quizzes over each chapter and e-mail the results to the instructor
D. Each student is expected to take 3 exams. Each exam will be worth 100 points and will consist of a combination of objective (multiple-choice, true-false, matching), short answer and comprehensive essay questions. Arrangements for make-up exams must be made in advance. Make-up exams will be essay format. (Addresses SDE Professional Education Competencies II, IX, & XII)
E. Each student is expected to complete 2 integration papers. An outline of expectations for the integration papers and list of appropriate sources is provided. Each integration paper is worth 40 points. The dates for completion are listed on the class calendar. (Addresses SDE Professional Education Competencies II & IX)
F. Each student will prepare a developmental autobiography that requires application of developmental principles to one’s own life. This assignment is worth 75 points. A detailed explanation of this assignment is provided. The first half of the developmental autobiography will be turned in following the discussion of early childhood and will be worth 35 points, the complete autobiography is due at the end of the trimester and will be worth 40 points. Check the class calendar for due dates. (Addresses SDE Professional Education Competencies II, IX, & XII)
G. Additional reaction papers, in class exercises, and reading quizzes will comprise the remainder of course requirements.
The following specific factors will be considered in assigning grades:
A. the instructor’s judgment of the student’s work, both oral and written, in terms of quality of scholarship and depth of understanding.
B. scores on three exams, 100 points x 3 300 points
C. 2 integration papers @ 40 points each 80 points
D. developmental autobiography, 75 points 75 points
E. additional assignments (reaction papers, group work, etc.) will vary
F. attendance, preparation and participation 75 points (approx 10% of grade)
G. Grading Scale: 90 to 100% = A
80 to 89% = B 60 to 69% = D
70 to 79% = C below 60% = F
A. Professionalism. Students are expected to be
organized and professional enough to:
1)
come to class prepared and on time.
2)
complete and turn in assignments as indicated by
the course calendar. (Assignments handed in late will receive partial credit)
3)
take tests at the scheduled time. Make-up
exams will only be given when arrangements have been made prior to the scheduled
testing date. B.
Portfolio: It is strongly suggested that
assignments from this class be retained in your portfolio as indicators
addressing SDE Professional Education Competencies II, IX, & XII. C.
Plagiarism/Cheating Policy: Students are expected
to maintain high standards of academic integrity. Any student who engages in
any form of academic dishonesty will be assigned a failing grade and reported to
the vice president for academic affairs. Academic dishonesty includes but is
not limited to plagiarism, fabrication, cheating, and forgery or alteration of
documents (see the student handbook for definitions and descriptions of each of
these).
D.
Americans With Disabilities Statement: Any
student needing academic accommodations for a physical, mental or learning
disability should notify student services and the course instructor within the
first two weeks of the semester so that appropriate accommodations can be
arranged. XIII. TENTATIVE
COURSE CALENDAR August 29
Section I - Introduction to Course – Chapter 1 August 31 Chapter
2 – The Science of Life-Span Development Sept. 5
Section 2 Beginnings – Chapter 3 Sept. 7
Chapter 4 – Prenatal Development and Birth Sept. 12 Section
3 – Infancy – Chapter 5 – Physical Development Sept. 14 Chapter
6 – Cognitive Development in Infancy Sept. 19 Chapter
7 – Socioemotional Development in Infancy Sept. 21 Review
for first exam – Integration paper #1 due Sept. 26 Exam I
Sept. 28 Section
4 – Early Childhood – Chapter 8
Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood Oct. 3
Chapter 9 – Socioemotional Development in Early Childhood Oct. 5
Section 5 – Middle and Late Childhood – Chapter 10
Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle and Late Childhood Oct.
10 Chapter 11 – Socioemotional Development in Middle and
Late Childhood Oct.
12 Review for Exam II Integration paper #2 due Oct.
17 Exam II Oct.
24 Section 6 – Adolescence – Chapter 12
Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence Oct.
26 Chapter 13 – Socioemotional Development in Adolescence Oct.
31 Section 7 – Early Adulthood – Chapter 14
Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Adulthood Nov. 2 Chapter
15 – Socioemotional Development in Early Adulthood Nov. 7 Section
8 – Middle Adulthood – Chapter 16
Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood Nov. 9 Chapter
17 – Socioemotional Development in Middle Adulthood Nov. 14 Section
9 – Late Adulthood – Chapter 18 Nov. 16 Chapter
19 – Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood Nov. 21 Chapter
20 – Socioemotional Development in Late Adulthood Nov. 28 Section
10 – Endings – Chapter 21
Death and Grieving Nov. 30 Review
chapters 11-21 Adolescence and Adulthood for Exam III
Developmental Autobiography due today Dec. 5 TBA Dec. 7 Final
Exam III (8:00-9:30)
Human Development and Learning
This exercise will require that you integrate
textual and theoretical information with personal experiences to write a
Developmental Autobiography. Gather information from relatives, older siblings,
friends, baby books, scrap books, personal memories, medical records, etc. If
there are gaps or missing information note that in your paper. The following
outline will provide a framework for your autobiography. However, do not limit
yourself to addressing only the points in the outline. Include any pertinent
information.
***note: Include only information that you feel
comfortable sharing. Information shared in your autobiography will be
confidential. Describe the following and
discuss how these factors contributed to your development: Date of Birth Parents (age, marital
status) Siblings (ages) Community and Cultural
Background Socio-economic status (in
general terms) Physical
Development (infancy, early childhood, middle child and adolescence) Note your height
and weight at birth and general information about your growth pattern throughout
childhood and adolescence. Discuss any health factors that have had an impact on
your development. Discuss development of fine and gross motor skills and other
markers of physical development. Discuss the impact that puberty had on you and
your development. Describe your
language development during childhood. Discuss any impact that you believe your
early language development has had on your development. Describe your cognitive
development and provide examples from your past of how various cognitive
developments have impacted your life. (i.e. how a decision in adolescence has
affected your life today). Use Piaget’s cognitive stages as well as
other cognitive markers to describe your cognitive development. Why are you the
person you are today? Discuss temperament and personality development. Using
Erikson’s Psychosocial stages, describe how you have resolved each of the
stages thus far and discuss factors that have influenced your resolution of
those stages. Within this section you may also discuss family patterns,
parenting style, peer relationships, or intimate relationships that have had an
impact on your development.
Note congruencies and interactions among the
various facets of development.
INTEGRATION PAPER
This assignment serves to
encourage the integration of consumer, theoretical and research information in
the field of human development. Information should be provided in a concise,
organized and grammatically correct manner. One to two paragraphs covering each
of the headings below should be sufficient. TOPIC:
Choose a topic of interest that addresses an issue or concept in human
development. Describe the issue or concept from the following perspectives.
1.
CONSUMER INFORMATION:
(Provide bibliographic reference) Choose a recent (within
the last 7 months) article written for consumption by the general population
(Parents magazine has an excellent series entitled “As They Grow”) that
addresses a specific developmental issue. Describe the issue/concern (e.g. bed
wetting, temper tantrums, etc.) and discuss suggestions from the author(s) on
how to handle the situation. 2. JOURNAL/SCHOLARLY
ARTICLE: (Provide bibliographic reference) Find a journal/research
article that discusses the same topic (you may have to stretch the concept a
little) summarize the “finding/discussion” portion if the article is a research
oriented article or summarize the main points of other scholarly articles. 3. THEORETICAL
INFORMATION: Identify the theory(ies)
that could be used to address the issue/concern and describe applications of the
theory(ies) to the specific behavior or developmental issue. Pay particular
attention to identifying developmental stages and concepts that might be
applicable.
4.
SUMMARY OR CONCLUSION: Integrate the consumer,
theoretical and research information. Identify points among the three that
offer conflicting views and points that are in agreement. Discuss your own
ideas/experiences that apply to this concept, and discuss how you might be able
to use this information in your personal or professional life. The paper
will be evaluated on both content and writing style.
XI. POLICY STATEMENTS
Developmental Autobiography
Demographic Information
Cognitive and
Language Development (infancy, early childhood, middle child and adolescence)
Social/Personality
Development (infancy, early childhood, middle child and adolescence)
Summary