KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
FAIRFIELD, MAINE
Social Sciences Department
Approval Date: 4/12/00
Semester: Fall 2015
COURSE NUMBER:
COURSE TITLE:
PREREQUISITES:
CO-REQUISITES:
PSY215
Developmental Psychology
PSY101 or permission of instructor
None
OFFICE
N/A
CREDIT HOURS: 3
CLOCK HOURS: 45
INSTRUCTOR
Gretchen Ross
VOICE MAIL
N/A
E-MAIL ADDRESS
gross@kvcc.me.edu
OFFICE HOURS:
We will make individual arrangements to meet as requested.
TEXTS & OTHER MATERIALS:
Rathus, S.A. (2012). HDEV, 2nd Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is a survey of the biological, cognitive and socio-emotional aspects of human growth and
development across the lifespan. Lifespan topics include an introduction to the lifespan perspective; biological
changes; family, peer and social relations; cognition; and personality development.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Recognize and describe major cognitive, biological, and socio-emotional life changes.
2. Explain the interactive nature of biological and environmental factors.
3. Identify various historical and theoretical perspectives of human development.
4. Describe how scientific methodology can be implemented to study life-span perspectives.
5. Understand practical applications of theory and research in current situations.
6. Apply theory and research to the understanding and appreciation of oneself and others in a lifespan context.
COURSE CONTENT:
History, Theories, and Methods………………………………………………Chapter 1
Heredity and Pre-Natal Development…………………………………………….Chapter 2
Birth and The Newborn Baby: In the New World………………………………. Chapter 3
Infancy: Physical Development…………………………………………………...Chapter 4
Infancy: Cognitive Development………………………………………………….Chapter 5
Infancy: Social and Emotional Development……………………………………..Chapter 6
Early Childhood: Physical and Cognitive Development………………………….Chapter 7
Early Childhood: Social and Emotional Development……………………………Chapter 8
Middle Childhood: Physical and Cognitive Development………………………...Chapter 9
Middle Childhood: Social and Emotional Development………………………….Chapter 10
Adolescence: Physical and Cognitive Development………………………………Chapter 11
Adolescence: Social and Emotional Development………………………………...Chapter 12
Early Adulthood: Physical and Cognitive Development…………………………..Chapter 13
Early Adulthood: Social and Emotional Development…………………………….Chapter 14
Middle Adulthood: Physical and Cognitive Development………………………...Chapter 15
Middle Adulthood: Social and Emotional Development…………………………..Chapter 16
Late Adulthood: Physical and Cognitive Development……………………………Chapter 17
Late Adulthood: Social and Emotional Development……………………………..Chapter 18
Life’s Final Chapter………………………………………………………………..Chapter 19
COURSE ACTIVITIES:
For each week in this class, you will be assigned specific activities. The activities may include reading in the
textbook, reading outside material, participation in discussions, quizzes on the text content, and/or other graded
materials related to the course.
GRADING:
Weekly textbook quizzes………………………………………………………………..35%
These will be open on a weekly basis. Students need to be timely in taking, or re-taking quizzes.
*Biography, written format, narrative and reflection , and special assignments………..35%
Class participation in online weekly discussions, and attendance………………………30%
*Detailed instructions for term project, and service-learning projects are to be found on Blackboard. Weekly quizzes,
and instructions for biography are also on Blackboard. The grading rubrics indicating values for each part of the
projects are on Blackboard. It is crucial for student to have access to computer, and become familiar with navigating
Blackboard.
Graded, online discussion topics will be posted every week. You are expected to respond at least twice to other
student replies, in addition to YOUR initial reply to topic posted. Quality, and timeliness of replies are essential.
Your first reply is worth 50%. Two replies to other student input worth another 50%. However, it is the quality of
what you post, not just logging in that gains credit.
GRADING SCALE:
A
90-94
A87-89
B+
83-86
B
80-82
B77-79
C+
73-76
C
Below 73
F
Grade less than C is failure.. Less than C is not enough material mastered to have credit for course.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Attendance in this class is crucial for you to pass this course. Attendance in this class is monitored by your
completion of the assigned weekly activities and your attendance in class (face-to-face) or participation in online
discussions (online classes), or, both as a hybrid. If you fail to come to class and/or participate in the assigned
activities for a given week you will receive an attendance warning, even if you have logged into the course. You are
given credit for the WORK that you complete, not just logging in. Consistently missing class, discussion, and/or
other assignments will devastate your grade.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Weekly assignment from required textbook, with corresponding online quizzes. Development and completion of
either a Research Paper (term paper), or Service-Learning (community-based project), with prior approval of
instructor. A biography project, in which you interview someone who is at least 60 years of age, recording in writing
how they look back and describe their lives. A second component, in which you write a reflection of what this
experience meant to you is required. Blackboard has detailed information on all three of these activities. Online
discussion will occur weekly still. It might be a topic that has no single/simple resolution, but is important
nonetheless. They will focus on course content issue that merit further development. They may originate in
discussion that begins in class, but can go further.
OTHER INFORMATION:
Student activity, i.e. quizzes, projects, class participation, online and class discussions ALL have value towards final
grade. Missing any component, or many components of a particular type, i.e. quizzes, has negative consequences.
Contacting your instructor, email for example, is a good opportunity to strategize a solution if there is a problem
with any assignments.
NO CELLPHONE USE DURING CLASS SESSIONS. NO TEXTING, NO EXCEPTIONS. IF THIS OCCURS STUDENT
WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (2014)
In accordance with state and federal law, this College is committed to assisting qualified students with
disabilities achieve their educational goals.
If you are in need of an accommodation in this course:
• Students must contact the Dean of Students, Enrollment Services Center, Frye Building, 453-5019,
knormandin@kvcc.me.edu
• Students must provide current, appropriate documentation of their disability.
• Students must make a timely request for accommodation to the Dean of Students.
• Accommodations will not be provided until the faculty member receives a letter requesting
accommodations. This letter is created with the Dean of Students and is supported by the documentation
of said disability.
• Requests for accommodation must be renewed each semester for each course.
This document is available in enlarged print and on audio tape. Please contact the Dean of Students at
453-5019 or knormandin@kvcc.me.edu
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION (2014):
Kennebec Valley Community College does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission to,
access to, or operation of its programs, services or activities. Students requesting classroom accommodation
should be forwarded to the Dean of Students, Enrollment Service Center, Frye Building, phone: 453-5019 or
the Director of the Learning Commons, Lunder Library, phone: 453-5084
Complaints about College decisions related to disability accommodations or discrimination must be forwarded
to Affirmative Action Officer and ADA Compliance Officer, Dean of Academic Affairs, Enrollment Services
Center, 92 Western Avenue, Fairfield, ME 04937, phone: 453-5822.