Child and Family Development
CFD 135: Principles of Family Development
Spring, 2016
Instructor Contact Information
Simja Ramírez
Office: EBA 404A
Office hours: Wednesdays 3-4pm
Email: sramirez@mail.sdsu.edu
(In your subject line put "CFD135" and your name)
Section and Enrollment Information
Class meeting: Thursdays 4-6:40 p.m.
Class location: SSW-1500
Schedule number: 20574
Course Description
This course engages a critical, in-depth analysis of the ways in which families are seen by society and
the ways in which they see themselves. Topics to be covered include division of labor, childcare,
economics, health, leisure, and the politics of the family.
Student Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Identify the conceptual frameworks and theories applied to marriage and the family.
2. Compare and contrast an understanding of the concepts of love, sex, romance and the
family in modern American culture.
3. Analyze media representations of family life developmentally and sociologically.
4. Conduct a self-assessment of aspects of one’s own families of origin and current families.
5. Compare one’s own family of origin and family of orientation to current and past trends.
1
6. Read and summarize scholarly articles on marriage and family.
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Welch, K. J. (2010). Family life now. 2nd edition-2010 Census Edition. New York: Allyn and
Bacon.
ISBN-10: 0205006833 | ISBN-13: 979-0205006839
Approximate Cost: Bookstore $80-170, Online (Amazon/Ebay/Chegg) $65-120
Recommended Reading Materials
American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington D.C., American Psychological Association
Course Website
The website for this course will be the SDSU course blackboard page. Students are
required to check the blackboard site regularly (at least once per week) for updated
readings and other materials.
Assessment and Grading
Below is a grading overview. Instructions for each assignment will be available on the
course blackboard page as the due date for each assignment approaches.
Assignment or exam
Points possible
Assignments (in-class component)
45
Blackboard written assignments (15 points each)
30
75
Genogram Assignment
Mid-term Exams (25 points each)
50
Final Exam
50
TOTAL
250
Final Grades
Your grade will be based on the following criteria:
93% - 100%=A
90%-92%=A-
87%-89%=B+
83%-86%=B
2
80%-82%=B-
77%-79%=C+
73%-76%=C
70%-72%=C-
67%-69%=D+
63%-66%=D
60%-62%=D-
Less than 60%=F
Course Activities and Schedule
Please note that this course schedule is tentative and subject to change. The topics
and readings in particular may vary based on the material covered in each class.
Please check the course blackboard class regularly for updates on course schedule
and reading materials.
Date
1/21
Topic
Welcome & Introductions;
Course Overview;
Introduction to Family
Life Now
Readings to be
completed prior to
class
Ch. 1
Assignments /
Activities
Welcome &
Introduction
1/28
Research and Theories
Ch. 2
Communication
Ch. 3
2/4
2/11
Gender Issues
2/18
Midterm Exam #1
2/25
Intimacy
Ch. 4
Review chapters 1-4
and class materials for
exam
Ch. 5
Exam #1
Blackboard research
assignment due by
11:59pm
3/3
3/10
3/17
Love and Commitment
Ch. 6 & 7
Coupling
Ch. 8
Sexuality and Child
Bearing
3/24
Midterm Exam #2
3/31 SPRING BREAK - NO CLASS
Ch. 9 &10
Review chapters 5-10
and class materials for
exam.
Exam #2
NO CLASS
3
4/7
4/14
Parenthood
Ch. 11
Family Life and Work
Ch. 12
Blackboard writing
assignment #2 due
by 11:59pm
Genogram
Assignment due
4/21
4/28
5/5
Divorce
Ch. 13
Family Life After Divorce
Ch. 14
Family Change and Aging
Ch. 15 & 16
Review chapters 1-16
and all class materials
for final exam.
5/12
Final exam
Final exam
Grading Policies
• Blackboard submissions: all written assignments should be submitted through
turn-it-in unless otherwise indicated on the assignment instructions.
• Late policy: all work is expected on the assigned due date. Exams must be taken at the
scheduled times. Late Assignments and Make-up Exams will NOT be accepted, except in
the event of extraordinary circumstances with supporting documentation (written
documentation must be provided).
• Academic honesty: students will receive a zero for any assignment with indications of
academic dishonesty (e.g. plagiarism, cheating). If there is more than one instance of
academic dishonesty, students will receive a failing grade for the course. All indications
of academic dishonesty will also be reported to the SDSU Center for Student Rights and
Responsibilities.
• Extra Credit: Extra credit assignments may be added periodically throughout the
semester, yet are up to the discretion of the instructor.
Course Requirements
Below is an overview of the major course requirements. Information for
assignments/papers will be available on the course blackboard page.
4
Assignments
Students can earn up to 45 points by thoughtfully completing 9 assignments (worth 5 points
each) where you will be using relevant information from the course. Each assignment will
include an in-class component. The assignments will either be completed in class, or will
entail reflecting on class material and turning the assignment in the following week on the
course blackboard site. A total of 10 assignments will be given so that students can miss one
assignment and still receive full assignment points. This allows flexibility for student illness
or absence due to religious holidays or other life events.
Course Writing Assignments
Blackboard writing assignments.
Two assignments will be due on Blackboard during the semester. The assignments will
require you to research scholarly articles regarding marriage and family, and then give a
synthesis of the information you have read. These scholarly articles can be accessed through
a variety of databases, including those found on the SDSU library website. Each assignment
will be worth 15 points and will be graded based on how well you connect the information
you have read to the content of the course, and how well you explain the information
provided by the scholarly article. This assignment should be 2-3 pages each, and be written
in APA format.
If you are unsure of what a scholarly article is, or for more information on APA format,
please see the folder marked APA Materials under the Course Documents tab on Blackboard,
or refer to the APA Manual in Recommended Reading Materials.
Genogram Assignment.
The goal of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to learn more about your family,
genetic predispositions, environmental influences and apply knowledge you are gaining in
this course to the analysis of your family of origin and the influences of various situations
and experiences on you and your family. (FOR ALL NAMES IN THIS ASSIGNMENT, USE
ONLY FIRST NAMES—EXCEPT FOR INCLUDING YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME ON THE
COVER SHEET.)
5
Part 1 – Genogram
(15 points based on thoroughness and following directions)
In Part 1, you will construct a Genogram of your family tracing your family of origin on both the
maternal and the paternal sides 4 generations. (e.g. you, your parents, your grandparents, and your
great grandparents; or you, your children, your parents, and your grandparents) You will not be
sharing it in class. Bring a hard copy this section of the assignment to class on the due date. Use the
symbols provided and display a symbol for each family member and number it. These numbers will
be used for the factual data sheet.
Part 2 –Factual Data Sheet
(15 points based on thoroughness and following directions)
The second part of your project is a factual data sheet that is to be typed in chart form. You can use
Word or some other typing program for this part of the project. You must provide 10 columns with
as many rows as numbered symbols on your Genogram. The information provided in each column
will correspond to the family member represented by number on the Genogram. A sample is given
below, but you may find that setting it up in Landscape instead of Portrait will give you more space
to use. The length will depend upon the number of family members included and the amount of
information about each one. Feel free to extend some columns to allow for enough space to
accommodate your answers.
The 10 columns are:
1.
Number (correlates to Genogram)
2.
First name
3.
Relationship to you
4.
Date of birth/death
5.
Approximate date of marriage/divorce/remarriage
6.
Occupation/profession
7.
Major life events
8.
Physical/health problems
9.
Personality traits
10.
Rituals/traditions
Include 10 family members, including yourself. You may not include more than 10 family members.
Do not leave a column blank. Dates can be estimated.
6
This is intended to be an opportunity to connect with family members, gather unknown information
and share family stories.
If any part of this project creates a problem for you such as in cases of adoption, foster care, divorces,
estranged family members, etc., please see me about finding enough family members to use in the
project and/or conduct an alternate project based on those issues.
Feel free to have the columns extend to accommodate your information.
Part 3 – Family Profile
(45 points based on thoroughness of content, relating content back to text, and APA format)
This portion should be 3-5 pages, double spaced, 12 point, following APA formatting guidelines. This
part of your paper describes the characteristics and composition of your family of origin. It should be
written in paragraph form and follow APA (American Psychological Association) guidelines. In the
narrative parts of your Family Profile, please cite the text a minimum of 10 times.
Your family profile should include the following sections:
1. Composition of your family of origin, including ages of all members, gender and sibling order.
Describe the personality of each and analyze the influence each has had upon your development.
2. Describe and analyze the influence the occupational status of each individual has had upon your
development.
3. Size and type of community/communities in which your family lived during your birth-18 years
of age. Describe and analyze the influence each has had upon your development.
4. Location and connections with extended family members. Describe and analyze the influence
each has had upon your development.
5. Health status of you and your immediate family. Describe and analyze the influence each has had
upon your development.
6. Choose one more element from the factual data set (such as rituals/traditions, marital status &
divorces, births & deaths, or personality) and describe and analyze the influence each has had
upon your development.
General Criteria:

Include 4 generations representing both maternal and paternal sides of the family.

For couples, draw men on the left and women on the right (except in complex situations, then
just explain)

Draw siblings in chronological order with the first born on the left.
7

Use appropriate symbols for males and females.

Use appropriate symbols for marriage, divorce, unmarried couples, adoptions, etc.

Start with yourself and highlight your symbol—you are to be labeled #1.

Numbers should coincide with the Factual Data Sheet, which is Part 3.
Exams.
Mid-Term Exams
Two Mid-Term Exams will be given. Mid-Term Exam #1 will cover Chapters 1-4 and all
materials covered during class. Mid-Term Exam #2 will cover Chapters 5-10 and all
materials covered during class. Each Mid-Term Exam will consist of 20 multiple-choice
questions (1 point each) and a 5-point essay question, for a total of 25 points possible per
Mid-Term Exam.
Final Exam
The final exam will consist of information from all chapters of the textbook and materials
covered during class. This exam will consist of 35 multiple-choice questions (1 point each)
and 3 short answer questions (5 points each)
Course Policies
•
Attendance: class participation and attendance are required for successful completion
of the course. You are expected to attend class for its complete duration.
•
Blackboard: students will need to check the course blackboard page regularly for
readings and updated instructions. Written assignments must be turned in using turnit-in unless otherwise indicated.
•
Cell phones and other electronic devices: should be turned off or turned to silent
during class. Laptops and tablets may be used to take notes, but should not be used for
other purposes during class. Please do not email, text, use facebook, or play games
during class.
•
Readings: students should come to each class prepared to discuss the readings
assigned for that day.
•
Discussion etiquette: students are expected to discuss issues during class in a manner
that is respectful of both their fellow students and of the populations examined. Please
8
keep any personal information shared confidential, listen to others' contributions, and
make contributions about your opinions in a respectful manner.
Computing needs. Students are responsible for their own computing needs and solving
•
computer related problems. The SDSU library has computers students can access and
can provide help regarding computer related problems. Instructional Technology
problems that you encounter do not constitute an acceptable excuse for non-completion
of course work.
Student Work Samples. Your work may be selected by the instructor to keep on file.
•
The work that is selected with be used solely for the purposes of evaluation from higher
education accreditation institutions (e.g., NCFR, NAEYC, NCATE).
•
NAEYC Advanced Program Standards: http://www.naeyc.org/faculty/college.asp
•
NCFR Content Areas: www.ncfr.org/pdf/cfle_cert/FLE_Substance_Areas.pdf
•
NCATE Unit Standards: http://www.ncate.org/public/standards.asp
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability and believe you would benefit from accommodations for
this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at 619-594- 6473
(Calpulli Center, Suite 3101). To avoid any delay in the receipt of accommodations, you
should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that
accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability cannot
be provided until you have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from the
Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Religious Accommodations for Students
Students who need to be absent from class due to the observance of a religious holiday or
participate in required religious functions must notify the faculty member in writing as far in
advance of the holiday/obligation as possible. Students will need to identify the specific
holiday or obligatory function to the faculty member. Students will not be penalized for
missing class due to religious obligations/holiday observance. The student should contact
the class instructor to make arrangements for making up tests/assignments within a
reasonable time.
9
Military Personnel Statement
A student who is a member of the National Guard, Reserve, or other U.S. Armed Forces
branch and is unable to complete classes because of military activation may request complete
or partial administrative unrestricted withdrawals or incompletes depending on the timing of
the activation.
Harassment Prohibited
SDSU policy prohibits harassment on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, age, religion,
national origin, disability, sexual orientation, Vietnam era veteran status and other protected
veteran status. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, including expulsion
of students. Contact the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance
(http://oerc.sdsu.edu/discrimharasstoc.htm) if you feel someone is harassing you based on
any of the factors above.
STUDENT COMPUTER HELP
Students at San Diego State University have access to computer help through the SDSU web
site. You can select the computer help page appropriate for you at:
http://www.rohan.sdsu.edu/~students/stylesheet.cgi?main.htm
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR YOUR LEARNING
The CFD Program has a Mentoring Center where students can receive tutoring services. The
Mentoring Center is located in EBA 409. Please consult the CFD administration in CFD 403 for
an application to become a tutee/ tutor.
The SDSU Writing Center is also available to assist students with writing. The instructor
may suggest or require that you visit the Writing Center for assistance with your writing.
You can make an appointment at the Writing Center at http://writingcenter.sdsu.edu/.
10