EDUC 6368: Adolescent Psychology and Development for Teachers (Spring 2015)
Mondays, 12:00-2:30, EDUC 231
Jacob (Jenna) McWilliams, PhD
Office Hours
Office: Room 103 (EDUC)
Mondays, 2:30-4:00
E-mail: j.mcwilliams@colorado.edu
and by appointment
Course Overview
This course focuses on adolescent development and schooling with respect to today’s
educational, social, and political contexts. It is tailored to meet the standards required of the
state licensure process and is designed to fit into the sequence of the School of Education’s
MA+ licensure program. The assignments are tied to practicum experiences in methods
courses, and require that students synthesize their experiences across the courses in
systematic and productive ways. Consistent with the mission of the School of Education, the
course focuses on the experiences of adolescents in schooling with respect to broader
ecological contexts of development, such as families, peer groups, geographical and
interest-driven communities, and nations.
This course approaches the topic of adolescent psychology from three vantage-points:

Theories of learning, motivation, and development. Received wisdom about
adolescents and adolescence has painted a valuable, but partial and sometimes even
inaccurate, portrait of learners in this age group. We will explore mainstream theories
of adolescent psychology and build on these theories with readings and activities
that help us interrogate dominant assumptions about the experience of adolescence.

Building developmental alliances. A key aspect of working with youth involves
building alliances in which adults serve as mentors, advocates, and allies. We will
explore this concept throughout the semester through readings and assignments.

Exploring the new (digitally mediated) landscape of adolescence. New media
technologies have shifted the experience of adolescence—and the practices that
constitute learning in and outside of school. We will discuss the experience of living
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and learning with new media, anchored in recent publications articulate key shifts in
how we think about adolescence, adolescent development, and adolescent
communities.
Driving Questions
1. How do I build a developmental alliance with a young person?
2. How do I design a classroom or community space that engages and empowers
young people?
Big Ideas of this Syllabus
 This course focuses on three key issues related to adolescent psychology: theories of
learning, motivation, and development; building developmental alliances with youth;
and the role of new media technologies in learning and development.
 Readings for the class are available in D2L, and unless I notify you otherwise, all
assignments will be submitted through D2L
 You’ll complete 3 major assignments for this course: An identity position statement, a
digital storytelling project, and a portrait of an adolescent.
Course goals
Students in this course will…
1. Explore and draw on various theories of adolescent development in order to account
for the lived experiences of groups of youth, social and cultural contexts, diversity
and social justice
2. Build a developmental alliance with one or more adolescents, and use this alliance to
reflect on their goals as teachers engaged in the work of social transformation in
classrooms.
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3. Develop an awareness of the role of new digital technologies in the academic, social,
and emotional lives of adolescents.
Course Assignments
Assignment
Deadline
Personal position statement
Points
15%
Initial statement
Sunday, 1/18, 5pm
Revised statement
Friday, 5/1, 5pm
Digital storytelling assignment
25%
Proposal
Sunday, 2/1, 5pm
Completed product
Sunday, 2/15, 5pm
Portrait of an Adolescent
40%
3 D2L posts about the process of forming a developmental
5%
alliance
Introductions
Sun 2/8, 5pm
Progress report
Sun 3/8, 5pm
Exiting the relationship
Sun 4/5, 5pm
Neighborhood walk
Sunday, 3/1, 5pm
5%
Observation notes
Sunday, 4/12, 5pm
5%
Interview notes
Sunday, 4/26, 5pm
5%
Case study
Final Exam Week
20%
Final oral exam
TBA
10%
Participation and additional assignments
ongoing
10%
Explanation of Assignments
Personal position statement (15% of grade). At the beginning of the semester, you will
respond to a series of prompts that invite you to locate yourself and your relationship to
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teaching and learning and to think about your views on building a developmental alliance
with youth, on diversity, and on the role of new media in learning. At the end of the
semester, you will write a short paper that revisits what you wrote at the beginning of the
course and identify how your thinking has changed, how it has remained the same, and how
course readings and activities helped to support your views on these issues.
Digital storytelling project (25% of grade). You’ll use digital technologies to tell a story of a
developmental alliance that was important for your own growth or for the growth of a
friend or family member. This project must include at least two modalities—text, audio, and
visual (images/movie) formats.
Portrait of an adolescent (40% of grade). This is the biggest assignment you’ll complete
this semester. You will be required to form a developmental alliance with a student of a
traditionally marginalized ethnic, linguistic, sexual, or gender group.
Cross course final exam (10% of grade). At the end of the semester, you will participate in
an oral final exam with classmates. Details on this will be announced later in the semester.
Course Policies and Expectations
Attendance:
This class is designed around the assumption that students will need to be present in class
in order to support their own and others’ learning. The best way to ensure your success in
this class is to show up every day, on time, prepared to participate in discussions and
activities. Every student in this course can make use of one free absence, no questions
asked. Additional absences will result in a lowered grade in the course.
Extra credit: If a worthwhile opportunity for extra credit arises, it will be offered to the
entire class. Extra credit will not be offered on an individual basis.
E-mail Response Policy: The University of Colorado Boulder considers email to be an
official form of communication. All CU-affiliated faculty, staff, and students are expected to
check and respond to e-mail on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current with
university-related communications. For more information on CU’s email policy, see
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/student-e-mail-policy.
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I can be contacted via email at j.mcwilliams@colorado.edu, and you can expect a response
within 24 hours except on weekends.
Changes to the Syllabus: During the semester, changes may occur to the syllabus and will
be posted in D2L. Students have the responsibility to accommodate all changes.
Respect for Diversity: Diversity is accepted, encouraged, and valued in our classroom.
Differences between individuals and opinions or backgrounds are viewed as learning
experience. Language that degrades any individual or group because of gender, ethnicity,
nationality, race, socioeconomic status, disability status, religious preference, or sexual
orientation will not be tolerated.
Expectations regarding written work
Assignments must be turned in on time. Extensions may only be granted for extenuating
circumstances, and only if requested one week ahead of the relevant deadline.
Written work must be in Times New Roman, 12 point font, double-spaced, with 1 inch
margins. Writing should observe APA guidelines (American Psychological Association, 6th
Edition). This includes, for example, how references are cited (in the text and in reference
section). The APA writing manual is available in the Education library. You can also find
information at the following link: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/.
Reasonable accommodation
Disabilities: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me
a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed.
Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact
Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or by email at dsinfor@colorado.edu. The office of
Disability Services is located in N200 Center for Community,
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/. If you have a temporary medical condition or
injury, see Temporary Medical Conditions: injuries, Surgeries, and Illnesses guidelines under
Quick Links at Disability Services website and discuss your needs with me.
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Observance of Religious Holidays and Absences from Classes or Examinations: Campus
policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably
and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with
scheduled examinations, assignments, or required attendance. In this class, I will make every
effort to accommodate all students who have such conflicts with scheduled examinations,
assignments, or attending class, provided you notify me well in advance of the scheduled
conflict. Full details are available at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
Classroom Behavior Policy: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an
appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards
may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important
with respect to individuals and topics dealing with race, color, culture, religion, creed,
politics, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression,
age, disability, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the
student’s legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name
or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may
make appropriate changes to my records. See relevant policies at
http://www.colorado.edu/classbehavior.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code
Discrimination & Harassment The University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) is
committed to maintaining a positive learning, working, and living environment. CU-Boulder
will not tolerate acts of discrimination or harassment based upon Protected Classes or
related retaliation against or by any employee or student. For purposes of this CU-Boulder
policy, "Protected Classes" refers to race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age,
disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran
status, political affiliation or political philosophy. Individuals who believe they have been
discriminated against should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at
303-492-2127 or the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) at 303-492-5550. Information about
the ODH, the above referenced policies, and the campus resources available to assist
individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at
http://hr.colorado.edu/dh/
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Honor Code: All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for
knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this
policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying,
bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to
the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to
be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions
from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to
university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can
be found at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at http://honorcode.colorado.edu
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Course calendar
Week
Date
Topic
Readings
Assignments due
1
1/12
Introduction to
Engaging
 hooks, “Engaged Pedagogy”
Personal positioning
Day—
pedagogy,
 Parmar & Sternberg, “Locating yourself for
response due (via
no
locating our
class
selves
course
2 MLK
1/19
your students”
 Nakkula & Toshalis, Ch.1, "The construction
D2L, by 5 p.m.
Sunday, 1/18)
of adolescence”
3
1/26
Rethinking
 Lesko,“Denaturalizing Adolescence”
adolescence
 Woo, “Age”
 Watch: Adichie, “The danger of a single story”
(http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichi
e_the_danger_of_a_single_story/transcript?lan
guage=en)
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2/2
Engaging ethical
fieldwork
 Paris, "A Friend Who Understand Fully": Notes
Digital storytelling
on Humanizing Research in a Multiethnic
proposal due (by 5
Youth Community
p.m. Sunday, 2/1)
 Merriam, “Being a careful observer”
 DeMeulenaire, “Toward a Pedagogy of Trust”
5
2/9
Adolescence in
 Ito et al., “Media ecologies”
First D2L post on
the age of new
 Mills, “Effects of Internet use on the
forming a
media
adolescent brain”
 Sifferlin, “Why selfies matter”
http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/06/why-
developmental
alliance due by 5
p.m. Sunday, 2/8
selfies-matter/
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2/16
Technology use,
continued
Forming a
developmental
alliance with
youth
 Shirky, “Why I just asked my students to put
their laptops away”
 Murphy, “How to use technology to make
Digital storytelling
product due (by 5
pm Sunday, 2/15)
you smarter”
 Estes, “Google is making us stupid and smart
at the same time?
 Willingham, “Why students don’t like school”
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2/23
Space and place
in adolescence
 Rhodes, “First do no harm: Ethical principles
for youth mentoring relationships"
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 Barron, “Conceptualizing and Tracing
Learning Pathways over Time and Setting”
 Barton, “Teaching
science
with homeless
children: Pedagogy, representation, and
identity”
8
3/2
Identity
 Nakkula & Toshalis, “identity in context”
Neighborhood walk
development
 Phelan,et al., "Students' Multiple Worlds"
reflection due by 5
 Nasir, N., "Studying identity in learning
p.m. Sunday, 3/1
contexts from a human sciences perspective"
 Dutro, “Writing wounded”
9
3/9
Marginalized
identities: Race
& class
 Singleton & Hays, “Beginning courageous
conversations about race”
Second D2L post
on forming a
 Finn, “A distinctly un-American idea”
developmental
 Leonardo, “Pedagogy of fear: Toward a
alliance due by 5
Fanonian theory of ‘safety’”
p.m. Sunday, 3/8
 Listen to This American Life episode, “no
these things will not be on the test,” acts I
and II: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radioarchives/episode/474/back-to-school
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3/16
Marginalized
 Pascoe, “Dude, you’re a fag”
identities:
 Talburt, “Constructions of LGBT Youth:
Gender and
sexual identities
Opening Up Subject Positions”
 Excerpt from Bornstein, “My Gender
Workbook”
12
3/23
Spring break
11
3/30
Marginalized
 Solomon, ”Autism”
Interview notes due
identities:
 McDermott, “The acquisition of a child by a
by 5 p.m. Sunday,
Neuro-atypicality
& neurodiversity
learning disability”
3/22
 Video: Sandmann-Hurley, “What is dyslexia?”
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/what
s-going-on-inside-a-dyslexic-students-brain/
12
3/30
Spring break
13
4/6
Hybrid identities
in classroom
spaces
 Greeno & Hull, “identity and agency in nonschool and school worlds”
3rd D2L post on
forming a
 Gutierréz et al, "Rethinking Hybridity"
developmental
 McWilliams, “Lessons from a classroom
alliance due by 5
participatory culture”
p.m. Sunday, 4/5
9
14
4/13
Peer cultures,
bullying, and
empathy
 Eisenberg, “Emotion, regulation, and moral
development”
 Meyer, “A feminist reframing of bullying and
Observation notes
due by 5 p.m.
Sunday, 4/12
harassment: Transforming schools through
critical pedagogy”
15
4/20
No class—field
work
16
4/27
Motivation and
 Kohl, “I won’t learn from you”
Interview due by 5
engagement
 Rogoff,et al., “Firsthand learning through
p.m. Sunday, 4/26
intent participation”
 Nolen et al., “Motivation, Engagement &
Identity”
Revised personal
position statement
due by 5 p.m.
Friday, 5/1
Final exam
Final portrait of an
week
adolescent due
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